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Admissions

As a Local Authority school, all admissions to Ainslie Wood are carried out by Waltham Forest admissions.  Please contact them to find out about our admissions arrangements. 

Click here to find their details:

Admissions criteria for Waltham Forest Schools

Priority 1: Looked After Children or Children ‘At Risk’ - For admission purposes, a ‘looked after child’ is in care or a child who was in care but became subject to an adoption residence, or special guardianship order, immediately after leaving care.   A child is ‘at risk’ if they are currently on the Child Protection Register or are under consideration for inclusion on the register, as advised by Waltham Forest’s Child Protection Officer.

Priority 2: Medical - Any acute or chronic condition that would make it difficult for a child to attend any school other than the closest school to the child’s address.

Priority 3: Siblings – If a child already has a sibling at the school.  The term ‘sibling’ includes:

  • a full brother or sister
  • a half- brother or sister
  • a step brother or sister
  • a foster brother or sister
  • A brother or sister on roll in Reception to Year 6 at the time of the proposed admission up to a distance of 0.5 miles from the school if the family has moved since the last sibling was offered a place.

In all cases the siblings must be living at the same address and must attend the school at the time of admission of the child for whom the application is being made.

Priority 4: Distance - Distance is measured from the child’s permanent address to the main school gate.

The Waltham Forest Primary admissions team will be able to advise you on the catchment area for Ainslie Wood Primary School.

Special Educational Needs

Children who have a statement of Special Educational Needs are placed in schools under the terms of the 1996 Education Act and not through the admissions criteria above.

Admissions to Nursery

Admissions to Nursery are arranged directly by the school. Application forms can be requested from the school office once your child is 2 years old. Once your child has reached 3 years old a member of the Nursery Team will contact you to arrange a visit and some play sessions for your child.

Nursery runs for two sessions a day and, depending on availability, you will be able to choose which you would prefer – a morning or afternoon.

Morning sessions:            9.00 am to 12 noon

30 hrs sessions:               9.00 am to 3.30 pm

Afternoon sessions:         12.30 pm to 3.30 pm

Please be aware that a place in Ainslie Wood Nursery does not guarantee your child a place in Primary School, an application will still need to be submitted to Primary Admissions.

Admissions to main school (Reception to Year 6)

All admissions to the main school are organised by the Primary Admissions Team for The Borough of Waltham Forest.

If your child is already attending a school in Waltham Forest, an In-Year Common Application Form (iCAF) will need to be completed by the child’s Parent or Guardian and signed by the current school’s Head Teacher. Once this has been completed it must be sent with the following documents to Primary Admissions

  • A current Council Tax Bill or Housing Benefit letter,
  • A copy of a current Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit letter
  • If you have recently arrived from abroad, a copy of your child’s passport
  • If you are living with someone, they must give you a copy of their Council Tax Bill, along with a letter stating that you and your child are living there.

If you are moving from another borough to Waltham Forest you will also need to follow the above process but with a form collected from your child’s previous school.

Pupil Premium/Free School Meal Entitlement

If you are on a low income (employed or self-employed), claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, you may be entitled to Pupil Premium Funding for your child. Waltham Forest Council Benefits Service will be able to advise you. Once your child is in full time school you can apply. New Reception starters please be sure that the entitlement is in place at the time of your child starting school. You can of course apply for this at any time should your circumstances change.

 

Universal Free School Meals

Currently the government provides all pupils in Reception to Year 6 with a free school meal at lunchtime. This offer does not depend on your household income or whether you receive any benefits - every child in these year groups are eligible. Children are asked to set a meal pattern for the term. 

Visiting the School

Visitors are welcome to come and view the school prior to submitting their application, this can be arranged by telephoning the school office.

Once you have been allocated a place in Ainslie Wood you will be asked to contact the school office to arrange a start date for your child.

If there are no available spaces in your child’s year group at Ainslie Wood, your child will be allocated to the closest school to their home that does have spaces. You will have the option to put your child’s name on the waiting list in case a place becomes available at Ainslie Wood.

If you decline the school place offered and your child is not attending school, you will be referred to the Educational Welfare Service.

If you would like your child to attend our school, please see full details of our admission arrangements below.

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