The following guidance is intended to support the process for enabling a looked after child (LAC) to have an educational placement within 10 school days from the receipt of the completed application form.
This form is to be completed for children who are looked after by other local authorities (OLA) being placed in Stockport or out of area (OOA) seeking a place in Stockport.
1. General information
1.1: The School Places, Admissions and Transport Team will only be able to consider a request for a school place using the online application form.
1.2: Applications must be completed by a social worker.
1.3: You can contact the School Places, Admissions and Transport team with any queries relating to the process and to provide any supporting evidence:
Email: admissions.support@stockport.gov.uk
1.4: If the looked after child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you should contact the EHCP Team:
- Tel: 0161 474 2525
- Email: specialeducation@stockport.gov.uk
2. How to apply for a school place and what happens next
2.1: Apply using the online application form.
Please make sure all relevant questions are answered and any additional information or supporting evidence is attached or sent securely to admissions.support@stockport.gov.uk.
2.2: If you are unable to provide information that is relevant, please add details as to why in the application form.
2.3: Where a place exists at a preferred school, a copy of the application will be emailed to the headteacher and the school must admit the child.
If it fails to admit, the local authority (LA) along with the placing LA will discuss, consult and direct where necessary (as outlined in School Standards and Framework Act 1998 sections 96 and 97 for maintained schools and section 25 for Secretary of State intervention for academy schools).
2.4: Where a place does not exist at any preferred school, an Education Planning Meeting (EPM) will be arranged by the preferred school and all local headteachers will be consulted.
2.5: During an EPM:
- the preferred school will be asked to explain the level and nature of difficulty that will occur if the child were to be admitted and provide necessary proof
- alternatives will be explored including any other local ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools, examining whether they are more suited to meet the needs of this child
- if an alternative school is identified and the headteacher agrees to the admission in the meeting, the alternative school will be required to admit the child
- if no alternative is found and there is no clear way of differentiating between the preferred or alternative schools, then the first preferred school will be required to admit. If the school refuses, the LA and placing LA will discuss, consult and direct where necessary (as outlined in 2.3)
2.6: Once a school place has been offered, the school should admit the child without any unnecessary delay.
3. Considerations for schools, VSHs, admission authorities and social workers
3.1: A school must not refuse to admit a looked after child on the basis of challenging behaviour and cannot refer a looked after child for consideration under the Fair Access Protocol (as outlined in paragraph 3.12 of the School admissions code).
3.2: When admitted in-year, looked after children can be admitted as ‘excepted pupils’ in relation to the infant class size limit (as outlined in paragraph 2.15(b) of the School Admissions Code).
3.3: A school judged by Ofsted to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ should be prioritised when seeking a place for a looked after child.
When consideration is given to schools judged to be ‘requiring improvement’ or ‘inadequate’, virtual school headteachers (VSHs) and social workers need to be satisfied that the school can provide high quality support to vulnerable pupils and will enable a looked after child to make maximum progress (as outlined in section 12 of the Department for Education’s Promoting the education of looked and previously looked after children guidance).