Applications for Reception September 2024 will open via your local authority in September 2023 and close in September 2024. Points for synagogue attendance can be collected from June 2023 and learning / volunteering from January 2023.
Visits to the school are available and we offer open days. Please click here for more information.
To contact us more generally about admissions, please email [email protected]
Admissions Policy
This is the admissions policy and procedure for entry into Sacks Morasha Jewish Primary School (the “School”). The School was established with the assistance of Finchley United Synagogue (“Kinloss”) which is located at Kinloss Gardens, London, N3 3DU.
The School’s ethos reflects orthodox Jewish belief and practice, embodied in the principles of Torah and Halachah, in a modern setting. These include encouraging and preparing for lifelong Jewish learning, spiritual growth and practice, mutual responsibility within the Jewish community and the wider world, and the importance of Israel in Jewish life. Jewish belief and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activities.
Priority for admission is given to those who can demonstrate commitment to the principles of Torah and Halachah as verified by way of a Supplementary Information Form (SIF)/ Certificate of Religious Practice (CRP) to be completed by the family/legal guardian, and by an officer or Rabbi of the Orthodox Synagogue at which the family are attendees.
The decision as to whether or not an applicant qualifies for priority consideration will be based on the information provided by the applicant family and the third-party signatories on the SIF/CRP. In this policy, those who qualify for such priority are referred to as ‘Priority Children’ and, in the event of any dispute as to whether a child is a priority child, the ruling of the Admissions Committee of the School will be final.
Admissions
1. The School has a published admission number of 30 children each reception year. If only one place is available at the school and the next child who qualifies for a place is one of multiple birth siblings, the School will go over the normal admission number to support the family. If there are fewer applicants than places available all applicants will be admitted.
2. In the event that the school is oversubscribed, priority will be given as follows:
a. Looked After Priority Children and Previously Looked After Priority Children. (Note: A Looked After child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in s22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. Previously Looked After Children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements or special guardianship order as well as those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted)
b. Priority Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a genuine medical or social need to go to this School. Parents applying under this criterion will need to provide appropriate supporting evidence (i.e. a letter from a specialist doctor, a general practitioner, or a social worker). A panel for this will meet once the deadline for applications has closed.
c. Priority Children with siblings who are at the School. For these purposes, “siblings” means a brother or sister (including adoptive, half or stepbrothers and sisters and foster children) either who has attended the school prior to the date of admission or who will be attending the School at the date of admission and is living permanently at the same address as the child.
d. Up to two places for Priority Children whose parent/carer is a member of staff employed by the school to work at the School who either:
(i) are, or were within one year before the date of application, recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage; or
(ii) have been employed by the School for a continuous period of at least two years and who, in the two years immediately before the date of application, have worked full-time or not less than 0.6 full-time equivalent.
Provided that:
A. If more than two Priority Children are eligible under this category in any one year, only one place shall be awarded to a Priority Child falling within sub-category (i) above, unless there are no Priority Children falling within sub-category (ii) above.
B. If more than one Priority Child falls within sub-category (i) above, precedence shall be given to the Priority Child of the teacher who is filling the more senior post and, if the posts being filled are of equal seniority, a random ballot shall be held to select which Priority Child is awarded the place.
C. If more than one Priority Child falls within sub-category (ii) above, precedence shall be given on the basis of the length of continuous employment of their parent at the School, so that the Priority Child of the member of staff employed for the longest period of time takes priority. If two members of staff have been employed by the School for the same period of time, a random ballot shall be held to select which Priority Child is awarded the place.
D. For the avoidance of doubt, any random ballot held in accordance with this admissions policy must be supervised by a person who is independent of the School.
E. Priority Children whose parent/carer has acquired 3 CRP points by attending at least 8 Friday night or Shabbat Morning (Saturday) services between 1st June 2023 and 8th January 2024 at an orthodox synagogue (or a synagogue recognised as orthodox by the Office of the Chief Rabbi) located within a 3-mile radius of Kinloss Gardens, London, N3 3DU, which on the date of these admissions policies is the School’s main entrance. Distance will be measured in a straight line between the address point for the synagogue and Kinloss Gardens, London, N3 3DU.
F. Priority Children whose parent/carer has acquired 3 CRP points by attending at least 8 Friday night or Shabbat (Saturday) services between 1st June 2023 and 8th January 2024 at any orthodox synagogue (or a synagogue recognised as orthodox by the Office of the Chief Rabbi) outside the 3-mile radius from Kinloss Synagogue.
G. Priority Children whose parent/carer has either obtained 2 CRP points by attending at least 8 Friday night or Shabbat (Saturday) services between 1st June 2023 and 8th January 2024 at any orthodox synagogue (or a synagogue recognised as orthodox by the Office of the Chief Rabbi) outside the 3-mile radius from Kinloss Synagogue, and/or by completing Jewish learning courses and/or volunteering in the last 12 months.
H. Other Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children.
I. Other children whose parent/carer is a member of staff employed by the School to work at the School who either:
(i) are, or were within one year before the date of application, recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage; or
(ii) have been employed by the School for a continuous period of at least two years and who, in the two years immediately before the date of application, have worked fulltime or not less than 0.6 full-time equivalent.
J. Any other children.
3. If in any category there are more applicants than there are available places, admissions will be determined on the basis of a random ballot involving the applicants in that category. Random ballots will be supervised by a person independent of the School.
4. Verification of attendance at an orthodox synagogue (as recognised by the Office of the Chief Rabbi) should be obtained from a Rabbi or other official of that synagogue and be clearly marked on the SIF/CRP.
Admissions procedure
1. All applications for places at the School must be submitted on the Common Application Form (CAF), which should be either submitted online or returned to the local authority where the child lives. If the applicant seeks consideration for priority admission, the applicant should also complete the SIF/CRP. The SIF/CRP must be sent to the School at the same time that the CAF is completed.
2. The closing date for all applications to the Reception class is in accordance with the National Closing Date, i.e. 15 January 2024 for primary school applications. Late applications will not be considered until after offers have been made to those who applied by the National Closing Date, i.e. 15 January 2024.
3. Parents will be notified by the London Borough of Barnet or their own local authority in accordance with its Coordinated Admissions Scheme on or about the National Offer Day, 16 April 2024. Parents must indicate in writing within 10 days their intention to take up a place.
Special needs
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, or an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the School will be admitted against the normal admissions number. This is a separate process to the normal admissions procedure.
Waiting List
When all available places have been filled, children not allocated places will be placed on a waiting list in groups ranked in categories in descending order according to the published admissions criteria. The waiting list will remain in operation from the day the original places are awarded and will be open until the end of the academic year. Those who wish to remain on the waiting list after this period should contact the School and ask to remain on the waiting list. Applicants with continued interest need to re-apply in via Barnet, in accordance with Barnet’s in-year coordinated admissions process. Please note, a child’s place can change on a waiting list due to subsequent applications received.
If a place becomes available and there are more applicants than there are available places in the first priority category on the waiting list, admissions will be determined on the basis of a random ballot involving the applicants on the waiting list in that category.
In-year applications and applications
Should places be available during the year, these will be considered in accordance with the above oversubscription criteria. Application for a school place outside the normal admissions round should be made to the London Borough of Barnet. The CRP / SIF should also be returned to the school. This form is available from the School Office or on the School’s website (www.sacksmorasha.org.uk) and must be returned to the School. The School reserves the right to ask for proof of address.
Admission of children outside their normal age group
Parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.
If parents wish for their child to be considered for admission to a year group which is outside their normal age group, then they must submit a request in writing to the School as early as possible outlining the reasons for their request and providing all supporting letters and/or documentary evidence in support of the application.
The School will make decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child concerned.
This will include taking account of:
- the parent’s views;
- any available information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development;
- where relevant, their medical history and the view of a medical professional;
- whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group;
- any evidence that the child may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely; and
- the views of the head teacher.
Deferral of entry
Where a reception place has been offered to a child, that child is entitled to a full time place in the September following their fourth birthday. However, there is a legal right for parents to defer entry of their child to Reception class until later in the school year, but not beyond the child’s fifth birthday when they reach compulsory school age. There is no legal right to defer entry beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which the offer was made. Where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age. It should be noted that taking up any of these options has educational implications in relation to the syllabus for the first year at school and parents are encouraged to discuss and agree in advance with the School the appropriate course of action for their children.
Incorrect or misleading applications
If the information given in the application form is not accurate or up to date, your child may lose priority. In such a case, the Governors will have discretion to refuse the offer of a place. The Governors reserve the right to withdraw the offer of a place where it is found that the place was offered on the basis of fraudulent, intentionally misleading or materially inaccurate information given at any time during the application process.
Appeal Procedure
If a place is not offered, parents will be advised as to their right to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel convened by the Governors of the School for this purpose and will be advised on the process for appeal.
Fair Access Protocol
The Governors of the School acknowledge that the London Borough of Barnet may require the School to admit a child exceptionally, either outside the normal admission arrangements or in excess of the normal admission number, in order to protect the interests of vulnerable children and those with challenging behaviour. The Governors of the School have been informed that these pupils will be shared between schools in ways that are fair, objective and transparent.
Documents
Supplementary Information Form 2024/5
Application Links (Barnet)
Further assistance
Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about our application procedure and policy, or require help completing the application form. Emails sent to this address are kept confidential and are read only by the governor responsible for admissions and the School Office. Where an applicant cannot get their SIF signed for any reason, they should liaise with the School Office, who will seek to assist them further where possible.
