A child in care is defined as a child who is in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority. This can also mean a kinship arrangement which has been facilitated by the local authority.
All admission authorities must give the highest priority to children in care in their oversubscription criteria.
Children in care are among the most vulnerable in society and it is of paramount importance that a school place is found that is in the best interests of the child as quickly as possible.
The School Admissions Code 2010 states that ALL referrals for school places FOR NON-STATEMENTED children must come through the local authority, this includes referrals for NON STATEMENTED looked after children. Furthermore it is the intention of Northamptonshire Local Authority to continue with the coordination of In Year applications, beyond 2013/14 in the interest of effective monitoring, safeguarding and tracking of pupil movements.
The person with parental responsibility must complete the 'Request for a School Place' form. In the majority of cases the Social Worker as a Corporate Parent has parental responsibility for the child, therefore the allocated Social Worker should complete the Request for a School place form and make the decision with regards to the most appropriate school.
Factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing a school are:
- A school that has received a 'good' or 'outstanding' Ofsted report. This can be identified by researching the individual school's website. Information can also be found on the School's Directory.
- Distance / location to the address where the child resides.
- Previous school history in the local area.
We would further advise that the Social Worker visits the preferred schools in the area to ascertain which would be the most appropriate school based on the child's needs.
Once the preferred school has been established for the child please refer to the document below in respect of how to apply for a school place.