As explained in Every Child Matters (see Useful Links), the Government believes that all children should receive a good education to help them fulfil their potential. However, for some children that can be harder than for others.

Sometimes children can find themselves without a school place, due to a change in their personal circumstances or they may have been excluded from a school.

The Government considers that it is important that, wherever possible and in the best interests of the child, a suitable school place should be found quickly.

Referrals for children who fall into the following categories must be forwarded to the Fair Access team in order to allocate an educational placement:

• Children attending Pupil Referral Units who require to be reintegrated into mainstream education (including all children who have previously been permanently excluded)
• Children who have been permanently excluded though have had their permanent exclusion overturned at appeal, but are without a school place.
• Children without a school place who have a documented history of poor behaviour and attendance and recorded fixed term exclusions
• Children who have been out of education longer than one term (based on 3 terms – Autumn, Spring, Summer)
• Children who are deemed to be  ‘looked after’ by a Local Authority
• Children returning from the criminal justice system
• Children who are without a school place and in their final year of education (Year 11).
• Homeless children