Admissions
Admissions
Anglian Learning is the Admissions Authority for Howard Community Academy.
The application process for admissions into the initial year of entry is coordinated by Suffolk Local Authority (LA), which acts on behalf of Anglian Learning Trust to offer places at the School.
Parents can find further information here
Parents should apply online at https://suffolkone.capitaone.cloud/CitizenPortal/en or submit an application form, available from the school or from the LA Admissions Team, no later than the national closing date Wednesday 15 January 2025.
Offer letters will be issued by the LA on the offer date in April. Late applications will be handled by the LA Admissions Team.
The LA Admissions Team will co-ordinate all applications for a place in Reception and any mid-year applications in Y1-Y6, after the start of term or for any other year group on behalf of the Governing Body.
Contact details
You can contact the school for an application form in person, by phone 01284 766278; by email office@howardprimary.org
Or you can contact the Admissions Team: By email: admissions@suffolk.gov.uk By phone: 0345 600 0981 (local rate) By post: The Admissions Team, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX
Admissions Criteria for Reception
Children whose statement of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) names the school take priority over all other applicants and will be admitted irrespective of whether there are places available in the year group. Children with a statement of special educational needs / EHCP that does not name the school will be referred to the Local Authority to determine an appropriate place. Where applications exceed the Pupil Admissions Number (PAN), places will be allocated in order to:
- Children in Care, also known as Looked After Children;
- A child who resides in the school’s catchment area with a sibling attending the school at time of admission;
- A child who resides in the school’s catchment area;
- A child who does not reside in the school’s catchment area but has a sibling attending the school at the time of admission;
- A child who does not reside in the Catchment Area.
If Howard Community Academy is oversubscribed, the highest priority for a place in any additional year group after Reception will be given to any pupil applying with an EHCP that names the school, following this, a looked after child or a previously looked after child seeking a place will take precedence.
Where there is oversubscription, following the precedence above, priority will be accorded to children of staff in either or both of the following circumstances as set out in paragraph 1.39 of the admissions code.
- a) where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or
- b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
Following this, if a place becomes available it will be offered to the child at the top of the reserve list for the year group or, if no reserve list exists, the place will be offered to the first child for whom an application is received. The address used for the purpose of admission is the home address at the time of application. Applications based on future addresses will only be considered up to six teaching weeks before the child is expected to take up the place and upon confirmation of tenancy or exchange of contracts.
In all cases of equal merit, priority will go to the child closest to the school by the shortest straight line distance measuring from the centre of the child’s home to the centre point of the school as determined by the National Land and Property Gazetteer. A sibling is defined as a brother and/or sister and any child living in the family unit. i.e. half- brother/sister and/or step-brother/sister.
If your child is refused a place at the school you have a statutory right to appeal against that decision. Please note that where a child is refused a place in an infant class because of the requirement to limit class size to 30 children, parents have the right to an Infant Class Size Appeal.
For further information, please contact the school office or the LA Admissions Team.
Reception Starters
If you have a child who is due to start school in September 2025, you may now be considering which school to send your child to. If you are considering Howard Community Academy, we invite you to come and find out more about our wonderful Early Years. Come and view the classrooms, playground and we will be able to tell you more about the children’s school day, how we develop their learning and support their personal development. Our wonderful team will be on hand to answer questions and show you around.
If you are interested in visiting the school prior to submitting an application, you are welcome to do so. Please contact us to see if we can make arrangements either during or after the school day.
Please note that visits are not interviews and do not affect any decision regarding the availability of a place.
Appeals
If a place is not available, parents have the right of appeal.
The Trust as the Admission Authority has responsibility for offering a parent an appeal against a refusal to meet their preference for a place. Parents who wish to appeal the decision of the Admissions Authority to refuse their child a place at an academy may apply in writing to the academy where appeals will be heard by an independent panel organised by the local authority.
Appeal hearings for on-time applications to Reception for September 2025 will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal being lodged, or before the end of the summer term, whichever is sooner. Appeal hearings for late applications, or in-year applications will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.