Admissions

Applying for a Reception Place at Tree Tops

We warmly welcome all applications to our Academy from families of children living in the community of Park Wood. The age range in the Academy is 3 -11 years old i.e. from Nursery up to Year 6. We encourage families to make contact with the school office as a first point of contact. The office is open between 8.40 am – 4.00 pm daily, and please see the contact information on the website for other ways to get in touch. Tree Tops Primary Academy Brishing Lane Maidstone Kent ME15 9EZ Telephone: 01622 754888 Admission to the Academy is available to all. We take care to ensure that we do not discriminate against children with Special Educational Need or Disability in line with the Kent County Council Admissions criteria. For new reception children a Kent County Council ‘Reception Common Application Form’ will need to be completed (this is an online process), expressing Tree Tops Primary Academy as your first preference.  Our office staff will be pleased to answer any questions you may have.  Kent County Council’s website on School Admission can be found on the following link Primary School places.

Allocation of Places, School Admission Policy and Planned Admission Limit

Places will be allocated according to the published criteria in priority order:

  • Children in Local Authority Care.
  • Current family association (an elder brother or sister in the school at the time of entry, where the family continues to live at the same address as when the sibling was admitted or has moved to a new property within two miles of the school).
  • Health reasons (for which a medical certificate may be needed).
  • Nearness of children’s homes to school.

Tree Tops Primary Academy has a Planned Admission Limit of 45 children per year group. Parents do not legally have to send their children to school until the term after they are five. We find in practice, due to carefully planned and effective transition procedures, children younger than five cope well in their first year with our wonderful staff who have particular skills with our youngest children. Older children are admitted to the school if we have a vacancy in their year group. Parents are advised that there is no guarantee that preschool children will be placed in the same Reception class as their friends. We have a number of criteria which are taken into account when allocating children to their new classes; friendships are not part of our defined criteria.

Applying for a Place in any year Groups (In Year)

We also welcome children from other schools and academies. An application should be made direct to the school: If you wish your child to start at Tree Tops, as a result of moving into the area and/or transferring from another school, please place your child on the list for future entrants by completing an In-Year Admission Form. Details of how to apply are available from our office staff.

In Year Casual Admissions

Applying for a Nursery Place

To apply for a place in our nursery children can start from their third birthday. Please contact the school office for further information and to arrange a visit.  To apply, please use the link below.

Nursery Admissions

Applying for Secondary School

For Secondary Admissions please use the following link: Secondary school place.

Admissions Arrangements for academic year 2024/25

Appeals

If you have not been offered a place, the law entitles you to appeal against that decision to an Independent Appeal Panel. This panel is completely independent of the school and the Local Authority. All appeals will be heard online, which has the advantage that your appeal can be heard from your home or place of work.

If you wish to appeal for a place in Reception, year 1 or year 2, please use this link to complete your appeal online.

If you wish to appeal for a place in years 3 – 6 please use this link to complete your appeal online

Please do NOT use ANY other appeal form or send your form to your local authority. It is suggested that you download the explanatory booklet about appeals which you should read before you complete the appeal form. Those applying for a place in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 are advised to read the section in the appeal’s booklet which refer to Reception, years 1 and 2.

Appeals Explanatory Booklet - Education Appeals

You should include any evidence or supporting material with your appeal form and you MUST give the grounds for your appeal at the time you lodge your appeal form. Your appeal form will not be accepted unless you state the grounds for your appeal. You may appeal for more than one school.

Please note that the online form will ask you to download two utility bills dated in the last THREE months. If you do not have access to a scanner, please take two photographs with a mobile phone and upload the photographic files.

Full details about the hearing will be sent to you with your invitation to the hearing.

If you wish to contact the clerk – email : clerk@educationappeals.com

Timetable for Appeals

Last day for lodging appeal forms for a place in RECEPTION to start in September 2024

4pm on Thursday 16 May 2024 to guarantee that your appeal will be heard in the first tranche of appeals. Appeals lodged later may not be heard until the second tranche which could be in September 2024. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply any documentary evidence at this stage.

The stage 1 part of the hearing (with other parents present) will take place on

1 or 2 July 2024

Part 2, the individual private hearings will take place on

1 or 2 July 2024

Invitation letter giving details about your hearing will be sent by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel

At least 10 school days before the stage 1 hearing.

Any additional supporting evidence

24 June 2024. You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account. Please provide the Clerk with FIVE copies of any additional evidence. All such evidence to be submitted in A4 format and NOT bound, but may be stapled on the top left hand corner. Paperwork submitted with your appeal form does not need to include 5 copies. These should be sent to PO BOX 367, Cuffley, Herts, EN6 4XZ.

Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent appeal panel

Due to the high number of appeals held at this time, this may not be sent until up to 2 weeks after the last hearing for the school.

Mid-Term Applications Appeals

Last day for lodging appeal forms following a refusal for a place an ‘in year’ or ‘mid-term’.

You must lodge the appeal form within 20 school days upon receipt of your letter of refusal. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply documentary evidence at this stage. Appeals are held within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal form.