Admissions, attendance and exclusions

​Children in care (CiC) are given the highest priority within school admission arrangements.

For the admission requirements for looked-after children use DFE’s School admissions code statutory guidance.

This code applies to maintained schools and academies, including free schools.

Secure area information

Further information about school admissions can be found in our secure area, ‘Planning and Provision Service pages’.

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Fair Access Protocols (FAPs)

FAPs make sure vulnerable children, and those who are having difficulty securing a school place in-year, are allocated a place as quickly as possible.

However, FAPs do not apply to children in care (CiC) because they’re ‘excepted pupils’ in relation to infant class size regulations. 

The local authority is the corporate parent for CiC and does not tolerate drift or delay when CiC are without an education placement.

Placement assessment

Placements must be appropriate to their assessed needs including using the powers of direction in a timely way.

There should be no delay in issuing a direction as a result of protracted negotiation.

The choice of school requires skilled working between relevant people and should be based on a discussion between the following people:

• the child’s social worker
• their carers
• birth parents - if appropriate

The virtual school head can assist to avoid choosing a school that is unlikely to meet a child’s needs.

Best-suited schools

A best-suited school will be arranged by the following people:

• the child’s social worker
• the virtual school head
• other local authority staff

The following principles should apply:

• educational provision should mean a full-time place
• schools judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ should be used for looked-after children in need of a new school 
• looked-after children should not go to an inadequate school - this should only happen for exceptional and evidence-based reasons

Key stage 4 (KS4) guidance

Young people in KS4 should not change their education placement unless they have to.

This can happen in exceptional circumstances but needs the agreement of the virtual school head.

When a young person in KS4 needs a change of placement this will be a social care decision. Changes to education placements are disruptive and can prevent young people from achieving.

Often GCSE and other qualifications have set coursework and it’s not always easily transferable as schools use many different examination boards.

There’s a need to improve the care planning to include education in the planning stages and not:

• after a move
• when a move has been agreed

This is to prevent our young people from:

• missing out on education
• not being able to continue with their chosen qualifications

To meet the requirements when planning a care placement move for any looked-after child in KS4 you must seek agreement from the director of local delivery. The director of local delivery will then contact the virtual school head and a plan will be proposed so there can be discussion and the right way forward agreed.

Emergency placement moves

On occasions, there’ll be a need for emergency placement moves.

In these situations, social workers should contact the virtual school head at the earliest opportunity. Plans will then be made to meet the young person’s educational needs and statutory right to an education.