Fair Access Protocol

The Council and all primary schools including academies and free schools in Richmond upon Thames have agreed a fair access protocol to admit children who are currently without a school place and may have difficulty finding a suitable school place.

The aims of the fair access protocol are to ensure that:

• a school place is found quickly for children with no school place who meet the criteria for consideration under the fair access protocol;
• no school, including those with places available, is asked to admit a large number of children who have been excluded from other schools, have challenging behaviour or history of behavioural problems;
• the child is admitted to the most suitable school, even if there is no place available and the school has to go over their published admission number.

Children who are admitted to schools under this protocol take priority over any children on waiting lists.

The Fair Access Panel, which considers applications under this protocol, consists of representative headteachers and senior Council staff.

The panel makes the final decision on which school will be nominated to receive each case. This will take into account the suitability of the placement for the pupil and the school and, where possible, will ensure that the required additional resources are made available to support the pupil's successful integration into school.