Nursery Informationfor Parents and Carers

2013-14

Welcome to Oasis Academy Hadley. Academies are publicly funded, all ability independent schools, introduced by the Government in 2000. As an Academy we have the freedom to deliver a learning experience which is innovative, challenging and responsive to the needs of individuals. Students experience a curriculum which enables them to develop the skills and competences they need to support learning in different contexts, to build confidence and to secure qualifications at a suitable level.

Oasis Academy Hadley is currently situated on Bell Lane in North East Enfield and in January 2013 will move to new state-of-the-art buildings in Ponders End. We work closely with the Local Authority, local schools and other organisations for the good of all within the community.

As a member of the global organisation, Oasis, the Academy provides unique opportunities for our young people and our wider community. We benefit from working in partnership with, and learning from, schools across different continents as well as those locally and nationally.

At Oasis Academy Hadley we aim to treat all our students as individuals. We personalise learning to meet the needs of the individual. We make learning engaging and fun so that our students want to learn rather than have to learn. We have high expectations and want our students to have high aspirations. We want our students to be the best they can be.

Oasis Academy Hadley is a school for the whole community and a school for the 21st Century, preparing our young people for their future. We are guided by our mission - Learning and Living in Harmony - our values and our vision. If you wish to be part of this journey, we look forward to working with you.

Lynne Dawes - Principal, Oasis Academy Hadley

Oasis Academy HadleyLearning and Living in Harmony

When I was young I went to a local church based youth club. There I learnt two important lessons in life. The first was that the 15-year-old girl I liked was not interested in me, a 14-year-old lad! The second was that God loves and includes everyone.

I became inspired to create ways to develop people and build communities where everyone had hope and all were included and treated fairly. In 1985 we started the charity Oasis Trust which provides education, housing and healthcare around the world.

Oasis Community Learning was set up in 2004 to develop a number of Oasis Academies in the UK. At the heart of what we do is a Christian ethos of

inclusion – valuing all, protecting rights to freedom and choice, working against discrimination and exclusion and respecting the beliefs of others.

Oasis Academy Hadley Nursery will provide a rich and balanced educational environment – academically, vocationally, socially, morally, spiritually, emotionally and environmentally. We will aim to develop informed and active learners who can explore questions, seek answers and solve problems – students who will care passionately about their neighbour, their community and their planet.

Through high quality facilities, outstanding staff and clear leadership we will achieve a positive and affirming environment, encouraging partnerships between students, parents and the local community.

Oasis Academy Hadley Nursery will provide a welcoming environment for students of all faiths and none, working out our vision ‘Building Community – Developing People’.

Steve Chalke MBE - CEO, Oasis Community Learning

Oasis Community LearningBuilding Community - Developing People

Oasis Academy Hadley is a mixed, all-through, non-selective Academy open to students of all religious faiths and those of no faith.

Learning and Living in Harmonyour valuesEvery child mattersWe identify and develop the gifts, talents and interests of all our students. Our curriculum and extended opportunities enable our students to engage in their education so they enjoy learning and

achieve success.

Education for allAll members of our community are learners. We aim to educate our

students to be ready for life.

It takes a whole village to educate a childThis African saying reflects the importance of the whole community in educating our children. Support goes beyond the classroom and beyond the Academy gate.

Love your neighbourOur work is motivated and inspired by the life, message and example of Christ. We

recognise the richness that spiritual and cultural diversity brings to our community. We respect the beliefs and practices of other faiths and provide a welcoming environment for students of all faiths and those with none.

our visionThe Hadley Way is our interpretation of our values for students and staff.

aspireWe will have the highest expectations of ourselves and others for both learning and

behaviour.

achieveWe will be the best we can be.

CareWe will consider others and make positive contributions to the Academy, and the local and global communities in which we live.

endeavourWe will be resilient, enjoy a challenge and not give up easily.

Learning at oasis aCademy HadLeyThe learning programme in Nursery and Reception is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and then year 1 and 2 the children move onto the National Curriculum. Our aim is to encourage our learners to achieve their very best and to ensure they develop their skills and talents in all aspects of intellectual, social and physical development.

Information aboutOasis Academy Hadley Nursery

The nursery sessions are three hours long and your child will either be allocated a morning or afternoon session.

Morning Session

8.30-11.30am

Afternoon Session

12.30-3.30pm

There is a teacher and three teaching assistants in our nursery. The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum which recognises that children learn best through play.

At Oasis Academy Hadley we believe that children’s transition into the Academy is the key to successful lifelong learning. We understand the importance of ensuring that children feel safe and secure in the Academy and believe that the best way to do this is to work together to ensure that every child gets the best possible start. Our induction procedures in the Early Years ensure that children are given time to build solid relationships with adults and their peers and to settle into their new unfamiliar surroundings.

stay and PLay sessionsThese sessions are run by Early Years staff and give families the first chance to come in to the Academy and to meet some of the key members of staff.

Home visitsWe know that this first meeting is one of the most important parts of beginning our relationships with your child. It is important that this first meeting should take place in familiar surroundings. Many children will be coming away from home for the first time when they start school and we want them to feel safe and secure with the new adults they will be working with. During our visit we really want to know all about your child and to gain an understanding of how best to support them settling successfully into the Academy.

FamiLy induCtion sessions

You will then be invited to a Family Induction Session where you will have the opportunity to see the Academy’s facilities and resources and most importantly it will be time for the children to ‘play’ and explore their new surroundings alongside their family. During the visit there will be plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions and you will be encouraged to play alongside your child.

start datesThe children start at the Academy in a small group which enables staff to really support them to make relationships and helps them to learn the new routines and expectations within the Academy. At the very beginning of the year all children in the Early Years will attend part-time with Reception children becoming full-time during the Autumn term.

We value every child for their individuality and know that each child will settle into the Academy in their own way so we work closely together to ensure a smooth transition into the Academy.

From 1st November 2012 until 15th January 2013 you will also be able to apply for a nursery place at Oasis Academy Hadley

aPPLying For a PLaCeYou will need to complete an application form in full and return it to the Academy. You will need to bring evidence of your child’s home address and date of birth to show the Academy admissions officer when you apply. For evidence of your address you should provide two of the following.

A mortgage or rental agreement •

Most recent Council Tax statement •

Most recent child benefit letter •

A utility bill less than 3 months old •

To confirm your child’s date of birth you may provide his/her birth certificate, medical card or personal child health record (red book).

When you sign the application form, you are asked to confirm you have received, read and understood this booklet. You are also signing to confirm the information you have given is accurate and complete and that you understand that if there is false information, the Academy has the right to withhold or withdraw the offer of a place.

WHat iF i maKe more tHan one aPPLiCation For Community sCHooLs or aCademies in enFieLd.If you would like a place at Oasis Academy Hadley for your child you must complete the application form in this pack. If you wish to apply for a nursery place in a local authority school the application packs are available from the London Borough of Enfield.

HoW your aPPLiCation WiLL Be deaLt WitH Your child’s application will then be dealt with by the Academy’s Admissions Officer.

When deciding applications, the Admissions Officer has a legal duty to follow the arrangements described in this published information. We can only consider information relevant to the published admissions criteria when considering your application. These are listed in priority order.

If your child is offered a nursery place you will be sent a letter advising you of this on 3rd May 2013. You will be asked to respond to this letter within 10 days. If you do not reply by the date given, the place will be withdrawn and offered to another child.

If it is not possible to offer your child a place, you will receive a letter advising you of this. We have 60 places in the nursery and so some families may not be offered a

place.

Completing the application

For admissions into Oasis Academy Hadley nursery the following criteria will be used in the order shown.

Please note nursery places are only part time.

The process of allocating places will begin after 15th January 2013, once the completed applications have been returned.

The admissions officer will prioritise all the applications that have been received for the Academy in accordance with the published admissions criteria. This briefly includes:

Considering the medical applications that have been made. •

Verifying that children are siblings, living at the same address •and that the older child is expected to still be at the Academy in September 2013.

Measuring the distance from the home to the Academy for other •applications.

Once all the applications have been considered under the right criterion, a proposed admission list is drawn up.

Late aPPLiCations

It is important to apply during the application period as late applications will be considered only after places have been allocated to the children whose parents applied before the closing date. Nursery class places are in considerable demand and it would be unusual to have vacancies once all ‘on time’ applications have been processed. It is, therefore, very important to apply at the correct time.

How are applications decided

admissions Criteria For nursery CLasses at oasis aCademy HadLey

The address of the Academy for all Admissions is South Street, Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4PX.

The following criteria are used to decide which children should be offered places when there are more children wanting to go to the Academy than there are places available. The criteria are in order of priority.

Children in public care (looked after children).1.

Children for whom the Academy is appropriate on exceptional medical 2. grounds. Such applications will be considered under this criterion if they are supported by an attached written statement from a doctor. This must demonstrate that there is a very specific connection between the child’s medical or social need and the Academy. The OCL Board will make the decision related to such applications.

Children with a brother or sister (sibling), living at the same address, who will attend the Academy 3. when the applicant would be admitted.

Children living nearest to the Academy. The distance used to determine how close the child 4. lives to the Academy will be the direct measurement from the front door of the permanent home address to the main entrance to the Academy site.

All distances will be calculated by our admissions IT system. This provides a national grid co-ordinate and a unique reference for each postal address in Great Britain. In the case of a multi-occupancy buildings such as flats where there may only be one address point, priority will be given to the applicants whose door number is the lowest numerically/or alphabetically

When it is not possible to admit all applicants to the Academy within any criterion, priority for the places available will be measured as the crow flies.

Oasis Academy Hadley defines siblings as a brother or sister living at the same address on the date when

the applicant would be admitted. The term “sibling” means a full, step, half, adopted or fostered

brother or sister, but not cousins.

Unfortunately, there have been some cases where parents have been tempted to supply false or inappropriate information to try and get a place at the Academy, for example, by giving the address of a relative instead of the home address. Information supplied by parents is checked. If it is found that false information has been provided and a place has been

obtained because of this, the place is likely to be withdrawn. A place can also be withdrawn once a

child has started.

Admissions Criteria for Nursery

address

The address you give must be your child’s permanent address, that is, where the child usually lives. You must not use a business address, childminders’ or relative’s address or any address other than the child’s home. You will be asked to provide proof to support your address and the information you provide will be checked.

If you move home after completing the form you must tell the Academy straight away. Changes will only be accepted for admission purposes if satisfactory proof is provided that a move to a new address has taken place.

If a place is offered on the basis of false information, the place will be withdrawn.

When parents live separately, the application must be based on the address at which the child usually lives and as given on the child benefit documentation. When parents live separately but the child lives equally with both parents at different addresses, the child’s home address will be taken to be the address of the main parent/carer eligible to receive Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. If there are reasons why your child is not living with the main parent/carer, you and the other parent/carer must declare this individually by letter and submit this with your application form for consideration by the principal.

If your child has been allocated a place and you move before your child’s admission, the application for a place may be reconsidered. This may result in the offer of a place being withdrawn if, for example, you move further away from the Academy.

Lots of children may have some medical or special needs when they start school but the majority will not need to be

given any additional priority of admission. It is still very important though that you tell the Academy

of any medical or special needs your child may have before he or she starts at the Academy.

For example, you should let the school know if your child has a nut allergy, is diabetic or has received support from the speech and language service.

Your child’s address

Parents/carers will be sent a letter advising them of the outcome of their application on 3rd May 2013. Parents will be asked to accept or decline the offer of a place within 10 days in order that unwanted nursery places can be reallocated. Children usually stay in a nursery class for the full year. Sometimes, though, a child leaves and it is possible to allocate that place to another child on the Academy’s reserve list.

If it is not possible to offer a place at the nursery you may wish to contact Enfield Schools Admission Service to see which nursery classes have vacancies so that you can consider applying for one of these.

If your child is offered a nursery class place it is on the understanding that they will attend for either five morning or five afternoon sessions. If you accept a place in the nursery class your child will not be able to take up another part time place in a voluntary, private or independent nursery/playgroup unless you meet the cost of this placement in full. Your Nursery Education Fund (NEF) will be claimed for by the Academy.

morning/aFternoon sessions Nursery class places are not available for less than five half day sessions each week. The Academy’s nursery classes are only open during the school term.

Applications are not dealt with on a first come first serve basis.

Oasis Academy Hadley NurseryNotification of decisions

eQuaL oPPortunities Oasis Academy Hadley believes in equality of opportunity for all and to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief and age.

data ProteCtion aCt The information provided on the application form by parents/carers will be input on to a computer system for use of Oasis Academy Hadley in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

Current Address

Bell Lane, Enfield, EN3 5PA

Address from January 2013

143 South Street, Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4PX

0208 804 1648 www.oasisacademyhadley.org info@oasishadley.org