Nursery admissions are different  from admissions in Reception to Year 6 because this is non-statutory education.  The criteria for full-time nursery admissions are based on social welfare factors, including: –

• Children in Public Care
• Children With a statement of Educational Need or referred for a Statement to be prepared
• Children for whom there are concerns about their physical, behavioural, developmental and emotional well-being (this will be the result of a specific assessment)
• Children with disabilities
• Children of parents with life threatening or severely disabling health conditions
• The twin or sibling of a child already allocated a nursery place (subject to age restrictions)

You may be able to get up to 30 hours free childcare (1140 hours per year, which you can choose how you take) if your child is 3 to 4 years old.

You can usually get 30 hours free childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

• In work – or getting parental leave, sick leave or annual leave
• each earning at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week – this is £139.52 if you’re over 25

Visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-tax-free-childcare to see if you are eligible.

For part-time nursery education the criteria is as follows:

If your child is 3 before the 1st September of the year they are due to start Nursery, you can apply for her/him to be admitted for a morning or afternoon part-time place.  The Nursery caters for children in the year prior to compulsory education. Depending on availability in our nursery, we can sometimes accommodate children who turn three during the academic year- these are known as our ‘rising threes’.

Heathlands Nursery caters for approximately 52 part-time places, 26 in each session.  However, once the places have been allocated, if there are any vacancies, full-time positions are offered following the criteria in the LEA guidelines.  Nursery children attending full-time are offered the option of a hot school meal during lunchtime, which is free if parents/carers are in receipt of Income Support or Income based Job Seekers Allowance.

Applications are accepted for places until the cut off date which the LEA sets each year, this is usually around the middle of March.  Although further applications are accepted after this date priority will be given to those received on time.  Places are then allocated and the parents notified by the end of April.

Parents and carers will be invited for an informal meeting to meet the Foundation Stage co-ordinator and teaching assistants and to receive all the necessary paperwork and information ready for their child to start nursery.  All children receive a home visit by a member of the Nursery Team before starting Nursery, this is usually in the first week of September.  Children and their parents/carers are invited to attend a workshop during the second week of September where they will be able to see the type of activities that take place in the nursery.  The starting dates for children  then begin on the third week back in September.

Please click on the link below to complete an application form for September 2025:

An application must be made at Birmingham Schools admissions (See link below) or by using the local authority preference form.

If you have any questions about Reception or would like to arrange a visit, please email us through our contact us page.

The Local Education Authority (LEA) deal with the administration regarding Reception admissions to the academy.

Enquiries for places in Reception for the coming year should be referred to the Admissions and Appeals section in the first instance. Staff within the department will be able to offer advice and guidance to parents/carers such as yourself and check that your child’s name is included on the central database.

Heathlands Primary Academy follow the LEA policy on admissions which is as follows:

• children looked after by the Local Authority (Children in Public Care)

• children with brothers or sisters already at the academy (or at the Junior School on the same or nearby site) who will still be on roll at the time the sibling enters the academy;
  • Siblings (brothers and sisters) are considered to be those children who live at the same address and either:
    • have one or both natural parents in common
    • are related by parent’s marriage
    • are adopted or fostered
• children who live nearest the school by straight line measurement

Reception Admissions

There are two teachers and two teaching assistants working in the two reception classes.  Applications are given from the Local Education Authority (LEA)  to all children who are detailed on the Central Health Database.  The deadline for completing online applications  is 15th January 2025. The date of return is set by the LEA.

Admissions Department will write to you with details of your child’s offer:  If you applied online they will do this by email. If you applied by post they will do this by letter. Please allow extra time for letters to be delivered

If you are not offered a place at your chosen school, you can make an appeal: If you choose to appeal, you’ll need to complete and return your appeal forms by 18th May 2022. An Appeal Panel will review all appeals and make a decision within 5 school days following your appeal being heard. The Appeals Clerk will write to you to tell you the result of your appeal.

Reception class starts: The school year begins in September. Your child’s school will contact you before then with details and useful information.

An informative meeting will then take place in June giving you the opportunity to meet the Head Teacher and classroom staff and the SENCo.  You will also receive an information pack with all the necessary paperwork, see the academy uniform and samples of school dinners.  This is a meeting especially aimed at parents/carers so that they have the opportunity to raise any concerns and ask any questions.

Children who have not attended Heathlands Nursery will receive a home visit from a member of the Reception class staff.

We will be as flexible as we possibly can to ensure that your child has the best possible start at Heathlands.

Please come along to Heathlands Primary Academy and find out more about the academy and the education your child will receive.

KS1 and KS2 In-Year Admissions

If your child is between the ages of 4 and 11 you can apply for her/him to be admitted to the academy.  Enquiries should be made direct to Heathlands.  You will be asked to complete an Application Form, which should be checked and signed by the Headteacher of your child’s previous school (if applicable).

If there is a place available she/he will go into a class suitable to her/his age.  Places are limited to 30 in each class, in which Heathlands have 2 classes in each year group.  However, on occasions some classes have slightly more children because of successful appeals.  Admission is usually the beginning of the week following registration.

Our Admission criteria can be found on this web site under ‘Admissions’. If you have any queries about how to apply for a place at this school or you would like to know the position of your child on our waiting list then please contact Mrs Merricks – Academy Administrator or Mrs Bent – Senior Academy Administrator for advice.

Further support can be obtained by visiting the Birmingham Admissions web-site at www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions