School Tours for September 2024 admissions
Come and join us for a tour around AFET to see our wonderful facilities and to meet the team.
We are so excited to welcome local families into our new school through our series of small tours. Places on each tour are limited, so we can answer all your questions and keep the learning environment calm for our current children.
You will be shown around the school facilities, with a chance to see classes in action.
There are a range of dates. Tickets are limited to two per family to allow everyone a chance to get a tour.
You can book your Tickets here
Pre-school tours: 2023.
Before booking a tour, please note that if you would like a pre-school place in January or April 2024 we are now full.
We are so excited to welcome local families into our new school through our series of small tours. Places on each tour are limited, so we can answer all your questions and keep the learning environment calm for out current children.
You will be shown around the school facilities, with a chance to see pre-school class in action. We do recommend coming along without your child, if possible (they can get a little bored of adults talking) but if childcare is an issue, we would rather you visit with your child than miss out on the tour!
There are a range of dates, tickets are limited to two per family to allow everyone a chance to get a tour.
You can book your tickets here.
Visit the tabs below for further info and let us know if you have further questions and/or ideas. info@abbeyfarmet.org.uk.
One of the most common questions we get asked on the school tours is, ‘Do you set home work for the children?’
As the school grows, we will create a homework policy that works for both our children and parents. Homework is always a challenging area as many families have strong views on what it should be. Some families advocate for a quite rigorous structure, at a high level, so that pupils are ‘used’ to homework, by the time that they leave Year 6, in preparation for secondary where there is no opt out clause. Others believe it infringes on family time and do not wish to participate.
At AFET we will be consulting our community as the children move through the year groups but have found in the past that a choice of topic projects alongside reading, and maths works well and can be adapted for all situations.
When children start in Reception, they are given a reading book that is directly linked to their phonics learning and a ‘free choice’ reading book. This is currently all that is set. The reading scheme we use is ‘Little Wandle’ and has a range of additional activities for parents to do with their child if they wish and Chloe emails weekly, the sound that is being taught.
We use our communication platform Tapestry to share things that the children are exploring at home and school, all learning outside of school is homework in a way and the adventures they have at home with their family are as valuable as their reading book.
At Educate Together we actively encourage the involvement of parents and carers in the education of your children. Research shows that children do better in school if parents take an active part in their child’s education.
How can you support your child?
You can apply for a primary or infant school place to start in September 2024 for a child born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020, from 1 September 2023. Applications will close on 15 January 2024.
Everyone has to apply. You still need to make an application for a place if:
your child already attends a nursery
you already have another child at the school
Key dates for Primary School Applications
You should make any enquiries by contacting the Admissions Team at SBC.
School Admissions,
Swindon Borough Council
Wat Tyler House
Beckhampton Street, SN1 2JH
The SBC Admissions Guide can be found here. Page 10 covers how the priority allocation system works in detail.
Parents will be informed of their school allocation for Reception Class 2024 on National Offer Day, 16th April 2024.
If oversubscribed places at the school will be allocated following our Admissions Policy 2023
Please contact us on 0117 379 0119 if you have any further questions.
Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary, part of Educate Together Academy Trust, are consulting on their proposed admission arrangements for the 2025-26 school year and beyond.
This public consultation is to ensure all ETAT schools are operating to the same admissions criteria, in accordance with our equality principles in addition to complying with the Admissions Code 2014 requirement for consultation when changes are proposed. The Trust believe the new policy, presented in this consultation, provides fair access to our schools and clarifies the Trust’s position without making significant changes to our existing policy.
Included in the consultation are parents and families at the school, staff and the Local Governing Board, parents at local nurseries and surrounding schools. Swindon Borough Council will also be invited to comment.
The consultation opened on Monday 4 December 2023 and will run until 15th January 2024.
The Proposed Policy and a Statement of Changes can be found here:
Admissions Policy 2025-26 Consultation
Admissions Consultation Statement of Change
You are invited to submit comments to the consultation which is available here:
You may submit responses in writing to:
Lauren Ball
Business Support Assistant
c/o Redfield Educate Together Primary
Avonvale Road
Bristol
BS5 9RH
Or alternatively you can e-mail comments to: consultation@abbeyfarmet.org.uk
Following the consultation period, the Trust Board and Local Governing Board will consider all comments received in determining the admission arrangements for 2025 and make a decision by 28 February 2024.
The final policy and Consultation report will be available on the school website from 1st March 2024.
Appeals
Where a parent/carer wishes to appeal the admissions decision the following Appeals Procedure is followed and the form is completed by the parent: Appeals Procedure/Form
The timeline for admissions appeals is as follows: Admissions Appeals
In Year Admissions
Once open, In-Year Admissions are managed by the Administrative Team. If interested in a space, please email info@abbeyfarmet.org.uk, to arrange a visit or call with the Headteacher, before completing an In-Year application form (available from the office).
Once submitted, the school will confirm receipt of your application and will then inform you of the outcome, in writing within 10 school days. If no space is available you will be asked if you wish to remain on the waiting for list.
In cases where a space arises and more than one applicant is on the waiting list, the Admissions Policy Over-subscription Criteria will be applied.
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Applications for pre-school are available now!
Please note – If you are applying for Pre-School places for a January or April 2024 start, we can no longer take any further applications because our Pre-School is full.
You can complete online here or you can download a copy here and email back to info@abbeyfarmet.org.uk. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Children can start at our pre-school in the term following their third birthday.
We will be offering sessions in two blocks: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning and then Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. Full day sessions are from 8.45am until 3.15pm, half days are 8.45am until 11.45pm and then 12.15pm until 3.15pm.
Parents and Carers are asked to indicate a preference on the application form. We will do our best to place as many families as possible according to their preferred slots. Children who are entitled to the 30 hours funded childcare will be 8.45am until 3.15pm all week.
If over-subscribed, places will be allocated in accordance with the Over-subscription criteria in the schools Admissions Policy.
Additional Info
On days your child is at pre-school over the lunch time, you can choose to send them with a packed lunch, or you can select to buy a school lunch for £2.30 per day.
Additional sessions: as many children do not start until later in the year, we will have additional sessions available to purchase, on a termly basis. These are allotted on a first come, first served basis. For the Sept 2022 term, these sessions will be agreed following the June wave of place allocations.
< lessPrintable forms for parents:
If your child requires prescribed medicine to be administered during the school day, please complete the form below and hand this and the medicine (in its original container) to a member of staff upon handover. Administer medicine form
Arbor parent portal and app help center
Getting started with the portal and app Getting started – Log into the Parent Portal and the Arbor App – Arbor Help Centre (arbor-education.com)
A quick introduction to Arbor A quick introduction to Arbor for guardians and parents – Arbor Help Centre (arbor-education.com)
Breakfast club sign-up https://support.arbor-education.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407797520017-Signing-my-child-up-for-a-Breakfast-or-After-School-Club-on-the-Parent-Portal-or-Arbor-App#faq-0-0
Signing my child up to a trip Signing my child up for a Trip on the Parent Portal or the Arbor App – Arbor Help Centre (arbor-education.com)
Attendance explained Attendance on the Parent Portal and Arbor App – Arbor Help Centre (arbor-education.com)
The calendar and timetable The Calendar and timetable on the Parent Portal – Arbor Help Centre (arbor-education.com)
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If you want to learn more about working in an Educate Together school in the UK, here are some of our staff, parents and pupils talking about their experience.
Join our talent pool to receive alerts when vacancies go live: Login or Sign Up – Eteach
Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary is part of the Educate Together Academy Trust.
All roles are advertised through the Eteach website, with candidates required to complete a standard application form to facilitate our anonymised, fair shortlisting process. We do not accept CV’s, in line with guidance from Keeping Children Safe in Education.
< lessGet Involved: Parents and Volunteers
Every school needs strong leadership, support and challenge. At Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary, the Local Governors play a key role in the schools success. If you are interested in applying, please read the following documents and complete the application form. Questions and/or completed applications can be sent to governanceofficer@educatetogether.org.uk
Governor Role Description Summary
Governor Qualification and Disqualifiaction Criteria
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Abbey Farm Educate Together has several spaces available for hire.
We are committed to using the school as a community asset and look forward to welcoming members of the community into our building.
We are now able to let the following areas:
If you are interested in letting one of our facilities, please get in touch to arrange a visit and discuss individual requirements. We do not offer private hire for birthday parties, all lettings must have liability insurance and staff be DBS checked.
< lessThe Friends of Abbey Farm are currently planning a couple of events to raise funds to install outdoor play equipment for our new Reception and Nursery children. This equipment can be used to do various exercises that can develop balance, strength and co-ordination. They are a great way to make exercise more fun and interesting for children but with a price tag of £3000+ we still have a way to go in our fundraising.
Our first event, held in December was a Christmas Shopping Evening , this event consisted of various stalls selling local crafts, treats and activities for the children, their families and our local community. We raised over £500 towards our £3000 goal.
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