Ensure all schools offer reception children a full time education from September

Closed 31 signatures

What the petition asks

Every September many schools accept reception children for only part of a day for up to 6 weeks, causing enormous difficulties for many parents. Working parents have to take leave, unpaid leave in the case of self-employed parents, or pay huge childcare costs while the phased start is in place

There is little awareness of a ruling by the Schools Adjudicator in 2013 who said, in reference to phased starts, “It is not permissible in my view for a school to deny a child a term of full-time education. The school has a duty to provide a full-time place from September and cannot refuse to do so.”

The latest school admissions code supports this, stating that a local authority must make clear that children are entitled to a full-time place in the Sept following their fourth birthday.

Timeline

24 Sep 2018	Petition opened for signatures
24 Mar 2019	Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 31

Status Closed

Opened 24 Sep 2018

Closed 24 Mar 2019

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