Draft Letters
6. Draft of text of information for parents of out of zone applicants, to be provided when an application is received
Thank you for your application for enrolment at <school name>.
Because you do not live within the home zone specified in the school's enrolment scheme your application will be subject to the selection procedure specified in the Education Act 1989.
The Act states that first priority must be given to students who meet the criteria for enrolment in an approved special programme run by the school. (If this is not relevant to your school, add the following sentence: "Our school has no such programme.") Second priority must be given to siblings of current students. Third priority must be given to siblings of former students. Fourth priority must be given to children of board employees. Fifth priority must be given to all other students.
In situations where the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available for out of zone students, selection will be by ballot. If a ballot is required at our school, it will be held on <date> and will be supervised by a Justice of the Peace (or, as appropriate, a practising lawyer or a sworn member of the Police or a local government returning officer). Within three school days of this date, the school will send you a letter informing you of the outcome of the ballot. If your application has been successful, you will be asked to confirm your acceptance or rejection of the offered place within 14 days of the date on the school's letter. If you do not respond within the 14 day period, the place will be offered to the first person on the waiting list established by the ballot.
7. Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been successful in the ballot
Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.
A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I am pleased to be able to inform you that < name > was successful. I am therefore able to offer him/her a place at our school for next year (or "in the next enrolment intake").
You will appreciate that a significant number of applicants were not successful in the ballot. Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer. A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience. Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >. If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the person currently at the head of the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.
I look forward to hearing from you.
< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >
Yours sincerely
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Strike out the option which does not apply
(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.
(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.
Signed________________________________
8. Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant when no ballot was necessary
Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.
The number of out of zone applications which the board received was less than the number of places that are expected to be available for out of zone students. I am therefore pleased to be able to offer <name> a place at our school for next year (or "in the next enrolment intake").
Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer. A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience. Please reply by <a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter> to assist us with forward planning.
I look forward to hearing from you.
< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >
Yours sincerely
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Strike out the option which does not apply
(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.
(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.
Signed_______________________________
9. Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been unsuccessful in the ballot
Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.
A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I regret to have to inform you that < name > was not successful. The names of unsuccessful applicants were listed in the order in which they were drawn in the ballot and were then placed on a waiting list. < Name > is number < give number > on the waiting list.
I have asked parents of successful applicants to inform me within 14 days whether or not they wish to accept the place which has been offered. Any vacant places which result from this process will be offered to unsuccessful applicants in the order in which their names appear on the waiting list.
The Board wishes to advise you that it has no discretionary powers that can be applied where parents feel that there are special reasons why their child should be enrolled other than through the normal balloting process. If you believe that special reasons do exist in your child's case, then you may make application under Section 11P of the Education Act 1989 to the Ministry of Education. Forms for this process are available from the Ministry's local office. The Ministry advises that this section is used for exceptional cases only. The Ministry expects that specialist medical or psychological or other expert opinion will be supplied in support of an application.
Yours sincerely
10. Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zoneapplicant whose name has been placed on the waiting list and can now be offered a place at the school
I am pleased to be able to inform you that a vacancy has occurred and I am now able to offer < name > a place at our school for next year (or "in the next enrolment intake").
You will appreciate that a significant number of applicants were not successful in the ballot. Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer. A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience. Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >. If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the next person on the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.
I look forward to hearing from you.
< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >
Yours sincerely
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Strike out the option which does not apply
(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.
(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.
Signed________________________________
11. Draft of text for letter to parents of an out of zone applicant who is not yet eligible for enrolment at the school
Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.
I note that <name> does not turn 5 until <date> which is outside the enrolment period for which applications are currently being accepted. I will therefore hold this application over for consideration alongside others relating to the second/third/fourth enrolment period, for which applications close on <date>.
I will be in touch with you soon after that date to let you know the outcome of your application.
Yours sincerely
12. Draft of text for letter to parents of students on a waiting list, in situations where a board determines part way through a year that it has vacant places which can be made available to out of zone students
When the board last held a ballot for out of zone places at <school name> your child was unsuccessful in the ballot. You were informed that your child's name had been placed on a waiting list.
As a result of population movement, a number of places have now become available for immediate enrolment <or state a date at which enrolment will commence>. I realise that by now your child is settled in another school. Nevertheless you may wish to accept the place at our school which I am now able to offer you. Please indicate your intentions by completing the tear-off slip at the bottom of this letter and returning it to the school by <date>. If you have not responded by that date, I will take that as an indication that you no longer wish your child's name to remain on the waiting list.
I look forward to hearing from you.
< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >
Yours sincerely
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Strike out the option which does not apply.
(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>. I understand that the place is available for immediate enrolment <or for enrolment from (date)> and that the offer of a place does not entitle me to delay enrolment until a later date.
(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.
Signed_________________________________
13. Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been successful in a ballot held in accordance with Instruction 31
Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.
A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I am pleased to be able to inform you that < name > was successful. I am therefore able to offer him/her a place at our school. Please understand that this offer is for immediate enrolment <or state a date at which enrolment will commence> and if not taken up does not confer an entitlement to enrol next year or at some other time.
You will appreciate that some applicants were not successful in the ballot. Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer. A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience. Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >. If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the first person on the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.
I look forward to hearing from you.
< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >
Yours sincerely
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Strike out the option which does not apply
(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.
(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.
Signed________________________________
14. Draft of text of letter to parents of student whose enrolment is being reviewed because there are reasonable grounds to believe that a temporary in-zone address has been used for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school
Note: This is a model only. Details should be changed as appropriate.
Dear <parent's name>
Enrolment Review Notice
It has come to the attention of the board that <student's name> is no longer living at the address which, at the time of your application for enrolment, you stated would be his/her usual place of residence.
I note that when you applied for enrolment you gave no indication that the given address would be a temporary one, nor have you subsequently informed the school of any change of address, although you gave an undertaking to do so in the statement you signed at the time of application. The board feels therefore that it has reasonable grounds to believe that you have used a temporary residence within the school's home zone for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school.
Under Section 11OA(1) of the Education Act 1989, I am formally advising you that the board <or relevant sub-committee> will be reviewing the enrolment at a meeting on <date>.
It may be, of course, that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the change of address and that there has been no attempt to use a temporary in-zone residence to unfairly secure enrolment at our school. If that is the case, I would appreciate it if you would contact me immediately by letter, phone, fax, or e-mail* or make an appointment to see me in person, to provide an explanation. If the board is satisfied that the explanation for moving out of zone is genuine, then your child is entitled to remain on the school roll.
The board <or relevant sub-committee> has asked me to prepare a report for its meeting of <date>. The report will include any information that you have provided by way of explanation. Please let me know if you would prefer to be present at the meeting to present your case personally.
If I do not hear from you by <date, which is 10 school days after the date of this letter>, the board may annul the enrolment as provided for in Section 11O(1A) of the Education Act 1989. Any annulment will take effect one month from the date of the board's decision.
<Signed>
Principal
* Give e-mail address if it is not on the school letterhead.