Welcome to Drybrook

We are delighted that you are considering Drybrook Primary School for your child.

Choosing a school is an important decision, and we warmly encourage prospective families to visit us, meet our staff and children, and experience Drybrook for themselves.

Drybrook Primary School is part of the Forest of Dean Trust. The Trust is the admission authority for the school, and the school’s admission arrangements are set out in the policies available at the bottom of this page. As an academy trust, Forest of Dean Trust is required to comply with the statutory School Admissions Code.

If you would like to arrange a visit to Drybrook or have any questions about joining the school, please contact the school office. We will be very happy to help.

Starting School in Reception

Children normally start primary school in September of the school year in which they turn five.

Applications for Reception places are coordinated by Gloucestershire County Council. Parents must apply to the County Council rather than directly to Drybrook Primary School. An application must be made even if your child already attends a nursery or pre-school connected with a particular school, or has an older brother or sister attending the school.

Parents are encouraged to use all their available preferences and list schools in their genuine order of preference. All applications submitted by the closing date are treated equally, regardless of when they are submitted during the application window.

Applications and full information are available through Gloucestershire County Council School Admissions.

Joining Drybrook During the School Year

Applications for children joining Drybrook outside the normal Reception admissions round are known as in-year applications.

This may include children who:

• have moved into Drybrook or the surrounding area;

• have moved from another part of the country;

• are transferring from another school; or

• need a school place for another reason during the academic year.

In Gloucestershire, in-year applications are made directly to the school. Gloucestershire County Council does not coordinate in-year admissions.

How to Apply for an In-Year Place

Parents and carers wishing to apply for an in-year place should:

• download and complete the Gloucestershire In-Year Application Form below, or collect a copy from the school office;

• send the completed form directly to Drybrook Primary School for consideration; and

• receive the outcome in writing.

Gloucestershire’s current procedure states that schools should notify parents of the outcome of an in-year application within 10 to 15 school days.

Completed forms can be sent to:

Drybrook Primary School
Drybrook Road
Drybrook
Gloucestershire
GL17 9JF

Email: admin@dbp.fodt.co.uk

Further guidance is available from Gloucestershire County Council.

What Happens if a Year Group is Full?

Where Drybrook has places available, applications will be considered in accordance with the school’s published admission arrangements.

Where there are more applications than places available, places must be allocated in accordance with the published oversubscription criteria in the relevant Admissions Policy.

If we are unable to offer your child a place, we will write to explain the decision and provide information about your right of appeal. Gloucestershire County Council can also provide advice about other schools that may have places available.

For further advice about in-year admissions, contact Gloucestershire County Council’s In-Year Admissions Team:

Telephone: 01452 426015
Email: inyear.admissions@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Admission Appeals

Parents and carers have a statutory right of appeal if their application for a school place is refused.

Appeals are heard by an independent appeal panel. The panel is independent of the school and the admission authority. If a place cannot be offered, we will explain how to submit an appeal and the relevant timetable.

Further information about admission appeals is available from Gloucestershire County Council.

Admission Outside a Child’s Normal Age Group

Parents may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age group.

Any request will be considered in accordance with the School Admissions Code and the school’s published admission arrangements. Decisions are made on the individual circumstances of the case and in the child’s best interests.

Parents considering such a request are encouraged to contact the school so that we can discuss their child’s circumstances.

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan

The admission arrangements above are different for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Where Drybrook Primary School is named in a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan, admission is dealt with through the statutory process rather than the standard admissions procedure.

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, or you would like to discuss Drybrook’s provision for children with SEND before applying, please contact the school office at admin@dbp.fodt.co.uk.

Further information is available in the SEND section of this website.

Visiting Drybrook

We believe that visiting a school is one of the best ways to decide whether it is right for your child.

We are proud of Drybrook and would be delighted to show prospective families around the school. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to see our learning environment, meet members of our team and find out more about our curriculum, values and wider opportunities.

To arrange a visit, please contact the school office.

Our Admissions Policies

The formal admission arrangements and oversubscription criteria for Drybrook are contained in the relevant Admissions Policies below.

School Prospectus

You can find out more about life at Drybrook, including our curriculum, school day, uniform, pastoral support and opportunities for children, throughout this website.