What do I need to do if I would like my child to start at SHPA?

Please go to our admissions pages for Nursery application forms or contact Oxfordshire County Council for a space in our open year groups or contact us at admin@omnialearningtrust.org if you have any questions.

Can I see around the new school?

Yes, please contact us to book a tour - we will be delighted to show you round our fantastic facilities. 

Will my child need a uniform?

Yes, all children right from nursery will need a uniform.  Please go to our uniform page for more details. We try to limit this to a few key items with a logo in order to keep the costs down.

Will your term dates be different from that of other schools?

The dates will generally be in line with other local Didcot schools.

When will the school be inspected?

Sires Hill Primary Academy has successfully passed the pre-opening Ofsted inspection.  We will then expect a full Ofsted inspection in our third year after opening.

How is an academy different?

The school receives funding direct from the DfE and this is the same budget as other schools.  Academies can choose to have different term dates, different curriculum (we enrich ours with languages from Year 1) and length of school day.  Our school day is slightly longer than other primary schools - we start at 8:40am and finish at 3:30pm.  There are many primary schools in Didcot that are academies now: our sister school Didcot Primary Academy, Manor, Ladygrove Park, Willowcroft and some that are due to convert.  Our Trust supports the quality of the school through visits from the Director of Education.

How will we be kept informed about my child's progress?

 There are two formal parent meetings a year, called learning reviews, with a third that can be arranged following the formal annual report at the end of the year.  Schools are only obliged to prepare one annual report a year, however, we provide parents with 3 reports: a settling in report, a mid year report (with academic summary) and end of year report.  You are also welcome to come into school to look at their work following a class assembly where your child will be delighted to talk you through their work.

How are clubs organised?  Are they for all year groups?

We will run a range of age-appropriate clubs each term that are organised through outside providers.  Most after school clubs incur a small cost.  After school clubs tend to be for children for Year 1 upwards (dependent on each club) subject to the content of the club.  Due to our longer school day, we are also able to hold some clubs within the school day so that all children can develop interests and explore their talents. 

How am I kept informed of dates and events?

The newsletter will be sent out fortnightly.  We will have a well maintained website that will keep you informed of dates and school events. 

How old must my child be for the Reception class 2024? Children born between 1st September 2019 and 31st August 2020 will be starting school in September 2024 in our Reception class.

How many children are in the Reception class?  There will be one class in our Reception cohorts with 30 places.  This is the legal maximum class size for children aged 4-7 (Reception to Year 2).  We generally have a full time Learning support assistant in each class.  After Reception, teaching assistants are placed according to the additional needs within the classroom.  

Sires Hill Primary Academy will open initially with 30 children in Reception. Eventually the school will be two form entry.

My child is not yet completely toilet trained, is this a problem? Staff will help your child to become more independent in this area.  

Do you have a catchment area? No, there is no set area.  However, children are allocated places strictly following our admission policy. The first children to be allocated are those that are 'cared for by the Local Authority' and children with an EHCP where the school has already been named.  The second group to be allocated are children of staff who have worked at the school for more than 2 years, then siblings and then by distance.  

When will we find out if we have been allocated a place? 16th April 2024.  We will be in touch with you shortly after this to start the transition work.  

When do I need to decide? You need to make sure that you have made your choice by the first deadline of 15th January 2024 using the county council website page.