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The Fair Access Protocol (FAP)
The School Admissions Code requires every Local Authority to have a Fair Access Protocol (FAP) in place, developed in partnership with local schools. This protocol ensures that access to mainstream education is secured quickly for children who find themselves without a place outside the normal admissions round.
The Fair Access Protocol forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest's arrangements for ensuring that vulnerable and unplaced children are able to access suitable education without unnecessary delay.
The FAP provides a clear, transparent and equitable framework through which the Council, schools, admission authorities and partner agencies work together to identify appropriate mainstream educational placements for children who have been unable to secure a school place via the standard admission process, meet the relevant Fair Access criteria, do not have an EHCP and require a mainstream school place.
The Council recognises that children considered through the Fair Access Protocol may have experienced disruption, instability or other circumstances that have affected their education. Decisions made under the Protocol should therefore seek not only to secure access to education, but to support educational continuity, inclusion, stability and positive long-term outcomes.
The effective operation of the Protocol depends upon collective responsibility and constructive partnership working between the Council, schools and relevant agencies. All partners have an important role in ensuring that vulnerable children are supported to access suitable education and that responsibility for Fair Access placements is shared fairly across the borough.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is committed to:
- securing the right school placement, at the right time, with the right support, so that every child has the opportunity to achieve positive educational, social and emotional outcomes.
The Fair Access Protocol is NOT responsible for securing school/educational placements for:
- Children/young people with an EHCP. This is carried out by the SEND & Commissiong Team
- Children/young people whose needs cannot be met through mainstream provision alone and may require support, intervention and, where appropriate, access to Alternative Provision. This is carried out by the Inclusion Panel.
- Children/young people who have been excluded. There are dealt with via the fixed term and permanent exclusions process
You can find full details of the FAP process below:
