Shelfords and Stapleford Scout Group

How to join

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Our waiting lists

Currently all our sections are full and we are operating a waiting list within the Group. Notes:

• We do not add children to the waiting list until the age of 5;
• When we have spaces available we take children off the waiting list in accordance with our Admission policy below.
• If you move into the area and your child has been on a waiting list for either Beavers/Cub/Scouts (or Rainbows/Brownies/Guides) in another area, if you can get one of the adults involved with that group to contact us with details of when they were added to their waiting list then we can back date when they were added to ours.

Admission policy

The Group takes children in to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts who live in one of the following villages:

• Great Shelford;
• Little Shelford;
• Stapleford.

Children living outside these villages will be allowed on to our waiting list by exception, if they attend either Shelford Primary C of E School or Stapleford Community Primary School.

• Children are eligible to go on the waiting list once they reach their 5^th birthday.
• Children are eligible to start in the Beaver Colony once they reach 6 years of age. There is some flexibility to allow children to join Beavers 3 months before their 6^th birthday.
• Children are eligible to join the Cub Pack once they reach 8 years of age. There is some flexibility to allow children to join Cubs 6 months before their 8^th birthday.
• Children are eligible to join the Scout Troop once they reach 10½ years of age. There is some flexibility to allow children to join Scouts after their 10^th birthday.

In deciding who joins the following criteria are applied:

• Meet minimum age criteria (taking into the flexibility listed above)
• In the Shelfords and Stapleford Beaver Colony / Cub Pack (as appropriate)
• Length of time on the waiting list Should two children be the same age and have been on the list for the same length of time priority will be given to those with siblings in the Group.
• Age

NB: If in the opinion of the section leader the child at the top of the list is deemed too old to gain much benefit from the progressive nature of the Beaver or Cub program, they will not be offered a place in Beavers /Cubs. They will, however, remain on the list for the next section. The only exceptions to this Admissions Policy are:

1. For the children of adults who demonstrate a serious and sustained commitment to becoming leaders / administrators etc. within the Shelfords and Stapleford Scout Group. Please note: All adult leaders are required to under go a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
2. For children transferring in from another area, outside a reasonable commuting distance from Great Shelford, who were invested into Beavers, Cubs or Scouts in another County or Country. These children will have priority for the next available space in accordance with The Scout Association’s Policy, Organisation and Rules.

Transfer between sections

Due to the popularity of our Cub Pack and Scout Troop at times we may need to operate waiting lists for Beavers who wish to join Cubs and Cubs who wish to join Scouts. There is no immediate automatic transfer between sections as has been the case in the past. As a result of the lack of spaces in Scouts, Cubs can stay in the Pack until their 11^th birthday; the normal leaving age is 10½. If we cannot offer an immediate place in Scouts we will automatically add the child’s name to the Scout waiting list. Where a waiting list is in operation the following criteria will be applied:

• Date of starting Cubs,
• Date of entry on to the Group waiting list.
• As with the Beaver and Cub sections, when young people are too old to benefit from a short stay in Scouts we will not offer them a place in the Troop, but we will, if requested, pass their details to the District Explorer Scout Units.