Orion Mead Road

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Reception), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children Looked After (CLA) — Children Looked After (CLA) as defined: a child in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by a local authority, or a child previously looked after who immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order, including those who appear to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Pupil Premium Grant students — Students entitled to the Pupil Premium Grant (up to 20% of the total places on offer); where more than 20% apply, the Proximity criterion will be applied to select the 20%. Includes students eligible for free school meals (or ever have been in last 6 years), those admitted under CLA criterion, children of currently/recently serving armed forces parents, or children of a parent who died while serving and is in receipt of AFCS/WPS pension. Evidence must be submitted with the application by 31 October 2026.
3. 3Sibling — Sibling on roll at the proposed time of entry - a brother or sister, half-sibling, adopted sibling, stepsibling, or child of parent/carer's partner living in the same family unit at the same address, where the elder sibling is still on roll when the younger child starts.
4. 4Children of staff at the School — Priority to children of staff employed for two or more years at the time of application, or recruited within the last two years to fill a vacant post with a demonstrable skill shortage, including school-based nursery staff. Applies to the one school where staff work more than 50% of their duties if working across schools.
5. 5Children attending the Orion school-based Nursery — Priority to children on roll in the primary school-based nursery class who qualify for or receive early years premium, pupil premium or service premium at time of application, and who continue attending the nursery up to admission. Note: this criterion applies only to Orion Blenheim, Orion Ravensworth and Orion Scotts Park, not Orion Mead Road.
6. 6Medical or Social Needs — Exceptional medical or social need supported by written statement from a hospital consultant, special support service, social worker or similar professional confirming the need and that the school is the only one that can meet it.
7. 7Proximity — Distance measured in a straight line from the child's home address to the main entrance of the school building using the Local Authority's computerised measuring system; those living closest receive higher priority.

If two applications tie: If there are two identical distance measurements for different addresses of separate applicants, the tiebreak will be done by drawing lots.

The document explicitly states criterion 5 (school-based nursery) does not apply to Orion Mead Road as it has no listed nursery under this scheme.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.