Bearbrook Combined School

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. 1Looked after children and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children who apply for a place at the school.
2. 2Exceptional Medical or Social Needs — Children who have exceptional medical or social needs, which can only be met at this school, supported by written evidence from an appropriate professional person.
3. 3Children of staff at the school — Children of staff at the school, in either of the following circumstances: The member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
4. 4Catchment — Children living within the catchment area of the school at the time of entry.
5. 5Children with siblings on roll of the school at main point of entry — For the main point of entry: siblings of children who are attending the school in Year R to Year 5 at the time the allocations are made (March 2026), and are expected to be on the school roll at the time of the proposed admission, or who have already been offered a place to start in the current academic year at the school.
6. 6Children with siblings on roll of the school after normal point of entry — For immediate in year admission after the normal point of entry: Siblings of children who are in Year R to Year 6 at the time of admission to the school.
7. 7Children attending Bearbrook Pre-school — Pupils who are currently on roll at Bearbrook Pre-School and are in attendance for a minimum of 15 hours at the time of application (attendance must be 90%+, unless exceptional circumstances are provided e.g. family bereavement or period of hospitalisation).
8. 8Distance — Once the above rules have been applied, then any further places will be offered in distance order. Straight line distance is used for admission purposes. This is the distance from your child's normal home address, as set out by Ordnance Survey, to the nearest open school gate available for pupils to use.

If two applications tie: If children still cannot be separated (for example, if two children live the same distance away and neither has a sibling), then a random allocation, independently checked, will be used to decide fairly. In the case of there being one place available and the next child/children meeting the criteria is a twin/triplets/multiple birth group then the other siblings will also be admitted.

Criteria stated to apply to all schools in the Great Learners Trust. EHC plan children admitted before oversubscription criteria applied, per statutory requirement (not numbered).

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.