John Colet School

When there are more applications than places for 2026-27 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked after children — Children who are looked after.
2. 2Children of staff — Children of staff who are employed on a permanent contract at the School where the member of staff has been employed at the School for two or more years at the time the application for admission is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
3. 3Catchment area — Children living in the catchment area of the school.
4. 4Siblings — Siblings of children in Years 7 to 10 who are on the roll of the school at the time that the allocations are made and are expected to be on the school roll at the time of the proposed admission. For immediate In-Year (casual) admission – siblings of children in Years 7-11 at the time of admission.
5. 5Exceptional 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 a doctor, social worker, educational welfare officer or other appropriate person.
6. 6Distance — Once the above rules have been applied, then any further places will be offered in distance order, using the distance between the child's normal home address, from their front door, and the school's nearest open gate, offering the closest first. We use the straight line distance.

If two applications tie: Where one place remains and the next two applicants are equal distance from the school in all cases, including flats and apartments, where addresses are equidistant a random allocation will be made.

How places were allocated, published by Buckinghamshire Council for the September 2026 intake (Allocation_Profile_2026_-_Secondary_Second_Round_-_20_May.xlsx). The council records: "All applicants offered under rule 3{4} (Catchment siblings), and some further offers made under rule 3 (Catchment) to 1.622 miles.". Distance of the last allocated child: All applicants offered under rule 3{4} (Catchment siblings), and some further offers made under rule 3 (Catchment) to 1.622 miles.. Rule 7 clarifies that if a rule cannot admit all qualifying children, the next rule is used to prioritise, and describes multiple-birth admissions above PAN; this is procedural rather than an additional ranked criterion.

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.