Bury Church of England High School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked after and previously looked after children — Children in public care and previously looked after children. This includes any 'looked after child,' 'previously looked after children' and any child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order... This criterion also includes looked after children and all previously looked after children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Exceptional medical or social need — Children whose medical or social circumstances mean that their needs can only be met at this school. Where such an admission is sought, professional supporting evidence e.g. from a doctor, psychologist or social worker is essential. Such evidence must set out the particular reasons why the school is the most suitable for the child and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school.
3. 3Children of staff — Children of staff at the school where the child resides with that member of staff either permanently or as part of a shared resident order or similar arrangement between parents and in either or both of the following circumstances: a) where 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 b) the member of staff was recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
4. 4Church attendance — Children who have attended public worship at a Christian Church for a minimum of two years immediately prior to application. Points will be given based on information supplied by parents and confirmed by the church minister/official to enable prioritisation with priority being given to those having the higher attendance. Christian church means any church which is designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York or locally by the diocesan bishop, or the Evangelical Alliance, or a partner church of Affinity. Tie-break within this criterion: priority to siblings in lower year groups (Year 8, then 9, 10, 11), then distance from home to school (shortest walking distance from main gate).
5. 5Sibling on roll — Any other children who will have an older sibling on the school roll in the September for which admission is sought. Sibling includes full, step, half, foster and adopted brothers or sisters living at the same address and full brother or sister living apart. If more than one applicant satisfies the requirement the place will be awarded on the basis of the child's normal home address to school distance.
6. 6Named feeder school — Children attending St Margaret's Church of England Primary School in Rochdale (a feeder school for Bury Church of England High School and part of The Bishop Fraser Trust).
7. 7Any other children (distance) — Any other children with priority given on the basis of the child's normal home address to school distance. The 'normal' home address of the child will be taken to be the home in which the child sleeps for the majority of the school week.

If two applications tie: Where two or more applicants have equal priority for the remaining place(s) available at the school after the application of the over-subscription criteria, random allocation will be used as the tie-breaker to ensure fairness. Applicants will be assigned a random number using the built-in Microsoft Excel =RAND() function.

Within criterion 4 (church attendance), a sub tie-break applies first for siblings in lower year groups, then distance to school, before moving to criterion 5. Criterion 5 and 7 use home-to-school distance as their own tie-break where needed.

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.