Pathfinder CofE Primary School

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

1. 1Children with Education, Health and Care Plan — Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where the Academy is named
2. 2Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and previously looked after children including those who appear (to the Admissions Authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted
3. 3Sibling — where the child has a sibling in the school or a sibling has already been offered a place at the school, and where the sibling will still be attending the school at the time of admission but not in a specialist unit or a specialist resource base for Hearing Impaired provision or in a nursery/pre-school. Priority will be given, where necessary, to applications where there is the smallest age gap
4. 4Children of staff — Children of staff recruited to fill a vacant post at the school for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. DEMAT is required to approve the Headteachers' designation of such posts and confirm the assessment that a member of staff appointed meets the requirements of the shortage. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year
5. 5Church place applicants — Parents or carers of children who are applying for a church place who specifically wish their children to be educated at a Church of England school. These places will be prioritised in the following order. • Families linked to the parish church, • Families linked to other Church of England churches, • Families linked to other Christian churches. Within these categories applicants will be prioritised as follows: • Families at the heart of their church (attending monthly or more frequently over a period of one year directly preceding the admissions deadline date), • Families known to their church (attending less frequently than monthly over a period of one year directly preceding the admissions deadline date)
6. 6All other applicants

If two applications tie: If DEMAT is unable to distinguish between applicants using the published criteria, including those who live in blocks of flats, places will be offered via a random draw which will be supervised by someone independent of the school

For criterion 2 (sibling), priority given to smallest age gap where necessary. Criterion 3 limited to one place per form of entry. Church place applicants (criterion 5) must submit Supplementary Information Form. All other applicants ranked by straight-line distance measurement from home to school. Multiple birth exception: if final place offered to a twin/triplet/multiple birth, remaining sibling(s) admitted even if exceeds infant class limits.

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.