Richard Lander 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. 1Children in care / previously in care — Children in care and children who were previously in care but immediately after being in care became subject to an Adoption, Child Arrangement, or Special Guardianship Order including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be in care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Designated area — Children who live in the designated area of the preferred school or whose parents can provide evidence at the time of making the application that they will be living in the designated area of the preferred school by the date from which admission is required. If there are more designated area children wanting places at a school than there are places available, the following criteria 3 to 7 will be used to decide which of these children should have priority for admission. If there are still places available after all the designated area children have been allocated places, criteria 3 to 7 will be used to decide which of the remaining children should have priority for any spare places.
3. 3Children of staff — Children of salaried staff at the school that is being applied for. Only 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; or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage, which must be confirmed by the school's governing body.
4. 4Professional recommendation - exceptional medical/social needs — Children with an unequivocal professional recommendation that non-placement at the preferred school would not be in the best interest of the child and that placement at the preferred school is essential. Children will only be considered under this criterion where the parent/carer can demonstrate that only the preferred school can meet the exceptional medical or social needs of the child, supported by a recommendation from, for example, a doctor, school medical officer or educational psychologist.
5. 5Siblings — Children with a sibling who will be attending the preferred school at the time of their admission. 'Siblings' means brothers or sisters. They are defined as children with at least one natural or adoptive parent in common, living at the same or a different address. Children living permanently in the same household at the same address would also be counted as siblings, regardless of their actual relationship to each other.
6. 6Named primary schools — Children on the roll of a named primary school, at the time of allocation (applies to transfer to year 7 only). Named primary schools: Blackwater School, Bosvigo School, Chacewater School, Cusgarne School, Mithian School, Mount Hawke Academy, Shortlanesend School, St Agnes Academy, Threemilestone School, Truro Learning Academy.
7. 7All other children (distance) — All other children (on distance). If any of the criteria outlined in this document leave more children with an equal claim than places available priority will be given to the child who lives nearer to the preferred school.

If two applications tie: Should children be left with an equal claim because distances are exactly the same, random allocation, in accordance with 1.34 and 1.35 of the Admissions Code 2021 will be used to decide on priority.

After the admission of children where the school is named in their Education, Health and Care Plan, the numbered priority order (1-7) is used to decide oversubscription.

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.