St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester

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. 1Catholic looked after and previously looked after children — Catholic looked after and previously looked after children. (see notes 2&3)
2. 2Catholic children at a feeder Catholic primary school — Catholic children who attend a feeder Catholic primary school. (see note 3)
3. 3Other Catholic children — Other Catholic children. (see note 3)
4. 4Other looked after and previously looked after children — Other looked after and previously looked after children. (see note 2)
5. 5Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church — Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church. (see notes 4&5)
6. 6Children attending a feeder school — Other children who attend a Catholic feeder primary school. (see note 12&13) 2
7. 7Sibling link — Other children who have an older sibling at the school (up to Y11) at the time of admission (see note 8)
8. 8Children of staff — Children of a member of School Staff who has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which application for admission to the school is made. (see note 10)
9. 9Children of other Christian denominations — Children of other Christian denominations and children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a minister of religion or other religious leader. (see note 6&7)
10. 10Children of other faiths — Children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a religious leader. (see note 7)
11. 11Any other children — Any other children. Within each of the categories listed above, the following provisions will be applied in the following order. (i) Where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made. (see note 10) (ii) The attendance of a brother or sister at the school at the time of enrolment will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (i) above. (see note 8) Tie Break Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Distance will be measured in a straight line (as the crow flies) from the front door of the child’s address (including flats) to the main entrance of the school, (using the Local Authority’s computerised measuring system) with those living closer to the school receiving the higher priority. In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school. Application Procedures and Timetable To apply for a place at this school in the normal admission round, you must complete a Common Application Form, excluding admission to year 12, available from the local authority in which you live. If you are required to provide supplemental evidence to support the application (e.g. a baptismal certificate), this evidence should be provided at the time of application. If not provided, evidence may be sought by the admissions authority following the closing date for applications. This information must have been correct at the date of closing for applications. If you do not provide the supplemental evidence, this may affect your child’s chance of being offered a place. You will be advised of the outcome of your application on 1 March 2026 or the next working day, by the local authority on our behalf. If you are unsuccessful (unless your child gained a place at a school you ranked higher) you will be informed of the reasons, related to the oversubscription criteria listed above, and you have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is 31 October 2025. 3 Late Applications Late applications will be administered in accordance with your home Local Authority Secondary Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. You are encouraged to ensure that your application is received on time. Admission of Children Outside their Normal Age Group A request may be made for a child to be admitted outside their normal age group, for example if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. Any such request should be made in writing to the head teacher of the school at the same time as the admission application is made. The admission authority will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. In addition to taking into account the views of the head teacher, including the head teacher’s statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the admission authority will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals, as appropriate. Waiting Lists In addition to their right of appeal, unsuccessful children will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out above and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the last day of the summer term. Inclusion in the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. In-Year Applications An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by contacting the Mrs V Hall, Assistant Headteacher, at the school address. [www.stbedes.durham.sch.uk] Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing. Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied. If there are no places available, a request can be made that the child is added to the waiting list (see above). The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. Fair Access Protocol The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the admission authority is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any locally agreed protocol. The admission authority has this power even where admitting the child would mean exceeding the PAN. False evidence The admission authority reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where the child is already attending the school the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or the place was obtained by deception. Notes (these notes form part of the oversubscription criteria) 4

Transcribed verbatim from the school's own published determined admission policy. A child with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school must be admitted; that is not an oversubscription 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.