Dartmouth Academy

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

1. 1Looked after / previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, 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 state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Exceptional social or medical need — Children who have an exceptional social or medical need which means they should attend this school rather than any other (or whose parents have such a need). The applicant must complete an Exceptional Needs Supplementary Information Form, supported by evidence from a medical specialist or social worker, explaining the need and why it necessitates the child's attendance at this school.
3. 3Catchment area, sibling — Children living within the catchment area who are siblings of pupils on roll at this school.
4. 4Catchment area, linked school (Year 7 transfer only) — Priority will next be given to other children living within the catchment area, on roll at a named linked school. (Applies only at secondary transfer into Year 7; the named linked schools are Blackawton Primary School, St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School and Stoke Fleming Community Primary School.)
5. 5Catchment area (general) — Other children living within the catchment area.
6. 6Outside catchment, sibling — Children living outside the catchment area who are siblings of pupils on roll at this school.
7. 7Outside catchment, linked school (Year 7 transfer only) — Priority will next be given to other children living outside the catchment area, on roll at a named linked school. (Applies only at secondary transfer into Year 7; see linked schools above.)
8. 8Children of staff — Children of members of staff who have been employed at this school for more than two years, or recruited within the past two years to fill a vacancy for which there was a skills shortage.
9. 9Other children — Other children.

If two applications tie: To prioritise applications in the same oversubscription criterion: (a) straight-line distance from home to school; then (b) where distances are equal (within 2 metres), an electronic list randomiser is used, independently operated.

A child whose EHCP names the school will be admitted without regard to these criteria (stated ahead of the numbered list, not itself numbered). Sibling means a natural, half, legally adopted, or step-brother/sister, or other child in the same single-family household, on roll in Reception-Year 11 or holding a formal offer of admission to those year groups. Multiple-birth siblings tied for the final place are not subject to random allocation - all are admitted, exceeding PAN/Infant Class Size limits if necessary. There are separate catchment-area maps for the primary phase and the (larger) secondary phase. Dartmouth Academy is an all-through school (age range 4-16, no sixth form); admission authority is Education South West. Not a faith school (no designated religious character; no faith-based priority). Criteria 4 and 7 (named linked schools) apply only at secondary transfer into Year 7 and are not active for Reception admission.

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.