Motcombe CofE Primary School

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 or previously looked after children — Looked after or previously looked after children, i.e., a "Child in Care"... includes Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children (IAPLAC).
2. 2Child Protection/Child in Need — Where a Child Protection Order or Child in Need document identifies that there is a need for the child to be educated in a school closest to home or in an identified particular school/setting for their own safety.
3. 3Physical or medical disability — Children who have a physical or medical disability where the identified school would be the only school providing specially adapted facilities to support the needs of the child or, in the case of the condition resulting in prolonged or recurring absence each year, would be best supported attending a particular school. This must be fully evidenced and supported by a community paediatrician or consultant.
4. 4Catchment sibling — Children living within the school's catchment area who will have a sibling(s) attending the school at the time of admission.
5. 5Children of staff — Children of staff 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 the member of staff is recruited to a vacancy to meet a demonstrable skills shortage as at the date of application. This includes stepchildren, foster children and children of co-habiting partners.
6. 6Catchment area — Children living within the school's catchment area.
7. 7Outside catchment sibling — Children living outside the school's catchment area who will have a sibling(s) attending the school at the time of admission.
8. 8Feeder school (secondary only) — Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only).
9. 9Faith criterion — Children living outside the school's catchment area who meet the faith criterion where the child is a regular practising Christian at a Recognised Church or Religious Group prior to application.
10. 10All other children — All other children living outside the school's catchment area.

If two applications tie: If oversubscribed within any of the priority order categories above, places will be allocated on the basis of the shortest straight-line measurement using a geographical information-based system which identifies an Easting and Northing for the home address and the school building and calculates the distance between the two locations.

This is a trust-wide (SAST) admissions policy applying shared oversubscription criteria to all named SAST schools, including Motcombe CE Primary School, PAN 30, County Dorset. Motcombe CE Primary School is listed as a feeder school for Shaftesbury School (secondary), but is not itself given separate feeder schools.

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.