Christchurch Church of England 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, Previously Looked After, or Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Children living in the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child whose home address is inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category where they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
3. 3Children living outside the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child living outside the priority admissions area is eligible for this category where (i) they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and (ii) the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
4. 4Children living inside the priority admissions area who meet the faith criterion — A child living inside the priority admissions area is eligible for this category where the child or the parent or carers meets the following criteria, in order of priority: Regular attendance at public worship in any Church of England church, for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity. Regular attendance at public worship in any faith group which is a member of the local Council of Faiths for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school.
5. 5Other children living in the priority admissions area without a sibling at the school — A child living inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category.
6. 6Children of Staff — Where children of staff do not fall into any of the previous categories then the following criterion will apply: 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. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post at the school for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
7. 7Children with Exceptional Medical or Social Needs — Medical need means where written evidence has been provided from a senior clinical medical officer or the child's general practitioner / specialist showing that the child's condition would make it detrimental to the child's health not to admit him/her to the School. This may include written evidence where the parent has a medical need and/or disability which would make it detrimental for the child to attend a different school; this may be supported by evidence of the child as a young carer. Social Need means where the child is of confirmed refugee status. Written evidence of this from the home LA must be submitted with the Supplemental Information Form and sent to the School on or before 15th January 2027.
8. 8Children living outside the priority admissions area who meet the faith criterion — A child living outside the priority admissions area is eligible for this category where the child or the parent or carers meets the following criteria, in order of priority: Regular attendance at public worship in any Church of England church, for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity. Regular attendance at public worship in any faith group which is a member of the local Council of Faiths for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school.
9. 9All other children — All other children not falling within the above categories.

If two applications tie: For admissions purposes, the school uses a distance tie-breaker, based upon the Local Authority's scheme, which uses data provided by the Ordnance Survey (OS) to measure straight line distances. Straight line distance is measured from the address point of the home address to address point of the school. In the unlikely event of two applicants with an identical distance competing for a single place at a school, the place will be offered to one applicant on the basis of lots drawn by an officer of the County Council not involved in admissions.

Category 4 and 8 (faith criteria) require completion of a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) verified and signed by the relevant Church or Faith Leader, to be returned to the school by 15 January 2027. Within Category 4 and Category 8, faith sub-priorities apply in order: Church of England, other Christian churches, then member faith groups of the local Council of Faiths.

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.