Abbotswood Junior School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 3), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked after children — Looked after children or children who were previously looked after (see definition i).
2. 2Exceptional medical and/or social need — Children or families with an exceptional medical and/or social need. Each application must include supporting evidence from an independent professional such as a doctor and/or consultant for medical needs or a social worker, health visitor, housing officer, the police or probation officer for social needs. This evidence must confirm the child or family's medical or social need and why that need(s) makes it essential that the child attends X School rather than any other (see definition ii). Applicants will only be considered under this criterion if on the application form (online or paper) they have ticked the appropriate box explicitly indicating that they wish for their application to be considered under medical / social need and supporting evidence is submitted with the application.
3. 3Children of staff — Children of staff (see definition iii) who have, (1) 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 (2) have been recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
4. 4In-catchment sibling — Children living in the catchment area (see definition iv) who at the time of application have a sibling (see definition v) on the roll of Abbotswood Junior School or either Hazel Wood Infant School or Lydlynch Infant School who will still be on roll at the time of admission. [See 7 for additional children who may be considered under this criterion.]
5. 5Displaced out-of-catchment children attending linked infant schools — Children living out of the catchment who were allocated a place at Hazel Wood Infant School or Lydlynch Infant School in the normal admission round in a previous year because the child was displaced (see definition vi) from the catchment school for their address, and they remain living in the catchment area.
6. 6Other in-catchment children — Other children living in the catchment area.
7. 7Out-of-catchment sibling — Children living out of the catchment area of the school who at the time of application have a sibling (see definition v) on the roll of Abbotswood Junior School or Hazel Wood Infant School or Lydlynch Infant School who will still be on roll at the time of admission. [Where a sibling was allocated a place at Abbotswood Junior School, Hazel Wood Infant School or Lydlynch Infant School in the normal admission round in a previous year because the child was displaced (see definition vi) from the catchment school for their address, the application will be considered under 4, above, subject to the siblings still living in the catchment area for the school from which they were displaced. In future normal admissions rounds a younger sibling will be considered to have been displaced where they were allocated a place at the school or linked infant school under this criterion as a consequence of their elder sibling's displacement and are still living in the catchment area for the school from which they were displaced].
8. 8Out-of-catchment children on roll at linked infant schools — Children living out of the catchment area of the school who at the time of application are on the roll of Hazel Wood Infant School or Lydlynch Infant School.
9. 9Other children — Other children.

If two applications tie: Straight line distance will be used to prioritise applications; applicants living nearer the school have priority. Distances will be measured from the Ordnance Survey home address point to the school address point using Hampshire County Council's Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Distances to multiple dwellings will give priority to the ground floor over the first floor and so on. On individual floors, distances will be measured to the stairs leading to the communal entrance. Where two or more applicants are equidistant, random allocation will be used to allocate the place.

Policy is for Year 3 entry in September 2027 (academic year 2027-2028). The document contains a likely typographical error referencing 'X School' in criterion 2. Applications deadline stated as midnight 15 January 2026 in one place and 15 January 2027 in another, suggesting a drafting inconsistency.

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.