Gracewood Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children looked after (CLA) / Previously looked after (PCLA) — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (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 or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.
2. 2Medical or social needs — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school.
3. 3Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school.
4. 4Children of Staff — Children of a permanent member of staff who has parental responsibility for them.
5. 5Children living nearest to the school — This applies to all other children who live nearest to the school. The school uses home school measurements provided by Hertfordshire County Council, which measures the distance between the child’s address point and the school’s address point.
6. 6Aptitude in Music — The remaining 10% of places (12) will be allocated for children who show an aptitude in Music based on an assessment of aptitude carried out by the school. Priority will be given to those with the highest score in this assessment. In the event of a tie-break being required under this criterion, places will be allocated using criteria 5 (home-school distance).

If two applications tie: In the event of there being two or more applicants at a flat or multi-occupational dwelling vying for the last available place the tie-breaker of a random lottery (independently verified) will be used. For Rule 6, in the event of a tie-break being required, places will be allocated using criterion 5 (home-school distance).

90% of allocations (108) are made using Rules 1-5 in order; the remaining 10% (12) are allocated using Rule 6 (Aptitude in Music). If applications under Rule 6 are fewer than 12, remaining places are added to places available under criteria 1-5 in that order. Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted before oversubscription criteria are applied (not numbered as a 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.