The Bay Church of England 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. 1A 'looked after child1' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, including those children 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 arrangement order or special guardianship order. A looked after child 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. All references to previously looked after children in this Code mean such children who were adopted (or subject to child arrangements orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been
2. 2A specific medical condition2, confirmed and supported by a registered health professional, which makes a particular school the most appropriate. (Any application for a place at a particular school for medical reasons must be supported by independent medical evidence from a registered health professional and must be 5 supplied by the closing date of midnight on 15 January 2027. The evidence must name the school and state the reasons why attendance at the school is essential and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school.)
3. 3Children who at the time of application have an elder sibling who is already at the school and who will still be in attendance at the school in September 2027.
4. 4Children of staff3employed by the preferred school, in either or both of the following circumstances: a) 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 b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
5. 5Children for whom the school is the nearest primary school to their home address at the time of application.
6. 6Church of England Voluntary Controlled schools only: - None of the previous 5 oversubscription criterion apply and parents ask for a place for religious reasons. (Any application for a place at a particular school for religious reasons must be supported by a letter from your Church minister by 15 January 2027, confirming that your family attends their Church4 at least once a month and has done so for six months or more before you made the application.) Please complete the Supplementary Information Form if you are applying for a place under this criterion.
7. 7Children for whom none of the previous oversubscription criteria apply.

Isle of Wight Council's determined admission arrangements for the community and voluntary controlled schools it is the admission authority for, entry in September 2027 (determined 28 February). There is no catchment area: the geographic priority is 'the school is the NEAREST primary school to the home address', and the tie-break is a straight-line distance measured on the council's GIS from the home address to the centre of the school building.

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.