Highworth Grammar School

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 in Local Authority Care or Previously in Local Authority Care — A "looked after child" or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order including those who appear [to the admissions authority] to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. 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 definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).
2. 2Children in Receipt of Targeted Free School Meals and Pupil Premium — Families on Universal Credit are eligible for either Targeted or Expanded Free School Meals (FSM), depending on their individual circumstances. Priority under this category will be given to those children in receipt of Targeted FSM and Pupil Premium. This does not include children who have only been eligible to receive Universal Infant Free School Meals or those who are eligible for Expanded FSM. Parents/Carers wishing to apply under this criterion must complete the Supplementary Form for Pupil Premium Information and return it to the school by 31 October in the year of application.
3. 3Current Family Association — A sibling attending the school when the child starts. In this context sibling means a child who lives as a sibling in the same house, including natural siblings, adopted siblings, stepsiblings and foster siblings.
4. 4Health and Special Access Reasons — Medical, health, social and special access reasons will be applied in accordance with the school's legal obligations, in particular those under the Equality Act 2010. Priority will be given to those children whose mental or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend the school. This priority will also apply to children whose parents'/carers' physical or mental health or social needs mean that they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend the school. Such claims will need to be supported by written evidence from a suitably qualified medical or other practitioner who can demonstrate a special connection between these needs and the school.
5. 5Nearness of Children's Homes to School — We use the distance between the child's permanent home address (defined in KCC's annual admissions prospectus) and the school, measured in a straight line using the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point.

If two applications tie: Where two children have an otherwise equal priority under the oversubscription criteria, random selection overseen by someone independent of the school will be used to establish which is ranked ahead of the other.

Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first by law (not numbered as a criterion). Multiple births rule: if siblings from multiple births apply and the school would reach PAN after admitting one or more but before admitting all, all such siblings will be offered a place, even if this exceeds PAN.

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.