St Nicholas Church of England Primary Academy

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 and previously looked after children — A looked after child (in the care of a local authority, or provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of its social services functions under Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of application); a previously looked after child who ceased to be looked after because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order; and an internationally adopted previously looked after child who appears to the admission authority to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be so as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Siblings — Siblings of pupils attending the school at the time of application. "Sibling" means a natural brother or sister, a half brother or sister, a legally adopted brother or sister or half-brother or sister, a step brother or sister, or other child living in the same household who, in any of these cases, will be living at the same address at the date of entry to the school.
3. 3Children of staff — Children of staff at the school where either (a) the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time the application is made, or (b) the member of staff was recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
4. 4Social and medical need — A small number of children in exceptional circumstances whose mental or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend this school over any other. Supporting evidence is required from a doctor, social worker or other relevant qualified independent professional. Medical, health, social and special access reasons are applied in line with the school’s legal obligations; priority is not guaranteed, as each case is decided on its merits.
5. 5Distance from school — Proximity to the school, with those living closest having priority. Distance is measured in a straight line between the child’s permanent home address and the school using National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address points, from a point within the home to the same fixed point on the school site for every applicant. Where a property is not registered on the NLPG (including new build), KCC may use planning-site or other relevant co-ordinates. The home address is where the child is permanently resident with a parent or legal guardian; for shared care it is the address where the child sleeps the majority of school nights.

If two applications tie: Distance from the school. Where two or more children live the same distance away (as can happen in blocks of flats), the remaining place or places are decided by random allocation — a drawing of lots by an independent responsible person of good standing, supervised by a similarly independent person, in accordance with paragraphs 1.34 and 1.35 of the School Admissions Code.

The trust is the admission authority for this school, so these rules are set by Aquila, the Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust rather than by Kent County Council, and are the same across every Aquila school. Although this is a Church of England school, the policy gives no priority for church attendance or faith — there is no supplementary faith form to complete. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted first, which reduces the number of places left. Multiple births are protected: if the school would reach its published admission number after admitting one or more of a set of twins, triplets or other siblings from a multiple birth but before admitting all of them, the school offers a place to each, even if that takes it above PAN. In Reception this is treated as an "excepted" pupil under infant class size legislation. Applications are made on Kent County Council’s common application form by the national closing date of 15 January, and the council makes the offer on the national offer day (16 April, or the next working day).

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.