Matthew Arnold School

When there are more applications than places for 2026-27 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children who are "looked after" (LAC) by a Local Authority within the meaning of Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of their application, and all "previously looked after" children (PLAC), including those who appear to this Admissions Authority to have been in state care outside England (IAPLAC) and ceased to be in state care having been adopted
2. 2Children who have exceptional medical or social needs that make it essential that they attend Matthew Arnold School rather than any other
3. 3Children of staff
4. 4Children who attend one of the schools in the Acer Trust and live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry
5. 5Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools and live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry
6. 6Children who live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry
7. 7Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools and live in the designated (catchment) area
8. 8Children who live in the designated (catchment) area
9. 9Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry but live outside the designated (catchment) area
10. 10Children who have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry but live outside the designated (catchment) area
11. 11Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools
12. 12All other children who do not live in the designated (catchment) area and also do not attend a designated catchment school and also do not have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry

Published by Oxfordshire County Council on the school's own admissions page (Transfer from Primary or Junior to Secondary School - September 2026 (places allocated on 2nd March 2026)). The figure beside each rule is the number of places offered under it. The Governors or Trust decide the admissions criteria as shown below (in descending order of priority) together with the number of places offered under that criterion: Schools in the Acer Trust are: Botley School, Chalgrove Primary School, Glory Farm Primary School, Stadhampton Primary School and Watlington Primary School Designated catchment schools are: Appleton Church of England Primary School, Botley School, Cumnor Church of England Primary School, North Hinksey Church of England Primary School, West Oxford Community Primary School and St Swithun's Church of England Primary School (Kennington) Home-to-school distances measured using: Straight Line Distance.

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.