Penbridge Junior School

When there are more applications than places for 2025-26 (Year 3), 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 — These are defined as Looked after Children and all previously looked after children, including those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.
2. 2Significant medical, physical, psychological or social need — Children or families who have a significant medical, physical, psychological or social need. Evidence must be attached with the application form. Applications under this criterion must be supported by written evidence from an appropriate professional involved stating clearly why the preferred school is the most appropriate for the child and reasons why other schools in the city are inappropriate.
3. 3Children living within the school's designated catchment area — Children living within the school's designated catchment area. (If the school cannot admit all applications from the catchment area, applicants will be ranked within this category in accordance with priorities 4(i) to (iv) below.)
4. 4Children living outside the catchment area – sibling — Children living outside the school's catchment area: (i) children who have a brother or sister (living within the same household) at the school who will be still attending the school the following academic year. Note – this category includes step-brothers/step-sisters, adoptive brothers/sisters living within the same household or children whose parents are married or cohabiting and live together within the same household.
5. 5Children living outside the catchment area – service premium — Children living outside the school's catchment area: (ii) children eligible for service premium. Note - service premium is paid to eligible children of armed services personnel under S14 of the Education Act 2002.
6. 6Children living outside the catchment area – children of staff — Children living outside the school's catchment area: (iii) children of staff employed at the school (or school on an adjacent site) a) where the member of staff has been employed at the school for 2 or more years at the time at which the application is made, and or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a skill shortage.
7. 7Children living outside the catchment area – nearest by distance — Children living outside the school's catchment area: (iv) Children who live closest to the school, based on the shortest distance from home to school, measured on a straight line 'as the crow flies'. (This distance will be used where necessary to prioritise applications). Should there be two or more identical distances enquiring prioritisation, this will be done by casting lots.

If two applications tie: Should there be two or more identical distances enquiring prioritisation, this will be done by casting lots. The Admissions Team will arrange for this to be carried out by the LA's Democratic Services who are independent of the school and the admissions process.

Criteria 4(i)–4(iii) also apply within the catchment area category (criterion 3) as sub-priorities if the school is oversubscribed from within the catchment area. A 'displaced sibling' exception applies where the LA was unable to meet parental preference for the catchment school, allowing a different school to be treated as the catchment school for subsequent sibling applications.

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.