Dormanstown 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 — children who are cared for by the Local Authority. Children who are 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 admission 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 the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989). See Note 1 Note 1. Relevant evidence must be provided such as copy of the adoption certificate or court order plus details of when and where the child was in care and names and contact details of social workers involved. If relevant evidence is not provided the child cannot be considered under this criteria:
2. 2Residence in the school's admission zone — children who are permanently resident in the admission zone defined for the academy. For the purposes of determining whether a child lives within the admission zone, only the address at which the parent/guardian ordinarily resides and with whom the child normally lives will be taken into account. If parents are separated and the child lives for periods of time with both parents, the address used will be of the parent who receives child benefit for the child. You may be asked to provide proof. Short term tenancies entered into with the prime objective of securing admission for a child at a particular school will not qualify as places of ordinary residence. The Local Authority will take action should false information be submitted in order to secure a place at a particular school/academy.
3. 3Sibling link — children not living in the admission zone who have elder brothers or sisters attending the academy in the 2026/2027 school year. Brothers and sisters and step brothers and sisters will qualify under this criterion as long as they both live at the same permanent address and the elder sibling is still attending the academy in the 2026/2027 school year. Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom the place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling.
4. 4Exceptional medical or psychological grounds — children not living within the admission zone who have exceptional social and/or medical reasons for attending a particular school/academy, professionally supported by an independent third party and sustained by the authority’s professional advisors. Social reasons generally do not include domestic circumstances such as parents’ working commitments, childcare arrangements, separation from friends. In the case of medical reasons, evidence would need to demonstrate the exceptional long-term nature of the condition. All mainstream schools are able to cater for a wide range of medical needs which may be encountered by children. You are strongly urged to provide independent third party information (e.g. from a professional person who knows or is involved with your child) in support of any exceptional long term medical or social reason as to why you think your child should be given special consideration for placement in a particular school. This written support must make clear why the preferred school is the only school which could meet your child’s needs. The submission of independent information will not automatically guarantee a place under this criterion. However, the evidence will be carefully considered by the authority’s professional advisors as to whether or not your application falls into this category.
5. 5Distance from the school — children living closest to the school. The distance from home to school will be measured by computer on a straight line basis using the number and postcode of the house and the postcode of the school. 10. T I E - B R E A K If it is necessary to distinguish between children within categories (a)-(d), places will be offered using the criteria listed above in priority order and determined by criteria (e) - measurement on a straight line basis using the number and postcode of the house and the postcode of the school. In the case of a tie break in category (e), the final allocation will be determined using the shortest walking route using the number and postcode of the house and the postcode of the school.

Read 2026-09-12 from Tees Valley Education Trust's determined "Dormanstown Primary Academy Admissions Policy 2027/28", the policy the trust publishes for this academy; the trust is the admission authority and adopts Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's ranked order. A child whose education, health and care plan names the school is admitted first; that is not an oversubscription criterion. The policy carries no admission number table, so no admission number is taken from it. Council/trust defect recorded as read: the sibling rule in this 2027/28 policy still refers to a sibling attending the academy "in the 2026/2027 school year".

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.