Parkfield Primary School

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. 1Cared for Children — Cared for Children, previously Cared for Children and Internationally Adopted Cared for Children A cared for 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). A previously cared for child is one who was previously cared for but immediately after being cared for 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.
2. 2Exceptional medical needs or exceptional welfare considerations which are directly relevant to the school concerned Exce — Exceptional medical needs or exceptional welfare considerations which are directly relevant to the school concerned Exceptional medical needs must be supported at the time of application by a letter from a GP, hospital consultant or other medical professional indicating how a pupil’s medical condition relates only to the school of preference. Exceptional welfare considerations (such as children at risk) must be supported at the time of the application by a letter from a supporting agency (e.g. Social Worker, Family Support Worker, Education Welfare Officer) indicating how the circumstances rela te only to the school of preference. On receipt of such evidence, the case will be referred to the Assistant Service Director and the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and Education for consideration. It should be noted that providing such evidence does not automatically mean that a p lace will be allocated under this priority. This criterion will consider issues relevant to the child and/or the family in line with the Equalities Act 2010. If exceptional medical or exceptional welfare grounds are claimed after the allocation procedure has been completed, it will not be possible to allocate a place under this priority. 1 The normal admissions round is the period during which parents are invited to express a minimum of three preferences for a pl ace at any state - funded school, in…
3. 3Children with a sibling attending the school For the purposes of these arrangements — Children with a sibling attending the school For the purposes of these arrangements, a sibling is defined as natural brothers or sisters, half -brothers and half -sisters, step -brothers and step -sisters and adopted or fostered brothers and sisters. The sibling must be residing at the same address and must not be a cousin or other relative. Priority may only be claimed under this criterion where the sibling is attending the school at the time the application is submitted and is expected to still be attending the school at the time when this child is due to be admitted. As such, for applicati ons made in the normal admissions round, a sibling who is currently in Year 6 or Year 11 would not be considered as a genuine sibling link.
4. 4Attendance at a linked church — Attendance at a linked church (for Voluntary Controlled schools only) In the case of Voluntary Controlled schools, priority can be claimed on religious grounds if evidence is provided to show that the family and the child are active worshipping members at the church to which the school is affiliated. 2 In order to be considered under this criterion, at least one parent/carer and the child must have attended public worship at the affiliated church at least twice a month over a period of a year prior to the closing date for applications. To apply for a pla ce under this criterion, your application must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the minister of the parent’s church confirming the attendance.
5. 5Children eligible for the Service Pupil Premium — Children eligible for the Service Pupil Premium (SPP) Pupils attract SPP if they meet one of the following criteria: • one of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces (including pupils with a parent who is on full commitment as part of the full time reserve service); • they have been registered as a ‘service child’ on a school census since 2016, on the DfE’s ever 6 service child measure 3; • one of their parents died whilst serving in the armed forces and the pupil receives a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or the War Pensions Scheme. Children have to be flagged as service children ahead of the autumn school census deadline. Service parents need to make the school aware of their status by talking to the head teacher or school admin staff. Evidence of eligibility for the Service Pupil P remium (such as a copy of a military identification (ID) card) must be submitted at the time of your application.
6. 6Distance to school Priority will be given to children who live nearest to the school as measured by the Local Authority’ — Distance to school Priority will be given to children who live nearest to the school as measured by the Local Authority’s GIS system. Distances are measured in a straight line “as the crow flies” from the Easting and Northing co - ordinates of the child’s home address as take n from the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG), to the identified school gate used for admissions at the school. 4 Tie -break Where there are two or more applications that cannot be separated by using the above stated criteria, priority will be determined by random allocation. This process will be independently verified. If a tie -break is required in earlier categories to decide who has priority for admission, distance from the school will be used and will be measured as described in criterion 6 above. 2 Details of which churches are affiliated to the Voluntary Controlled schools in the Borough is provided in Note (A). 3 Further information is provided in Note (B) 4 Details of the location of the school gate is provided in Appendix A to these arrangements.

If two applications tie: Straight-line distance from the Easting/Northing of the home (LLPG) to the identified school gate, on the council's GIS; random allocation, independently verified, where applicants still cannot be separated.

Rochdale Borough Council is the admission authority for its community and voluntary controlled schools and determines one set of arrangements covering them all (2027-28). This school is named in Appendix A of that document, which also gives its PAN and the what3words reference of the school gate used for distance measurement. Council classification: Community.

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.