Shipham Church of England First 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. 1Looked after children and previously looked after children — 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. A looked after child is a child who, at the time of application, 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 (section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 applies). Previously looked after children also includes children 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. 2Children of staff — Children of Staff who have been employed by the Wessex Learning Trust on a permanent contract at the academy to which the application relates, for at least two years prior to the submission of the admission application, or children of a newly recruited teacher, appointed to satisfy a demonstrable skills shortage at that academy.
3. 3Siblings within overall WLT catchment area — Children residing within the overall Wessex Learning Trust catchment area who, at the time of application, have a sibling on roll at the Academy for which the application has been submitted and who lives at the same home address.
4. 4Children within the academy's catchment area — Children who reside within the catchment area of the Academy for which the application has been submitted or with a confirmed move to a home address within this catchment area, which can be evidenced at the time of application.
5. 5Children attending a named feeder school within the Wessex Learning Trust — Children attending a named feeder school within the Wessex Learning Trust (see notes below).
6. 6Siblings (any location) — Children who, at the time of application, have a sibling attending the Academy for which the application has been submitted and who lives at the same home address.
7. 7Children within the overall Wessex Learning Trust catchment area — Children who reside within the overall Wessex Learning Trust catchment area or with a confirmed move to a home address within this catchment area, which can be evidenced at the time of application.
8. 8All other children — Children not satisfying a higher criterion.

If two applications tie: Where two or more distances are exactly equal and it proves necessary to sort the associated applications into ranked order, this will be decided by the drawing of lots. This activity will take place at the Academy and be supervised by a person entirely independent of the Wessex Learning Trust.

These are multi-academy trust arrangements covering multiple schools including Axbridge C of E First School (PAN 30), Brent Knoll C of E Primary School (PAN 19), Cheddar First School (PAN 60), Crispin School Academy (PAN 224), Croscombe C of E Primary School (PAN 12), Draycott and Rodney Stoke C of E First School (PAN 18), East Brent C of E First School (PAN 12), Elmhurst Junior School (PAN 60), Fairlands Middle School (PAN 127), Hugh Sexey C of E Middle School (PAN 150), Kings of Wessex Academy (Year 9 PAN 270, Year 12 PAN 15), Lympsham C of E Academy (PAN 18), Mark C of E First School (PAN 30), Shipham C of E First School (PAN 16), St Cuthberts C of E Infants and Preschool (PAN 60), St Cuthberts C of E Junior School (PAN 45), Stoke St Michael Primary School (PAN 7), Weare C of E First School (PAN 30), Wedmore First School Academy (PAN 30). Distance tiebreaker (straight-line GIS) applies before the random ballot tiebreaker. Staff criterion note: priority only given to the school where the staff member is physically located (or majority of time if working across multiple schools).

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.