Etching Hill CofE 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 in care and children who ceased to be in care because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order), including those 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. 2Exceptional circumstances (medical or other) — Children whose current exceptional circumstances satisfy both of the following tests: Test 1: the child is distinguished from the great majority of other applicants either on their own medical grounds which requires regular and sustained medical treatment or by other extreme exceptional circumstances. Medical grounds must be supported by a medical report (obtained by the applicant and provided at the point of application). This report must clearly justify, for health reasons only, why it is better for the child's health to attend the preferred Academy's Nursery or Reception rather than any other Nursery or Reception. Exceptional circumstances must relate and be relevant to the preferred Nursery or Reception, and the individual child, i.e. the exceptional circumstances of the child, not the economic or social circumstances of the parent/carer. They should be supported by a recent professional's report (obtained by the applicant and provided when the application is submitted), e.g. social worker. This report must clearly explain why the child's circumstances are exceptional and why it is considered best that they attend the preferred Academy's Nursery or Reception rather than any other Nursery or Reception. And Test 2: the child would suffer hardship if they were unable to attend the preferred Nursery or Reception setting. Hardship means severe suffering of any kind, not merely difficulty or inconvenience or mild to moderate emotional distress, which is likely to be experienced as a result of the child attending a different school. Applicants must provide detailed information (which may be included within the professional's report) detailing both the type and severity of any likely hardship at the time of application.
3. 3Sibling — Children who have an elder sibling in attendance at the preferred Academy and who will still be attending the Academy at the proposed admission date. (For the application to be prioritised under this criteria the children must be living at the same home address for the majority of the school week and either: have one or both natural parents in common; are related by a parents marriage; are adopted or fostered by a common parent or are unrelated children who live at the same address, whose parents live as partners.)
4. 4Staff child — Children who have a parent who has been directly employed by the preferred Academy for more than two years and for a minimum of 0.5 FTE, or who have been recruited to fill a vacant post for which there has previously been a difficulty with recruitment or retention.
5. 5Catchment area — Children whose home address is located within the catchment area of the preferred Academy. (see Section 7 – Additional Notes)
6. 6Distance (Nursery: 6a / Reception: 6b) — 6a) Nursery Applicants: Other children arranged in order of priority according to how near their home addresses (front door) are to the main gate of the preferred Academy, determined by a straight-line measurement as calculated utilising Google Maps. 6b) Reception Applicants: Other children arranged in order of priority according to how near their home addresses are to the main gate of the preferred Academy, determined by a straight-line measurement as calculated using the Local Authority's Geographical Information System.

If two applications tie: If there are a limited number of spaces available and we cannot distinguish between applicants using the criteria listed, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats or are the result of a multiple birth, then the child or children who will be offered the available spaces will be randomly selected. This process will be independently verified.

This is a multi-academy trust policy covering seven academies with individual PANs: Cheslyn Hay Primary Academy 60, Etching Hill CE Primary Academy 60, Gentleshaw Primary Academy 30, Moat Hall Primary Academy 60, St John's Primary Academy 90, St Peter's CE Primary Academy 60, Willows Primary Academy 60. Nursery FTE capacities also listed separately. Attendance at the preferred Academy Nursery does not prioritise admission to Reception.

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.