Ridgeway Primary Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2025-26 (Reception), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children in care / previously in care — 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; (Children in care means children who are in the care of, or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making the application. Children who ceased to be in care means children who were looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangement order or special guardianship).
2. 2Siblings currently attending the academy — Children who have an older sibling in attendance at Ridgeway Primary Academy who will still be attending the academy at the proposed admission date; (For admission purposes, a brother or sister is a child who lives at the same address 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.)
3. 3Children of academy staff — Children of academy staff (where a member of staff has been employed at the academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the academy is made; this will help us recruit & retain the best possible staff which is a benefit to the whole academy.)
4. 4Medical or exceptional circumstances causing hardship — Children who 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 or by other 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 school rather than any other school. Exceptional circumstances must relate to the choice of academy and the individual child, i.e. the circumstances of the child, not the economic or social circumstances of the parent/carer. They should be supported by a professional report (obtained by the applicant and provided at the point of application), e.g. social worker. This report must clearly justify why it is better for the child to attend the preferred academy rather than any other academy. Test 2: the child would suffer hardship if they were unable to attend the preferred academy. Hardship means severe suffering of any kind, not merely difficulty or inconvenience, which is likely to be experienced as a result of the child attending a different academy. Applicants must provide detailed information about both the type and severity of any likely hardship at the time of application.
5. 5Children living within the catchment area — Children living within the catchment area of Ridgeway Primary Academy;
6. 6Home-to-academy distance — Home-to-Academy distance (so that children living closest to the academy are allocated the remaining places first.)

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, then the child or children who will be offered the available spaces will be randomly selected. This process will be independently verified.

Children with an Education, Health & Care Plan naming Ridgeway Primary Academy are allocated a place before oversubscription criteria are applied. Infant class size legislation may result in refusal of catchment or sibling applications where a class has reached its 30-pupil limit, subject to permitted exceptions. Waiting list operates until the cohort leaves Year 2. CATCHMENT: Children living within the catchment area of Ridgeway Primary Academy; Transcribed from the school's own determined admission arrangements as published by Staffordshire County Council. Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first; that is a statutory duty, not an oversubscription criterion. | Previously recorded here: Reception oversubscribed-school summary (National Offer Day 16 April): Staffordshire county — PAN/per-criterion allocated + furthest distance (miles) + appeals. Only oversubscribed schools listed.

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.