Thamesmead School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), 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 — Looked after and previously looked after children will be considered to be: • children who are in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989, e.g. fostered or living in a children's home, at the time an application for a school is made; and • children who have previously been in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and who have left that care through adoption, a child arrangements order (in accordance with Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 and as amended by the Children and Families Act 2014) or special guardianship order (in accordance with Section 14A of the Children Act 1989); and • 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. A child will be regarded as having been in state care outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society. The parent/carer will need to provide evidence to demonstrate that the child was in state care outside of England and left that care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Sibling — Where the child: • at the time of admission has a brother or sister at Thamesmead who is another child of the same parents, (including children adopted by both parents) whether living at the same address or not, or • at the time of admission has a brother or sister at Thamesmead who is a half-brother or sister or a step-brother or sister, or foster child, living at the same address, or • has a brother or sister, half-brother or sister or a step-brother or sister, or foster child, who has been a former student at Thamesmead within 5 years of the anticipated date of entry.
3. 3Feeder Schools — Where the child attends either of the two Shepperton Primary Feeder Schools, St. Nicholas Church of England Primary School or Saxon Primary School.
4. 4Performing Arts — Thamesmead School will offer up to a maximum of 10% of admissions on aptitude in performing arts, i.e. maximum of 21 places being offered under Drama and/or Music in the September 2027 Year 7 intake. Applicants will be prioritised by a score system following aptitude testing. If you are applying for your child under Drama and/or Music you must complete a Year 7 Performing Arts Supplementary Application Form and return it to the school by 12 noon on Friday 9th October 2026 at the latest indicating which subject or subjects you are applying under. This is in addition to completing the Local Authority Application Form. The Supplementary Application Form can be found on the School's website or obtained from the School Office. Your child will be invited into the School to take part in aptitude test/s on Tuesday 13th October 2026 (Drama) or Wednesday 14th October 2026 (Music). Parents will be notified of the result of the aptitude test/s in advance of the closing date for completing the Local Authority Application Form. NB: Children who attend aptitude tests in both subjects of Drama and Music, and who achieve high ranking scores, will be offered a place under the subject in which they achieved the highest score. Should children achieve the same high-ranking score in both of the subjects they will be offered a place under the subject they listed as the highest preference on the Supplementary Application Form.
5. 5Children of Staff at the school — Where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
6. 6Local Proximity — Where a child does not attend a Shepperton primary School but permanently resides within the Shepperton Post Code area of TW17. NB: Evidence of proof of residency will be requested.
7. 7Proximity — Proximity of the child's permanent home to the School.

If two applications tie: Where oversubscription occurs in any criteria, with the exception of criterion 4, proximity to the school will be used in order to prioritise pupils, with those living closest to the school gaining priority. The distance is measured in a straight line from the address point of the child's house, as set by Ordnance Survey, to the nearest school gate available for students to use. Where two children live equidistant from the school, the School will draw lots to determine which child should be given priority. If oversubscription occurs in criterion 4, places will be prioritised by the scores achieved in the aptitude tests. Where children have achieved the same score, the School will draw lots to determine which child should be given priority.

Up to 10% of admissions (maximum 21 places) are allocated on aptitude in performing arts (Drama and/or Music) under criterion 4, which is a partial aptitude selection. Children with an EHCP naming the school are given priority outside the oversubscription criteria.

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.