St Joseph's Cathedral 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. 1Catholic looked after and previously looked after children — Catholic looked after and previously looked after children (see Notes 2 and 3).
2. 2Catholic children resident in named parishes — Catholic children who are resident in the parish(es) of St Joseph's Cathedral, Holy Cross, Our Lady of Lourdes, St Peter's, Blessed Sacrament and Sacred Heart (see Notes 3 and 10).
3. 3Other Catholic children — Other Catholic children (see Note 3).
4. 4Other looked after and previously looked after children — Other looked after and previously looked after children (see Note 2).
5. 5Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church — Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church (see Notes 4 and 5).
6. 6Children of other Christian denominations — Children of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidenced by a minister of religion (see Note 6).
7. 7Children of other faiths — Children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a religious leader (see Note 7).
8. 8Any other children — Any other children.

If two applications tie: Priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest available walking route. The measurement will be taken from outside the entrance to the property (house or flat) to the nearest official school entrance. The local authority GIS computer programme is used when undertaking the measurement. In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out and supervised by a person independent of the school. All the names will be entered into a hat and the required number of names will be drawn out.

Within each of the categories listed above the attendance of a brother or sister at the school at the time of admission will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made (see Note 8). You may be requested to complete the Supplementary Information form if the oversubscription criteria 1 to 3 or 5 to 7 apply. The Supplementary Information form will be sent to you if appropriate and should be returned to St Joseph's Cathedral Primary School. If you do not provide the information required in the SIF and return it by the closing date, together with all supporting documentation, your child may not be placed in criteria 1 to 3 or 5 to 7, and this may affect your child's chance of being offered a place. 'Catholic' means a member of a church in full communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church. For the purposes of this policy, it includes a looked after child living with a family where at least one of the parents is Catholic. For a child to be treated as Catholic, evidence of Catholic baptism or reception into the Church will be required. Those who have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest who, after consulting with the Diocese, will decide how the question of baptism is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church. In addition to their right of appeal, unsuccessful children will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out above and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. Inclusion in the school's waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. You will be advised of the outcome of your application on 16 April 2027 or the next working day, by the local authority on our behalf. If you are unsuccessful (unless your child gained a place at a school you ranked higher) you will be informed of the reasons, related to the oversubscription criteria listed above, and you have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. Policy states it governs: school year which begins in September 2027.

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.