St Stephen's CofE 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. 1A 'looked after child' is a child who is — A 'looked after child' is a child who 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 (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A child is regarded as having been in state care outside of England if they were in the care of or were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation, or any other provider of care whose sole or main purpose is to benefit society.
2. 2Regular attendance is defined as attendance at least twice a month by the child’s parent — Regular attendance is defined as attendance at least twice a month by the child’s parent(s)/carer(s) at public worship at St Stephen’s Church for at least 6 months prior to the date of application for admission to the school, or attendance by the child at least twice a month at Sunday School/Sunday children’s activities at St Stephen’s Church for at least 6 months prior to the date of application for admission to the school. For applicants seeking admission under criterion 2, evidence of regular attendance must be provided by the incumbent (on the Supplementary Information Form set out at Annex A to this policy). This form should be signed by parents/ guardian and returned to the school at the same time as the Common Application Form is completed and returned to the local authority.
3. 3Sibling — Sibling (brother or sister) includes full, step, half, foster and adopted sibling living at the same address. Sibling priority will not be given where the brother or sister lives at a different address to the child for whom application is being made. No sibling priority is given to cousins regardless of their address.
4. 4Regular attendance is defined as attendance at least twice a month by the child’s parent — Regular attendance is defined as attendance at least twice a month by the child’s parent(s)/carer(s) at public worship at a Christian Church in membership of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland for at least 6 months prior to the date of application for admission to the school, or attendance by the child at least twice a month at Sunday School/Sunday children’s activities at a Christian Church in membership of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland for at least 6 months prior to the date of application for admission to the school. Evidence of regular attendance must be provided by a member of the clergy or other designated church officer (on the Supplementary Information Form set out at Annex A to this policy). This form should be signed by parents/ guardian and returned to the school at the same time as the Common Application Form is completed and returned to the local authority. A list of churches in membership of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland may be viewed at www.ctbi.org.uk
5. 5Applicants seeking places under criterion 5 must provide written professional supporting evidence — Applicants seeking places under criterion 5 must provide written professional supporting evidence (e.g. from a doctor, psychologist or social worker) setting out the particular reasons why the school is the most suitable for the child and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school. A panel of governors from St Stephen’s CE Primary School will make a decision whether to admit a child under this criterion using the written evidence provided. All the evidence will be treated in the strictest confidence.
6. 6The address from which distance will be measured will be the permanent residential address — The address from which distance will be measured will be the permanent residential address, at the time of the application, of the parent. Where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility, each for part of a week, the home address is the address from which the child travels to school for the majority of school days per week. If the number of days is exactly equal, the home address will be that of the parent who receives the Child Benefit. Distance will be measured as a straight line from the child’s home address, using the address point assigned by the National Land and Property Gazetteer, to the main gate to the school property. Measurements will be made using the local authority’s school admissions data mapping software, which uses a Geographical Information System based on Ordnance Survey.

Admission arrangements as published by Tameside Council on its own page for this school. The school is its own admission authority (academy or voluntary aided); Tameside hosts the arrangements centrally.

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.