Hermitage 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. 1Looked after and previously looked after children — Children looked after by the local authority including adopted children who were previously looked after and children who leave care under a special guardianship or residence order and adopted children who were previously in state care outside of England (see Note 1)
2. 2Strong medical or social reason — Children for whom it is deemed there is a strong medical or social reason to attend the school applied to. This can include the parents', carers' or other family members' medical conditions and the family's social needs. Parents must complete the relevant section on the application form and attach supporting medical and/or social reports from a suitable professional (e.g. doctor or social worker) (see Note 2)
3. 3Catchment area sibling — Children living within the catchment area who have a sibling attending the school (including separate infants and junior schools) and who will continue to do so on the date of admission (see Note 3)
4. 4Children of staff — Children whose parent is a member of staff who has been employed at the school concerned for two or more years at the time of application and/or children of a member of staff who has been recruited to fill a vacancy for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage (see Note 4)
5. 5Catchment area – nearest community school — Children who live within the catchment area of the school and for whom the school applied for is their nearest community school within the catchment area
6. 6Other catchment area children — Other children from within the catchment area of the school
7. 7Out of catchment sibling — Children living outside of the catchment area with a sibling at the school
8. 8Out of catchment children — Children living outside of the catchment area of the school

If two applications tie: In the event of oversubscription within any of the categories 2 to 8 above, priority will be given to children who live closest to the school by the shortest walking distance. A digitised ordnance survey map is used to measure the distance from the home address to the school's designated official entrance. Should two or more children live an equal distance from the school, including instances where more than one child lives in a multi-occupancy building, the offer of a place will be decided by random allocation.

Criteria are numbered 4.1 through 4.1.6 in the document but represent 8 distinct priority categories. The document refers to them as 'categories 2 to 8' in the tie-breaker clause, suggesting criterion 1 (looked after children) is treated separately. Staff children priority is capped: maximum 1 place per form of entry per year for a PAN of 30–45, with a maximum of 4 per school.

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.