Stanwell School

When there are more applications than places for 2026-27 (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 — Children where evidence has been supplied to confirm that they are looked after or have been previously looked after by a local authority in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
2. 2Permanently resident in the designated catchment area — Pupils who are currently permanently resident within the designated catchment area of the school on or before the published closing date for receipt of preference forms. Evidence of permanent residence of a child must be supplied if requested. In the event of over-subscription by applicants from this category alone criteria (4), (5), (6) and (7), in order of priority, would be applied to produce an order of preference.
3. 3Taking up residence in the catchment area before term starts — Pupils not currently permanently resident within the designated catchment area of the school whose parents have satisfied the Council, on or before the published closing date for receipt of preference forms, that the child will be taking up residence within the catchment area by the commencement of the school term to which the application relates.
4. 4On roll at a former feeder primary before the feeder arrangement was withdrawn — Pupils who were on roll at a previous feeder primary school prior to the withdrawal of the feeder school arrangement in September 2020. In the event of over-subscription by applicants from this category alone criteria (5), (6), and (7), in order of priority, would be applied to produce an order of preference.
5. 5Compelling medical or social grounds — Pupils in respect of whom the Council judges that there are compelling medical or social grounds for their admission to a specified secondary school i.e. those children recommended for placement at a named school due to medical, psychological or special education reasons. (Written recommendations from the appropriate external agencies or professional advisers will normally be required in such cases.)
6. 6Elder sibling at the school in Years 7 to 11 — Pupils who have an elder brother or sister at the school in years 7 to 11 during the academic year in which the child is to be admitted. In the event of over-subscription by applicants from this category alone, the Council will determine priority and allocate places by reference to the age of the pupil's youngest sibling in the school, the youngest commanding the highest degree of priority.
7. 7Proximity to the school — In determining applications for admission in respect of other pupils the Council gives particular regard to the proximity of the pupil's home to the secondary school as measured by the shortest available walking route, those living nearest will have priority.

If two applications tie: Criteria 2 and 3 are resolved by applying criteria 4, 5, 6 and 7 in order within the category. Within the sibling criterion, priority is determined by the age of the pupil's YOUNGEST sibling at the school, the youngest commanding the highest degree of priority.

THE VALE WITHDREW ITS FEEDER SCHOOL ARRANGEMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2020, but criterion 4 preserves priority for pupils who were on roll at a previous feeder primary BEFORE that withdrawal — a transitional rule that will age out. Attending a primary school otherwise carries no priority. As with primary, the catchment criteria are resolved by applying the later criteria in order within the category, and the sibling tie-break goes by the age of the YOUNGEST sibling at the school. STANWELL SCHOOL: the Vale states in Appendix 3 of the same guide that the local authority is the admission authority for Stanwell School, following its change of category to community status. TRANSITIONAL FEEDER ARRANGEMENT: children who entered Albert, Evenlode, Sully and Victoria primary schools BEFORE September 2024 retain their feeder status link for Stanwell School on transition to secondary education; the arrangement ceases for the Year 6 transfer to secondary in September 2030, when the last eligible child leaves their feeder primary. It does NOT apply to children who entered those four primaries from September 2024 onwards — for them the Council's oversubscription criteria apply.

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.