The Orchards 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 — "Looked after" and "previously looked after" children.
2. 2Siblings attending and living in catchment — Siblings (*see below for definition) of pupils attending the school and living within the catchment area of the school. *In order to qualify for a place on the grounds of a sibling attending the school, the sibling must already be attending the school at the time of application and still be attending at the time of admission. Copies of catchment area maps, if required are available from the LA, or can be viewed in schools. In the event of a school catchment area change being approved, pupils who would still have a sibling connection (see below for definition) at the time of admission and who are living at the same address in the previous catchment area for a school, (but not within the revised catchment area), at the time the change was approved will be considered as living within the catchment area.
3. 3Pupils living within the catchment area — Pupils living within the catchment area of the school. Copies of catchment area maps, if required are available from the LA, or can be viewed in schools.
4. 4Siblings outside catchment — Pupils living outside of the catchment area but who would still have a sibling connection (*see below for definition) at school at the time of admission. *In order to qualify for a place on the grounds of a sibling attending the school, the sibling must already be attending the school at the time of application and still be attending at the time of admission.
5. 5Children of staff — Children of staff at the mainstream school, where that member of staff has been employed for two or more years, and/or is recruited to fill a post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage
6. 6Nearest by straight-line distance — Pupils who live nearest to the school by the shortest straight-line distance. The measurement will be taken using the Geo-Code Points for each property and the Geo-Code point for the School. The Governing body will utilise the Local Authority software package called ArcView GIS to determine distance. Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are used to plot an address within this system. (In the event of equi-distance applicants, any place will be allocated by random selection (lottery). Someone totally independent of the Governing Body will supervise this process).

If two applications tie: Equi-distant applicants allocated by random selection (lottery), supervised by someone independent of the Governing Body.

A child with an Educational Health Care Plan naming the school will be offered a place (statutory duty, not ranked). Multiple birth exception: if one or more but not all children from a multiple birth can be allocated a place, all will be admitted even if this takes the school over PAN. Nursery PAN is 21 per session (separate from Reception PAN of 60). CATCHMENT: Pupils living within the catchment area of the school. Transcribed from the school's own determined admission arrangements as published by Worcestershire County Council. Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first; that is a statutory duty, not an oversubscription criterion.

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.