Admissions to Primary school September 2025
St Aidan's Church of England Primary School Admissions Policy 2025/26
The Governing Body of St Aidan's Church of England Primary School is the Admissions Authority for the school, and they intend to admit up to 30 pupils to the Reception year group in September 2025. This arrangement follows consultation between the Governing Body, the LA, all other schools in the area and all other Admission Authorities in the area.
In the event of the number of applications exceeding the number of places available priority will be given to applications in the order of priority indicated below.
Oversubscription criteria
Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority:
Order of priority | Oversubscription criteria |
|---|---|
1 | Looked-after children and children who were previously looked after, but ceased to be so because, immediately after being looked after, they became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order, including children previously in state care outside of England who have ceased to be in that state care as a result of being adopted (see definitions below) |
2 | Children with at least one parent who worships in a Church of England congregation in the Parish of Bensham and Teams who will have a brother or sister at the school at the time of admission (see definitions below) |
3 | Other Children with a brother or sister at the school at the time of admission |
4 | Children with at least one parent who worships in a Church of England congregation in the Parish of Bensham and Teams (see definitions below) |
5 | Children with at least one parent who worships in another faith community in the Parish of Bensham and Teams (see definitions below) |
6 | Children who have exceptional medical or social needs (see definitions below) |
7 | Children of parents living within the Parish of Bensham and Teams |
8 | Other children |
Tie breaker
Where there are places available for some but not all applicants within a particular priority, distance from the home to school will be the deciding factor, with preference given to those applicants who live nearest the school when measured in a straight line ('as the crow flies') from the centre of the home residence to the school's main entrance. Gateshead Local Authority support the school in the use of their computerised measuring system if necessary.
Waiting lists
A waiting list will be maintained if the school is oversubscribed. If places subsequently become available after the closing date places will be allocated from those applicants on the waiting list. The waiting list will be maintained according to the admission criteria above up to the end of the Autumn Term in the relevant academic year.
Other information
We reserve the right to seek proof of address where relevant.
Children who have a statement of Special Educational Need or Education Health and Care Plan which names our school will be admitted to the school.
Admission of children below compulsory school age and deferred entry to school
The School Admissions Code requires school admission authorities to provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. However, a child is not required to start school until they have reached compulsory school age following their fifth birthday. For summer born children (those born after 1 April) this can sometimes be almost a full school year after the point at which they could first be admitted.
Some parents may feel that their child is not ready to start school in the September following their fourth birthday. Parents are entitled to request in writing that:
- their child attends part-time until they reach compulsory school age, or that the date their child is admitted to school is deferred until later in the same academic year or until the term in which the child reaches compulsory school age
- The school will hold any deferred place for the child, although, in the majority of cases, we find that children benefit from starting at the beginning of the school year, rather than part way through it.
- that the date their child is admitted to school is deferred until the term after the child reaches compulsory school age.
The child must, however, start school full-time in the term after their fifth birthday.
Summer born children
If parents of summer born children wish to defer entry as outlined above and wish them to be admitted to the Reception Year in the term following their fifth birthday, rather than Year 1, then parents should apply at the usual time for a place in September of the current academic year together with a written request that the child is admitted outside of his or her normal age group to the Reception Year in September the following year providing supporting reasons for seeking a place outside of the normal age group. This should be discussed with the Head Teacher as soon as possible. If their request is agreed, and this should be clear before the national offer day, their application for the normal age group may be withdrawn before any place is offered and they should reapply in the normal way for a Reception place in the following year. If their request is refused, the parents must decide whether to wait for any offer of a place in the current academic year (NB it will still be subject to the over-subscription criteria in this policy) or to withdraw their application and apply for a year 1 place the following year. Parents should be aware that the Year 1 group may have no vacancies as it could be full with children transferring from the previous Reception Year group
Requests from parents for places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully, for example for those who have missed education due to ill health. Each case will be considered on its own merits and circumstances. However, such admissions will not normally be agreed without a consensus that to do so would be in the pupil's interests. It is recommended that parents discuss their wishes with the head teacher in advance of applying for a place. The governors may ask relevant professionals for their opinion on the case. It should be noted that if a place in the requested age group is refused, but one in the normal age group is offered then there is no right of appeal.
Further information and advice on the admission of summer born children is available from:
School Admissions
Education Support Team
Dryden Centre
Gateshead
NE9 5UR
A map showing the parish boundaries can be inspected in the school office and on the school's website. (opens new window)
Nursery admissions are entirely separate, and parents are asked to note that attendance at the school's Nursery does not guarantee a place in the Reception Class.
Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available from the school.
The Admissions Policy Criteria will be applied on an Equal Preference basis. This means that the Admission Policy Criteria will be applied to every child who makes an application to attend our school.
If relevant where an application was originally considered on the basis of false information provided by the parent (for example, fraudulent information about address or church attendance) then the Governing Body reserves the right to place the child in a much lower category based on the established facts. Where a parent fails to provide evidence requested by the Governing Body then the application will be considered and placed in the relevant criteria based only on the information provided. An offer of a place provided on the basis of fraudulent evidence may be subsequently withdrawn if found to have denied a place to a child who was more eligible for the place under the admission criteria.
Definitions
- Looked after child is a child who is in the care of the local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 at the time the application for admission to school is made and whom the local authority has confirmed will still be 'looked after' at the date of admission.
- An adoption order is an order made under section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
- A residence order is an order outlining the arrangements as to the person with whom the child will live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989.
- A special guardianship order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child's special guardian or guardians.
- If applicants are seeking admission under the criterion of worshipping regularly at a Parish Church or other Christian church, they will be asked to provide evidence that they worship regularly, for example a letter from the incumbent. (Regularly and frequently is defined as attendance at least once per month over the last twelve months. It is sufficient for one parent/carer to attend).
- If applicants are seeking admission under the criterion of special medical needs or other special circumstances, they will be asked to provide appropriate evidence, for example a letter from a doctor or specialist. The evidence must clearly demonstrate why the school is the only school that can meet the child's needs. It should explain the difficulties that would arise if the child had to attend an alternative school. This evidence must be submitted with the application on or before the closing date. The governors must be satisfied that there is a specified medical reason which makes attendance at this school essential.
- Multiple births where there are more applications than places, children from multiple births will be given priority within each criterion. If a further tie break is necessary, distance between home and school will be used to prioritise applications.