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Admissions and School Information
Joining Our Schools
The school follows Cambridgeshire County Council’s admission arrangements. Information on applying for a school place is available here:
Cambridgeshire.gov.uk - Admissions
Starting Primary School leaflet
We offer tours for new Reception starters. If you wish to book a tour at one of our schools please contact the school office - office@swaffhamprior.cambs.sch.uk or Office@swaffhambulbeck.cambs.sch.uk
There are open afternoons in November for Reception 2025 starters, at both schools, please contact the office to book on.
Tuesday 12th November - 1:30-2:30pm
Tuesday 19th November - 1:30-2:30pm
Thursday 28th November - 1:30-2:30pm
Pre-School Places
We have a pre-school available to children the term after they turn 3 years old. This is available Monday to Friday, 08:45-11:45. Please contact the office to discuss or book a tour.
office@swaffhamprior.cambs.sch.uk
01638 741529
office@swaffhambulbeck.cambs.sch.uk
01223 811595
How Places Are Offered
For admission into Reception each September, the LA, on behalf of the Governing Body, will offer places to up to a set number of children. This is the Published Admission Number (PAN) for that year group.
In the event that more applications than the PAN are received, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to determine priority for places. Both preferences are treated equally, regardless of whether they are first or second preference
Over-subscription Criteria
Children who have a statement of special educational needs, whose parents/carers name the school will be admitted.
N.B. Those children with a statement of special educational needs whose parents/carers do not name a school will be referred to Student Assessment to determine an appropriate place.
Where applications exceed the number of places available at the school, referred to as the PAN the following criteria are applied in order.
* The home address is defined as the address of the adult with parental responsibility with whom the child normally lives and which applies at the time of application. Future addresses will be accepted only if the move is intended to take place within 6 teaching weeks of the application and upon confirmation of tenancy or exchange of contracts. For further details, please see the full definition in the LA admissions booklet for parents
** A sibling is defined as another child of compulsory school age living in the same family home.
PAN
- Children in Care, also known as Looked After Children (LAC)
- Children living in the catchment area* with a sibling** at the school at the time of admission;
- Children living in the catchment area;
- Children living outside the catchment area who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission;
- Children who live in the ecclesiastical Parish of the Ascension, Cambridge (see attached map)
- Children of regular worshippers of a Christian church;
- Children of regular worshippers of other World Faiths;
- Children living outside the catchment area, but nearest the school according to the shortest safe walking route from their home to the school site.
In criteria 4 and 5, priority in a tie-break will be given to children living nearest the school according to the shortest straight line distance. The distance is measured using a straight line from the centre point of the home to the centre point of the school as determined by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG).
For Years 1 to 6, the PAN is 30. If a place becomes available it will be offered to the child at the top of the reserve list for the year group or, if no reserve list exists, the place will be offered to the first child for whom an application is received.
Reserve Lists
When an application is refused, the child’s details are automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria.
As part of the co-ordinated scheme for primary admissions, the LA Admissions Team holds the initial reserve list on behalf of the governing body until the end of the first week of the autumn term in the initial year of intake.
If A Place Opens Up
Parents will be contacted immediately if a place becomes available for their child, but should be aware that their child’s place on a reserve list may change if an application is subsequently received that meets a higher criterion than their own.
The governing body then manages the reserve list until the end of the autumn term.
Mid-Phase Applications
Where mid-phase applications are received, children’s details will be automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria.
Reserve lists will be held for a period of one term following the term for which the place was refused.
Appeals
The parent of any child who is refused a place at a VA or F Primary School has a right of appeal to an independent Appeals Panel. The panel consists of three people who are independent of the school’s Governing Body and the Local Education Authority.
The panel will consider the circumstances of the case put before them and the Governing Body and parents must abide by the decision it makes.
Appeals for VA or F Primary School are currently arranged by the LA Admissions Team on behalf of the Governing Body. Further information and appeal forms are available from the Admissions Team.
Infant Class Size Review
Please note that where a child is refused a place in an infant class because of the requirement to limit class size to 30 children, parents have the right to have their decision reviewed. This process is very similar to an appeal, but the circumstances in which the panel can find in the parents favour are limited by law. For further information, please contact the school office or the LA Admissions Team.
Definitions
For the purpose of admission to the school, the Governing Body has adopted the LA’s definitions of parent, sibling and home address. Details of these can be found at the back of the LA’s admission booklet for parents.