Co-ordinated primary admissions scheme for 2024 to 2025

This scheme describes in detail how we will handle the admissions process, including our planned timetable of events for the bulk admissions round to infant, primary and junior schools, for entry in September 2024.

Who the scheme is for

This scheme applies to all infant, junior and primary schools and academies within Bath and North East Somerset, and all Local Authorities (LAs) in England. It will apply to all applications from parents or carers who are resident in Bath and North East Somerset at the time of application, for admission to Reception or Year 3 at a Junior School in September 2024.

For Bath & North East Somerset LA, the 'relevant area' is the whole of Bath and North East Somerset, and for own admission authority schools and academies, it is the district in which the school or academy is located. For voluntary aided Catholic church schools, this will be for the parish area that they serve.

How we will manage applications

Reception applications

Residents of Bath & North East Somerset will make applications on a common application form. This will be available online or paper copies will be issued on request to the parents or carers of all pupils who are resident in Bath and North East Somerset and are due to start infant or primary school in September 2024. The application form can be used to apply for any school within any authority including Academy, Foundation or Voluntary Aided schools. We will inform the other LAs of any applications made for schools within their area. 
Parents or carers of children attending any nursery or early years provision must make a Reception application for their child to be considered for a Reception place. There is no automatic transfer into any school.

Year 3 applications

Applications for Year 3 places at Junior Schools will be made on a separate common application form. These common application forms will be available online or paper copies will be issued on request to parents and carers who are resident in Bath and North East Somerset, currently have a child on roll in an infant or primary school, and who wish their child to transfer to a junior school setting. The application form can be used to apply for any junior school within any authority including Academy, Foundation or Voluntary Aided schools. Bath & North East Somerset will inform the other LAs of any applications made for schools within their area.

Paired infant and junior schools

Parents or carers of children attending an infant school must make an application for their child to be considered for a Year 3 place. There is no automatic transfer into any school.

Additional notes on applications

Applications for places at schools within Bath & North East Somerset made by people who live outside the LA must be made on application forms from the LA in which they are resident and submitted to their home LA. This can be sent by paper copy, or the application can be made online through the appropriate authority.

All applications for primary, infant or junior schools must be submitted by midnight on the closing date of 15 January 2024. Any applications submitted after this time will be considered as ‘late applications’ and will be dealt with at a later stage, when all ‘on-time’ applications have been processed.

Voluntary Aided, Foundation Schools and Academies may need additional information in order to apply their over-subscription criteria. They may require a separate form in addition to the common application form. The individual admission arrangements for a school will detail which schools have this requirement, and parents will be advised to obtain a copy of the relevant additional information form direct from the school. This additional supplementary information form must be sent direct to the appropriate school. Applications for a place will only be considered if the common application form has been completed and submitted to the LA by midnight on the closing date of 15 January 2024.

All parents or carers will be strongly advised to give 3 preferences in ranked order. The preferences can be for schools in any LA and can include Academy, Foundation or Voluntary Aided Schools.

Any parents or carers wishing to apply for a Year 3 place in a Primary school will be informed that this is a separate application process, which is dealt with under the In-Year Admissions Scheme, and applications will not be considered until June 2024.

If we receive an application for a school within Bath and North East Somerset, on a Bath & North East Somerset common application form, but from a resident living in the boundaries of another LA, we will advise that applicant of the need to apply through their home LA, using the common application form for that LA.

Should any parent or carer include on their application form a preference for an independent fee-paying school, the independent school preference will be disregarded and remaining preferences for schools will be given a higher preference than that shown on the original application form.

How we will handle school preferences

When deciding upon their preferred schools, parents/carers can make up to 3 preferences. We strongly advise parents/carers to use all 3 preferences when completing their application. Parents/carers are not disadvantaged by doing this as all preferences are given equal consideration and we only consider other preferences if the highest preference school named cannot be offered. When deciding on preferences, Appendix 1 of the Primary School booklet will show schools which have either been over or under-subscribed over the past 3 years. Parents/carers should read this to help decide on their preferred schools. If parents/carers name schools which are usually oversubscribed and do not qualify for a place, they may be offered a school which is further from their home address. This is because legally the Council has to give priority, when considering applications, to those parents/carers who have named the school as a preference. Rather than only selecting popular schools parents/carers may therefore wish to consider naming an undersubscribed school or one where places have previously been allocated to pupils living further away from their home address (see table under Appendix 1) as one of their preferences, which will improve their chance of being allocated a place at a local school.

Should any parent/carer include on their application form a preference for an independent fee paying school, the independent school preference will be disregarded and remaining preferences for schools will be given a higher preference than that shown on the original application form.

Home address, and families moving into the area

In fairness to all parents/carers, we reserve the right to require documentary evidence of the genuineness of a family address and if this is not produced, wel reserve the right to make our own enquiries with, for example, the Council Tax Office.

The child’s normal permanent home address where they live with their parents or legal guardians will be used to decide where the child lives. Temporary addresses cannot be used to obtain school places.

If parents or guardians plan to move, documentary evidence will be required, in order for any address changes to be taken into account in the first round of allocations made on 16 April 2024 the appropriate documentary evidence must be received before 26 January 2024, to be considered in the first round of applications. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the applicant to confirm that the LA has received the documentary evidence.

Examples of evidence that may be acceptable to determine a child’s address are as follows:

• A solicitor’s letter confirming exchange of contracts and completion date for a property which is being purchased, or a property which is being sold.
• A copy of a signed rental agreement or a solicitor’s letter, if moving to a council or rented property and proof of your sale or Notice to Quit on your current/previous property.
• A copy of a Council Tax bill or utility bill such as water, gas or electricity in your name for your newly owned or rented property, together with proof of your sale or Notice to Quit on your current/previous property.
• A Child Benefit book.
• If you are moving in with a relative, a letter from them will be required confirming the date you will be moving in, together with a copy of a utility bill showing their name and address. A solicitor’s letter will also be required confirming that completion of contracts has taken place on your sale, or Notice to Quit on your current/previous property.
• In the case of children of UK Service Personnel with a confirmed posting to the area or Crown Servants returning from overseas, an official letter declaring the relocation date and a Unit postal address or quartering area address should be provided.
• In the case of children from the boating community (Boaters) without a permanent mooring, the parent/carer will be asked to provide details of their sorting office, post office/poste restante address and this will be used for allocation purposes. Proof in the form of a boating licence will also be required and must be submitted at the time of application.

All applications received each year will be checked to confirm addresses using for example the electoral roll, council tax offices and if appropriate the school currently attended before allocations are made. A copy of a recent utility bill may also be requested. In certain additional cases proof of residency will also be determined by using the above methods. Once proof is obtained to our satisfaction that the parent is resident at the address given, it will be accepted that the child is also resident at the same address.

Circumstances where offers may be withdrawn

Withdrawal of school place offers

We reserve the right to withdraw an offer of a school place in certain limited circumstances. Examples include:

• Where a parent has given fraudulent or intentionally misleading information such as a false address.
• Where a parent has not responded to an offer within the deadline set by the LA.
• Where a higher preference school has been offered or where the highest preference school on the latest application has been able to be met.
• Where the offer was made as a result of an administrative error.

If false information is provided on an application form before an offer of a school place is made, then the application will be void. Parents could submit a further application if they so wished. If this application is received after the closing date, it will then be regarded as a 'late application'. If it is found that a sibling currently at the school was offered a place on the basis of false information, then for any further application received, the LA will discount the sibling connection.

The process of allocation

Applications for all schools will be considered under an ‘equal preference’ system. All preferences (1st, 2nd or 3rd) will initially be considered equally, regardless of ranking. 

All preferences for schools outside of Bath & North East Somerset will be sent to other LAs as appropriate by 29 January 2024. Bath & North East Somerset will also receive details of applications from other LA’s as appropriate on this date.

The LA will produce a report of all applications for Reception and Y3 places for all schools including Academy and Voluntary Aided schools. This report will not reveal the order of the applicant’s preferences and will be sent to the appropriate Infant, Junior and Primary Schools within Bath & North East Somerset on 09 February 2024.

In the case of applications for Reception places and for Year 3 places in Junior schools, the Academy and Voluntary Aided admissions authorities within Bath and North East Somerset will then apply their admissions criteria to all applications and produce a list explaining the ranking of each applicant against the admissions criteria. This list will then be sent to the LA by 1 March 2024. 
We will inform other Local Authorities of the initial outcome of applications made by their residents for schools within Bath and North East Somerset by 22 March 2024. By the same date other LAs will also inform Bath & North East Somerset LA of the initial outcome of applications made for other LA schools by our residents.
Using all the available information we will determine the highest preference which can be met for each applicant. If no preferences can be met we will determine the nearest school with an available space. 
On 5 April 2024 we will send details of final offers to be made to other LAs as appropriate for their residents.
On 12 April 2024 all infant and primary schools within Bath and North East Somerset will be informed of all final offers for Reception places, which will be made up to the Admissions Number for each school. All Junior schools within Bath and North East Somerset will also be informed of all final offers for Y3 places. The LA will also include details of any children being refused a place at their preferred school(s). All information provided to schools at this stage will be confidential.
Where a child qualifies for a place at more than one school, the final offer will be for the highest stated preference of the places available.

Offers of a school place

On 16 April 2024 we will make the offer of one place at a primary or infant school to parents or carers resident within the authority who have applied for a Reception place. Parents or carers who applied online will receive an offer via email notification and need to log into their online admissions account to view details of the offer made. Parents or carers who made a paper application will receive a notification letter, posted 2nd class.

On 16 April 2024 we will make the offer of one place at a junior school to parents or carers resident within the authority who have applied for a Year 3 place at a junior school. Parents or carers who applied online will receive an offer via email notification and need to log into their online admissions account to view details of the offer made. Parents or carers who made a paper application will receive a notification letter, posted 2nd class.

Parents or carers who are resident in Bath & North East Somerset and have not been offered a place at their preferred school(s) will be offered a place at the nearest suitable school with a place available. Parents or carers who applied online will receive brief details of the school place offer via an email notification but all parents (both online and paper applicants) refused a place at any preferred school will receive a notification letter, posted 2nd class. This letter will provide full details of their options at that stage, including their right to appeal. 

Parents or carers will be asked to make an initial response to the offer direct to the LA by 30 April 2024. Parents or carers who applied online will be asked to respond via their online admissions account. If parents or carers are refused their preferred school[s], they then have until 14 May 2024 to prepare and submit their written appeal.

Late applications

Late applicants who live in Bath & North East Somerset should complete either an online or paper common application form. Any applications submitted after the closing date of midnight on the 15 January 2024 will be regarded as a ‘late application’. This includes any change of preference which is received after the closing date even if the original application was an ‘on time’ application unless the local authority considers that there are extenuating reasons for allowing the application to be treated as if it had arrived on time. This will only apply to late applications received before 29 January 2024.

Examples of extenuating circumstances might include a close family bereavement or a serious illness, for which documentary evidence would be required.

After the closing date of 15 January 2024, parents or carers may make a change of school preference or change of school preference order on the understanding that their previous application will be withdrawn and their child will not be considered for a school place in the first round of allocations even if the original application was received before the closing date. The change of preference or school preference order will be considered as a completely new late application.

For over-subscribed schools ‘late applications’ received after 15 January 2024 will be considered together with original applicants refused a preference who have lodged a formal appeal or asked to remain on a waiting list. In all cases the admissions criteria will be used to determine the allocation of any places that may become available within the schools admission number. Any late applicants refused a preference will then be informed that they can lodge a formal appeal and remain on a waiting list or, alternatively, just go on the waiting list.

For both over-subscribed and under-subscribed schools late applications will not be considered until the second round of allocations, which takes place at the end of May 2024.

In the case of under-subscribed schools all late applications received since the closing date and up until 30 April 2024 will be considered together in the second round of allocations. If the school is then over-subscribed, all late applications will be considered under the admissions criteria. If the school is still under-subscribed, all applicants will be offered places and any further late applicants dealt with on a first come, first served basis.

If any under-subscribed school becomes full, any places which subsequently become available will be offered to any late applicants by applying the admissions criteria.

Details of late applications, on-time applicants still seeking a place at their preferred schools and of places not accepted following the initial allocations made, will be exchanged with Voluntary Aided Schools, Academies and other LAs as relevant by 10 May 2024, to enable a second round of allocations to take place by the end of May 2024.

The co-ordinated admissions process will continue to be operated, with application data being exchanged with other Voluntary Aided schools, Academies and Local Authorities as necessary, for all applications received up to 31 August 2024.

Waiting lists

The waiting list comprises those children refused a place whose parents lodged a formal appeal or asked to go on the waiting list, together with any later applications received.

The waiting lists will be held until the end of the 2024 to 25 academic year for Community schools. The admission authority for Academy and Voluntary Aided Schools will maintain their own waiting lists from the start of the 2024 to 25 academic year. They must operate their waiting list for a minimum period of one term, but each school may decide to hold their waiting list for a longer period.

In all cases, the admissions criteria will be used to determine the allocations of any place that may become available within the school’s admission number. However, children who are the subject of a direction by a local authority to admit or who are allocated to a school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol must take precedence over those on a waiting list.

Every effort will be made to contact applicants on the waiting list using the last contact details provided by the applicant, but where a response to an offer has not been received within 10 school days, the offer will be withdrawn and the available place offered to the next child on the waiting list to qualify for the available place.

Important dates for this admissions round

 

Timetable for Co-ordinated Primary Admissions

Date	Action
12 Sept 2023	The Primary Admissions booklet and the application form will be available. Bath and North East Somerset parents/carers will be able to express up to 3 preferences for the new Reception or Year 3 intake to start in September 2024.
15 Jan 2024	National closing date for infant, junior and primary school applications. Bath and North East Somerset residents’ applications will be accepted up to 23:59 on the national closing date
By 29 Jan 2024	We will send details of applications for their schools to other Local Authorities.
By 9 Feb 2024	We will send details of applications received to all own Admission Authority schools within Bath and North East Somerset. Schools will not reveal this information to anyone until after the National Offer Day. The order of the applicant’s preferences will not be revealed to schools.
By 1 Mar 2024	Own Admission Authority schools in Bath and North East Somerset will then apply their admissions criteria to all applications and produce a list explaining the ranking of each applicant against the admissions criteria. This list will be sent to the LA.
By 5 April 2024	We will inform other LA’s of the outcome of applications made by their residents for schools in this LA. By the same time other LA’s will inform us about the outcome of applications for our residents who have applied for school places in other authorities.
On 12 April 2024	We will inform all schools in their LA of the final offers, which will be made up to the Admission Number and any refusals, where applicable. All information at this stage will be confidential.
On 16 April 2024	‘On-time’ Bath & North East Somerset applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications. Applicants who made an online application will be able to log into their online account and paper applicants will be sent a letter by 2nd class post.
By 30 April 2024	Parents/carers to respond to the offer of a school place.
30 April 2024	Closing date for applications to be considered for the second round of allocations.
Up to and incl 10 May 2024	Details of late applications, on time applicants still seeking a place at their preferred schools and of places not accepted following the initial allocations made, to be exchanged between Local Authorities.
By end of May 2024	Second round of allocations will be made and applicants will be informed of the outcome by post.
From June 2024	Reception and Junior appeals start to be heard.
Up to and incl 31 Aug 2024	Co-ordinated admissions will continue with subsequent rounds of allocations until the admissions process ends.
31 Aug 2024	The coordinated admissions process ends. Applications for school places received after this date will be considered under the In-Year admissions scheme.

The stated dates for sharing data between Councils and schools are intended target dates. It may not always be possible for the data to be exchanged or sent on those actual dates, as we are reliant on other information coming from outside of this LA, and occasionally LAs can experience technical difficulties beyond their control.