How places will be allocated
Where there are more applications than places available at the Academy, allocations will be made in the following order of priority as set out in sections 1, 2 and 3 below. Initial allocations will involve only those applications submitted “on time”. Applications submitted after this date may be disadvantaged, as available places at the preferred school may have already been allocated. Priority is not given to first preferences. We aim to meet the highest preference possible for every applicant by applying the published over-subscription criteria equally to all applications for a school.
1. Children in Care
Children in Care are children who are in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority under section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
2. Siblings
Where there are siblings in attendance at the preferred school or paired junior school and who will still be on roll in the year of entry. Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, step brother or sister or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom the place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling.
3. Geography
Children living closest to the school as measured in a direct line from the home address to the school. The home address is where the child spends the majority of the time and is living with the person who has parental responsibility and is the main ‘carer’ as defined in section 576 of the Education Act 1996 (documentary evidence may be requested). If a child regularly lives at more than one address the LA will have to reach a conclusion about which should be counted as the main address when allocating places. This will normally be the address where the Child Benefit is paid and where the child is registered with a doctor.
Tie-breaks
Where there are more applications than there are places remaining within a particular category, siblings will be given priority. After this, direct line distance from home to school will be used as a tiebreak. When the furthest distance to qualify for a place relates to a household containing two or more children for whom applications are being made (eg twins), the place will be offered to one child. The remaining child(ren) will be considered under the sibling criterion if further places become available. Where two or more children live in a flat or other multi-home dwelling and it is not possible to determine which applicant lives closest to the preferred school as measured in a direct line from the building to the school, the available place(s) will be allocated by drawing lots. Any offer of a place determined by random allocation will be overseen by a member of staff from the Legal Division of Bristol City Council. Distances will be measured in a direct line from the Local Property Gazetteer point on the home address as held by Bristol City Council to a point within the main school building using a computerised mapping system.
NB: Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs & Disability follow the arrangements set out in the SEND Code of Practice and associated regulations and are not subject to the general admission arrangements. Where a school is named in a child’s Statement of Special Educational Needs, the child will be allocated a place before the above criteria are applied.
Please note: The admissions criteria above are those of our Local Authority for community schools. There is an appeals process and all Oasis Academies follow the nationally agreed guidance for admissions appeal.
For more information please visit the Bristol City Council Primary Admissions website.