Waycroft Academy Admissions Policy for the 2026/2027 academic year
Date: March 2025, Cabot Learning Federation
An equalities impact assessment for this admissions policy has been completed and can be obtained from the Operations Manager.
1.1 The purpose of this policy is to make clear the admissions process to Waycroft Academy.
1.2 The Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) adheres to the statutory requirements and the principles outlined in the School Admissions Code [DfE 2021], which all academies are required to adhere to via the Funding Agreement between Waycroft Academy and the Secretary of State.
1.3 The CLF has agreed that the admission arrangements will remain in line with the agreed arrangements for Bristol Local Authority maintained non-denominational secondary and primary schools.
1.4 More information about the CLF can be found on the website as follows: clf.uk
1.5 The policy covering admissions for Post 16 students across the federation is not contained in this document. Please visit the Cabot Learning Federation website to view details of Post 16 provision and the relevant admissions policies.
2.1 Consultation
2.1.1 The Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) sets out admission arrangements annually. Where changes are proposed to admission arrangements, the federation will first publicly consult on those arrangements. If no changes are made to admission arrangements, the Academy admissions policy will be consulted on at least once every 7 years.
2.1.2 For admission arrangements for entry in September 2022 and all subsequent years, consultation will be for a minimum of 6 weeks and will take place between 1 October and 31 January of the school year before those arrangements are to apply. An illustration of these timeframes is contained in Table 1 below.
2.1.3 As their own admission authority, CLF academies are not required to consult on their Published Admission Number (PAN) where they propose either to increase or keep the same PAN; however where a PAN is increased the Academy will notify the LA and publish details on the Academy website.
2.1.4 When consultation is required, the CLF will consult the following parties on the proposed admission arrangements:
a. Parents/carers of children between the ages of 2 – 18;
b. Bristol LA;
c. The Admission Forum for Bristol LA (where this exists);
d. Any other admission authorities for primary and secondary schools located within the relevant area for consultation set by Bristol LA;
e. Any other governing body/Academy Council for primary and secondary schools (as far as not falling within paragraph c)) located within the relevant area for consultation;
f. Affected admission authorities in neighbouring local authority areas.
2.2 Determination
2.2.1 Once feedback from the consultation has been considered the CLF must determine the admission arrangements and must notify the Local Authority (LA) of these and publish them on the relevant Academy website.
2.3 Offers and Acceptance of Offers
2.3.1 Offers are made and need to be accepted by the dates set out at Table 1 below.
| Admissions in September 2026 | Admission in September 2027 | Admission in September 2028 | |
| Consultation period for changes to the Admissions Policy | 6 weeks between 1 October 2024 and 31 January 2025 | 6 weeks between 1 October 2025 and 31 January 2026 | 6 weeks between 1 October 2026 and 31 January 2027 |
| The CLF must determine admission arrangements by | 28 February 2025 | 28 February 2026 | 28 February 2027 |
| The CLF must publish the appeals timetable by | 28 February 2025 | 28 February 2026 | 28 February 2027 |
| The CLF must notify the LA of the arrangements and publish them on the website by | 15 March 2025 | 15 March 2026 | 15 March 2027 |
| Applications from parents/carers close | 15 January 2026 | 15 January 2027 | 15 January 2028 |
| Offers made to parents/carers on National Offer Day* | 16 April 2026 | 16 April 2027 | 16 April 2028 |
| Appeals must be made by | 20 school days following offer of place | 20 school days following offer of place | 20 school days following offer of place |
Table 1 Admissions Timetable
*National Offer Day is on the date specified or the next working day where the specified date is a weekend or bank holiday.
3.1 Applications for places at the Academy will be made in accordance with Bristol Local Authority’s co-ordinated admission arrangements, and will be made on the Common Application Form (CAF) provided and administered by the Local Authority. The CAF can be found by visiting https://www.bristol.gov.uk/schools-learning-early-years/school-admissions]. Alternatively, parents/carers can contact the Academy who will provide them with a copy of the form.
4.1 Waycroft Academy has a PAN of 60 places in Reception Year (Year R), leading to a total number of 420 places across Years R to 6 when at full capacity.
5.1 The Local Authority will consider all application for places. Where fewer than 60 applications are received, the Local Authority will offer places to all those who have applied.
5.2 Children of UK Serving Personnel are excepted pupils for Infant Class Size outside the normal round of allocations.
6.1 Children with an EHC Plan are placed in schools/academies through the arrangements set out in the SEND Code of Practice and not through these admission criteria. All admission authorities are required by Section 324 of the Education Act 1996 to admit to the academy a child with an EHC Plan that names the academy. Academies must admit such children whether they have places or not. Any appeal concerning the statement of the admission is to the independent First-Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber). Parents/carers of children with an EHC Plan should contact their child’s lead professional for any further information.
7.1 Where the number of applications for admissions is greater than the Published Admission Number (PAN), applications will be considered against the criteria set out below. These are listed in priority order and will be applied to all applications received by the published closing date. Notes/definitions to the oversubscription criteria are set out in Annex A [page 10].
1. Children in care or children who were previously in care.
To a Local Authority in England and immediately after being in care who became subject to an adoption, child arrangement order, or special guardianship order.
Previously looked after children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order).
2. Siblings (see notes for definition)
3. Geographical considerations – those living closest to the Academy will be given priority.
4. Tie breaker – where it is not possible to distinguish between applicants within a particular oversubscription criteria, places will be awarded by random allocation. This process will be supervised by an independent person to the Local Authority and the academy.
8.1 Late applications will not be considered until offers have been made to on time applicants and in accordance with the dates set out in the Bristol Admission Scheme.
9.1 The Academy is part of the Bristol LA coordinated in year admissions arrangements. This scheme applies to all applications for places in existing year groups from parents/carers resident in Bristol LA or with a confirmed move to Bristol LA at the time of the application.
9.2 Applications for Academy places from parents/carers resident in, or with a confirmed move to the local area must made on the Academy application form available from the following website waycroftacademy.clf.uk of the Academy. The Academy will consider each application at the time it is made. Parents/carers whose application is turned down are entitled to appeal.
10.1 Where the Academy has been oversubscribed in the normal admissions round and places have been refused to some applicants, a waiting list will be maintained for any vacancies which subsequently occur in the Academy.
10.2 The waiting list will be prioritised according to the admission criteria and not by reference to the date of joining the waiting list.
10.3 Any waiting list will be maintained until the end of Term 2 (December term) and then discarded.
11.1 Depending on their child’s date of birth, places may be deferred until the start of term 3 or 5 but not later than the term following the child’s fifth birthday and cannot be deferred until the start of the following academic year. Parents should make any request to the school for a deferment once they have received an offer of a school place. The school place will be held for that child and will not be available to be offered to another child.
11.2 If parents wish to defer their child’s admission and the term following their fifth birthday would be September 2025, parents will need to notify the school, where a place has been offered, of their intentions to do so. Parents will need to put this in writing to the school and their child’s place at the school will be withdrawn and may be offered to another child. It is then the parent’s responsibility to apply for a school place in year 1, with their chronological cohort.
11.3 Parents should be aware that a school might become full in the Reception age group with pupils whose parent applies for a place during the 2025-26 school year. There may be no places available in a preferred school for those who defer their child’s admission until Year 1. These parents will need to apply for a Year 1 school place for their child at the relevant time.
12.1 Applications for delayed or accelerated entry in cases where parents would like their child to be admitted to a year group that is not the chronological age year group, will be considered. The admissions authority for the school will make the final decision.
12.2 In addition, parents of summer born children (born on or between 1 April and 31 August) can request to admit their child into the Reception year, one year after they would normally enter the school. The admissions authority for the school will make the final decision.
12.3 Decisions will be made on the basis of the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. This will include taking account:
12.4 The admissions authority must also take into account the views of the head teacher.
12.5 Parents will need to write to the school to request that their child starts a year later or earlier than their chronological age. Parents will need to give reasons for the request and details of the child’s particular needs. Any reports or evidence to support your request should also be enclosed.
12.6 For reception and junior intake applications, it is advised that an on time application is submitted for the correct chronological year group. If the delay/accelerated request is agreed, the on time application can be withdrawn and a new application should be made the following year. If the request is not agreed, and the child stays in their chronological age group, the on time application can still be processed. If a request is not agreed and the child does not have an on time application then a late application would need to be submitted.
12.7 Where the admission authority agrees to a parent’s request for their child to be admitted out of their normal age group the parent must apply according to the timescales of the agreed admission cohort. The application will be processed as part of the main admissions round (including applying the oversubscription criteria where applicable), unless the parental request is made too late for this to be possible. Parents have a statutory right to appeal against the refusal of a place at a school for which they have applied and been refused. This right does not apply if they are offered a place at the school but it is not in their preferred age group.
13.1 The CLF does not operate a feeder primary academy policy for admissions to a secondary academy and therefore attendance at a federation primary academy does not guarantee a place at a particular federation secondary academy. The exception to this is King’s Oak Academy which is an all-through provision.
14.1 When an offer of a place is made, the reasons for the decision will be set out, together with details of how the parent/carer can lodge an appeal against the decision by the deadline for doing so. The Academy must establish an independent appeals panel to hear the appeal. The panel will decide whether to uphold or dismiss the appeal. Where a panel upholds the appeal the Academy is required to admit the child.
14.2 The arrangements for appeals will be in line with the Code of Practice on School Admission Appeals.
14.3 Parents will normally have 20 school days after notification of a place not being offered to lodge an appeal.
14.4 Parents/carers wishing to appeal against an admission appeal should send a completed appeal form to the address detailed on the offer letter. Other documents may be submitted in support of an appeal and should be lodged not less than 5 school days before the appeal hearing.
14.5 Parents/carers will be given 10 school days’ notice of the appeal hearing, unless they agree to a shorter period of notice.
14.6 The decision of the Appeal Panel will be communicated in writing as soon as possible after the hearing has been concluded and within 5 school days. In the case of unsuccessful appeals the Appeal Panel will give the parents/carers their reasons for not upholding the appeal.
Annex A Notes/definitions to the oversubscription criteria
1. Children in Public Care and Previously in Public 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. 1989 Children’s Act
In relation to school admissions legislation a ‘looked after child’ is a child in public care at the time of application to a school. Applicants can provide evidence demonstrating their child was previously in care to an institution acting as a Local Authority, or an organisation that supports the best interests of the community/child. In the case of previously looked after children, admission authorities may request a copy of the adoption order, child arrangements order or special guardianship order and a letter from the local authority that last looked after the child, confirming that they were looked after immediately prior to that order being made, or such evidence that demonstrates a child was in state care outside of England prior to being adopted
2. Siblings refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, step brother or sister, fostered or adopted children, or a child of the parent or carer’s partner where the child for whom a place is being sought is living in the same family unit at the same address. The older sibling is already in attendance at the preferred school and will be in attendance in the September of the younger sibling’s admission year. Pupils will not be considered as a sibling link where the older child is attending the school in the year of entry as Year 12 or Year 13 students.
Home address –Bristol Local Authority will not accept more than one address as the child’s home address. Where a child regularly lives at more than one address the Local Authority will have to reach a conclusion about which should be counted as the main address when allocating places, taking relevant evidence into account. Normally this will be the address where the child is registered with a medical GP. Where parents or carers are living separately and do not agree on the child’s home address, they are urged to reach an agreement. If this does not happen evidence may be required by providing court documents or other legally binding documentation such a sworn affidavit confirming where the child resides for the majority of the school week. Where satisfactory evidence cannot be provided Bristol Local Authority will determine the address be used for allocating a school place.
3. Geographical considerations -Home to school distances will be measured in a direct line from a point on the home address as held by the Local Authority, defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer, to a defined point within the main school building using the Local Authority’s computerised mapping system.
4. Tie breaker: Random allocation will be carried out by a person who is independent of the academy and the school admissions process.
5. Maps To view the areas of priority, visit http://maps.bristol.gov.uk/pinpoint/ Specific addresses can be located by entering a postcode via the ‘Address’ tab. School priority areas can be seen via the ‘Education’ tab and selecting ‘Secondary school areas of first priority’ or ‘Secondary school areas of second priority’.
