Admissions for Reception Children

Applications for places are initially dealt with by Swindon Borough Council Admissions department.

We have one intake each year, at the start of the Autumn Term.  Reception pupils are normally admitted to school in the September following their 4th birthday.  Prospective parents are most welcome to make an appointment to look around our school, look out for flyers and on our website for information about any open mornings/afternoons.

Parents are usually asked to complete preference forms in the Autumn of the year before the child starts school. Places are allocated in the late Spring / early Summer Term – we have a maximum intake of 50 children. http://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20071/school_places_and_admissions

By law a child does not have to start school until the term following their fifth birthday.  However, most children start school in the September following their fourth birthday.

If your child was born between 1st September 2019 and 31st August 2020 they are due to start school in September 2024 and you will need to apply for a school place by noon on 15th January 2024. 

Once we know our intake, we begin the process of ensuring every child’s entry into school is happy and relaxed. In the Summer Term before the September start, parents come to an Open Evening to find out more about how we work and ask any questions they might still have. This meeting also gives parents the opportunity to meet and talk with the Reception class teachers.  Soon after, children are invited to visit the Reception class for short visits.

Admissions for children in Years 1-6

Parents of older children, moving into the area, are welcome to make an appointment to visit the school and to discuss admission with the Headteacher. 

An application should be made to the school by completing the in-year admissions application form and returning it to the office by email to admin@st-marys.swindon.sch.uk or to the school address along with, where appropriate, any supporting evidence. All applications will be considered by the governing body and a place offered if one is available. Where there are places available but there are more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2023-24, will be applied and can be found here. Parents are advised to read the admission arrangements carefully before making their application. If your application is unsuccessful, you will be given the opportunity to join a waiting list and you have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel. You will be advised of the outcome of your application in writing as soon as possible. Whilst applicants must be informed of the outcome of their application within 15 school days of receipt, the aim will be to notify applicants of the outcome of their application within 10 school days of receipt. If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions, please contact Ms Mazzotta by email to admin@st-marys.swindon.sch.uk.

Appeals procedure

Parents/carers have the right to appeal against the refusal by the Governors to admit their child and should put their appeal in writing to the Clerk to the Governors at the school.  

Appeals for applications made under the 'normal admissions round' for your child's school age, must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging an appeal.

Under the School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England)  Regulations  2012  an application is  made  in the  ‘normal  admissions  round’  if  it  is  not:

1) a ‘late application’ (an application is a ‘late’ application if it is for the admission of a child to a relevant age group; it is submitted before the first day of the school term of the admission year; and a determination relating to the application is not made by an authority on or before the offer date. The ‘relevant age group’ is the age group at which pupils are or will normally be admitted to the school e.g. reception or year 7, Section 142 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998)

Late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

2) an ‘in-year application’ (an application is an ‘in-year’ application if it is for the admission of a child to a relevant age group and it is submitted on or after the first day of the first school term of the admission year, or it is for the admission of a child to an age group other than a relevant age group).  

For applications for in-year admissions, appeals must be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.