2026 / 2027 Admissions Criteria

Castle Hill St Philip’s CE Primary School Admission Policy for 2026-27 
 
Admission number: 30 
 
Introduction 
 
This document sets out the admission arrangements of Castle Hill St Philip's CofE Primary School. 
For the purposes of this policy, the Governing Body is the admission authority. 
 
Process 
 
Applications for admission to the school should be made using the Local Authority Common 
Application Form by the national closing date of 15th January. 
 
The Local Authority will inform parents of the offer of a place on behalf of the Governing Body on 
the national offer date 16th April or the next working day. 
 
Where the school receives more application than places available, the following oversubscription 
criteria will be applied once places have first been allocated to pupils who have an education 
health and care plan which names the school: 
 
Oversubscription Criteria 
 
1. Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children. 
 
A “Looked After Child” (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being 
provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions 
(see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application 
to a school. 
 
A "Previously Looked After Child" (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so 
because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special 
guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. 
 
An "Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to 
the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state 
care as a result of being adopted. 
 
2. Siblings of pupils attending the school at the time of admission. ‘Sibling’ means a natural brother 
or sister, a half brother or sister, a legally adopted brother or sister or half-brother or sister, a step 
brother or sister, or other child living in the same household who, in any of these cases, will be 
living with them at the same address at the date of their entry to the school. 
 
3. Regular attendance at public worship in any Church of England church. 
 
Attendance will be established by information provided on the Supplementary Information Form 
completed by a member of the clergy or other designated church officer. For the purposes of these 
admission arrangements ‘regular’ means attendance at least eight times in the twelve months 
immediately prior to the date of application. 
 
4. Attendance at public worship in any other Christian church.  

   
For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means a church which 
is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of 
Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop, or which is a member of Churches 
Together in England, or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance or a Partner Church of Affinity. The 
list of nationally Designated churches can be found at 
https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/list_of_designated_churches_3_o 
ct_18.pdf 
 
A parent or parents wishing to apply against this criterion must complete a Supplementary 
Application Form. (Please find form below) Attendance at public worship will be established by information                           provided on the  Supplementary Information Form, including verification by the relevant Minister/Faith Leader                              or their designated officer. For the purposes of these admission arrangements ‘regular’ means 
attendance at least eight times in the twelve months immediately prior to the date of application. 
 
In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church has been closed 
for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of 
these admissions arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the 
church or alternative premises have been available for public worship. 
 
5. Baptism at any Christian church 
 
Baptism at any Christian church means a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical 
Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the 
diocesan bishop, or which is a member of Churches Together in England, or affiliated to the 
Evangelical Alliance or a Partner Church of Affinity. The list of nationally Designated churches can 
be found at https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-
04/list_of_designated_churches_3_o ct_18.pdf 
 
A parent or parents wishing to apply against this criterion must complete a Supplementary 
Application Form and provide evidence of Baptism ie original Baptism certificate or re-issued 
Baptism certificate at the time of application. 
 
 
6. Children of staff 
 
Children of all staff will be considered where the parent has a permanent contract of employment. 
Their normal base of work must be at Hereford Road, Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire, WN2 4DH and 
their employment contract must have been in place for two or more years at the time of the closing 
date for application for admission. 
 
7. Distance from school 
 
Proximity to the school with those living closest to the school having priority calculated by: 
Children living closest to the school measured by a straight-line distance from the home address 
to the main entrance using the Local Authority measuring system. 
 
When considering your child’s application, we will use the permanent home address we have for 
you at the closing date for applications. 
 
If parents are separated and the child spends time at each parents’ address, the address which will 
be used for admission to schools is the address where the child sleeps the majority of the school 
nights (Sunday to Thursday) during the week in term time. Where there is a dispute or equal nights 
are slept, parent will be asked to provide proof of the address registered with the child’s GP.
     
We may ask to see additional forms of evidence of your home address (photocopies are acceptable). 
This may include: 
 
·       proof of where you are registered for council tax. 
·       Your television licence. 
·       Wage-salary slip. 
·       Proof of your child tax credits. 
 
Any evidence you provide must show that the parent or main carer lives at this address. We may 
seek evidence by other means if the parent/carer is unable to provide sufficient proof of their 
residence. 
 
Tie-breaker 
 
Proximity to the school. We will measure the distance by a straight line. All straight line 
distances are calculated electronically using a geographical information system and with the 
support of the Local Authority where required 
 
In the event that two or more children live at the same distance from the school (as can happen 
with families living in blocks of flats), random allocation, where supervised drawing of lots by an 
independent responsible person of good standing will be used to decide which child(ren) will be 
allocated the remaining place(s) (in accordance with 1.34 and 1.35 of the School Admissions 
Code). 
 
Late Applications 
 
Late application (those received after the closing date) will only be considered after those received 
by the closing date. The only exception to this is applications for looked after children that are 
received by 15 February will be included with on time applications. 
 
In-Year Admissions 
 
From time to time a place becomes available further up the school. The allocation of places is 
in accordance with the admissions criteria. Preference will be given to children moving into the 
area from outside the Local Authority area who do not have a school place. Evidence will need to 
be provided that the child has recently moved in. 
 
Admission of Children Outside Their Normal Age Group 
 
Parents may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age range, 
for instance, where the child is gifted or talented or where a child has suffered from particular 
social or medical issues impacting on their schooling. All such requests will be considered on their 
merits and either agreed or refused, on that basis. If a request is refused, the child will still be 
considered for admission to their normal age group. 
 
The process for requesting such an admission is as follows: With the application, parents should 
request that the child is admitted to another year group (state which one), and the reasons for that 
request. Parents will submit any evidence in support of their case with the application, for instance 
from a medical practitioner, headteacher etc. Some of the evidence a parent might submit could 
include: 
• information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development. 
• where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional.    
• whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group. 
• whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born 
prematurely. 
 
The school will consider each case on its merits, taking into account the individual circumstances 
of the request and the child’s best interests. We will also ensure the parent is aware of whether the 
request for admission out of age group has been agreed before final offers are made, and the 
reason for any refusal. Requests for admission out of the normal year group will be considered 
alongside other applications made at the same time. An application from a child who would 
‘normally’ be a year 1 child for a year R place will be considered alongside applications for year R. 
 
We do not accept requests for early entry to reception class for children who will not be of 
statutory school age. 
 
Waiting Lists 
 
Places may become available after the Local Authority Co-ordinated offer date but before pupils are 
admitted to the school in the autumn term. 
 
We will: 
  • put all children who we refuse a place at one of their preferences on the waiting list for the 
school; 
•  keep the list in priority order, decided by the oversubscription criteria for the school only; 
•  offer any places that become available to the next child on the waiting list; and 
•  keep the waiting list until 31st December. 
 
Important about the waiting list: 
 
We cannot take into account the length of time a child’s name has been on the waiting list, only the 
admission criteria for the school. This means that a child’s position on the list may change if another 
parent asks to be put on the list and their child has higher priority in the admission criteria. 
 
Appeals Procedure 
 
All applicants refused a place have a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel constituted 
and operated in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code. Appellants should contact 
the Admin Officer at Castle Hill St Philip's CE Primary School at Hereford Road, Hindley, Wigan, 
WN2 4DH within 20 days of the date of the letter refusing your child a place at the school for 
information on how to appeal. Information on the timetable for the appeals process is on our 
website at https://www.castlehill.wigan.sch.uk. 
 
School Age 
 
A full-time school place in the reception class is available for children from the September 
following their 4th birthday. 
 
Deferred Entry 
 
Where parents wish, they can defer the date their child is admitted to the school until later in the 
school year or until the child reaches compulsory school age in that school year. Where entry is 
deferred, the place will be held open and not offered to another child. Parents cannot defer entry   
beyond the beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday, nor beyond the academic year for 
which the original application was accepted. 

Part-time Attendance 
 
Where parents wish, their child can attend part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age. 
 
 
Enquiries 
 
All admissions enquiries should be made to Admin Officer at Castle Hill St Philip’s CE Primary 
School, Hereford Road, Hindley, Wigan, WN2 4DH.