St. Luke and St. Philip’s Primary School A Church of England Academy
ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS For September 2027
Click on the link below to download the Admissions Policy & Diocesan Supplementary Information Form with Clergy Reference Form
Making an application
Applications for admission to the school for September 2027 should be made on the home Local Authority’s common application form between 1st September 2026 and 15th January 2027. It is not normally possible to change the order of your preferences for schools after the closing date.
Parents must complete their home Local Authority application form, stating three preferences. Blackburn with Darwen residents can apply online at https://blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions. For families who are unable to apply online, application forms can be requested from the Local Authority School Admissions team, telephone: 01254 666606 or email: admissions@blackburn.gov.uk
Parents who wish their application to this Church school to be considered against the faith criteria must also complete the Supplementary Form. If the school is oversubscribed, a failure to complete the Supplementary Form will result in your application for a place in this school being considered against lower priority criteria as the Governing Committee will have no information upon which to assess the worship attendance.
The Supplementary Information Form must be completed at the time of application and is available from the school or online at https: I Istlukesblackburn.co.uk
The Supplementary Information Form must be returned directly to the school by 15th January 2027 if parents wish their application to be considered against faith criteria
Emails informing parents of whether or not their child has been allocated a place will be sent out by the Local Authority on 16th April 2027. Parents of children not admitted will be informed of the reason and offered an alternative place by the Authority. Parents applying by hard copy forms will be informed by letter.
Admission procedures
Arrangements for admission have been agreed following consultation between the Governing Committee, the Diocesan Board of Education, Local Authorities and other admission authorities in the area.
The number of places available for admission to the Reception class in the year 2027 will be a maximum of 30
The Governing Committee will not place any restrictions on admissions to the reception class unless the number of children for whom admission is sought exceeds their admission number. By law, no infant class may contain more than thirty children.
The Governing Committee operates a system of equal preferences under which they consider all preferences equally and the Local Authority notifies parents of the result. In the event that there are more applicants than places, after admitting all children with an Education Health and Care Plan naming the school, the Governing Committee will allocate places using the criteria below, which are listed in order of priority.
1. (a) Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
This means a ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously ‘looked after’ but ceased to be looked after because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements or special guardianship order, including those who appear (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 (please see definitions below). A ‘looked after child’ is a child who is (a) in the care of the local authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in 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 the school.
An adoption order is an order under the Adoption Act 1976 (see Section 12 adoption orders) and children who are adopted under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see Section 46 adoption orders). A ‘child arrangements order’ is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 as amended by Section 14 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Section 14A of the of the Children Act 1989 defines a ‘special guardianship order’ as an order appointing one or more individual’s to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians). A child is regarded as having been in state care outside of England if they were in the care of or were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation, or any other provider of care whose sole or main purpose is to benefit society.
(b) Children with special medical or social circumstances affecting the child where these needs can only be met at this school.
Professional supporting evidence from a professional, e.g. a doctor, psychologist, social worker, is essential if admission is to be made under the criterion for special medical or social circumstances, and such evidence must set out the particular reasons why this school is the most suitable school and the difficulties which would be caused if the child had to attend another school. Parents must submit this evidence to the school by 15 January 2027, if they wish their application to be considered under this criterion.
2. Siblings
Children who have a sibling attending the school on the date of application and on the date of admission. Siblings include full, step, half, foster, adopted brothers and sisters and children of parent or carer’s partner. In all cases both children should be living in the same family unit at the same address
3. Children whose parent(s) / guardian(s) live within the ecclesiastical parish of St Luke, St Mark and St Philip.
4. Children with a parent/guardian worshipping in full membership of Churches
Together in England, the Evangelical Alliance, the Irish Council of Churches, Action of Churches Together
in Scotland or Churches Together in Wales.
“Parental worshipping” is normally taken to mean a minimum of monthly attendance at church at public
worship for over at least the six months leading up to the 1st September 2026
The Governors will request confirmation of this from the relevant member of the clergy or church officer.
“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
arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the church or alternative
premises have been available for public worship.
The lists of Churches can be found on the Churches Together England website at https://cte.org.uk/ for the Evangelical Alliance at https://www.eauk.org/ for Irish Council of Churches at https://www.irishchurches.org/ for Action of Churches Together in Scotland at http://www.actsscotland.org/ and for Churches Together in Wales at https://www.cytun.co.uk/en/home/ lists are taken as on 1st September 2026.
5. Children of staff
Children of staff who have been employed in the school for the whole of the two years prior to the closing
date for applications, or where the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a
demonstrable skill shortage.
This applies to all staff, full and part time, who are employed by the Governing Committee.
6. Other Children Tie break
Where there are more applicants for the available places within a category, then the distance between
the Ordnance Survey address points for the school and the home measured in a straight line will be
used as the final determining factor, nearer addresses having priority over more distant ones. This
address point is within the body of the property and usually located at its centre. Where two addresses
have the same distance, or the cut-off point is for addresses within the same building, then the Local
Authority's system of a random draw, which is carried out automatically by a computerised system, will
determine which address(es) receive the offer(s).
Admissions information:
In 2026, there were … applications for … places [Complete this in the summer]
Twins, etc
Where there are twins, etc wanting admission and there is only a single place left within the admission number, then the Governing Committee will exercise as much flexibility as possible within the requirements of infant class sizes. In exceptional circumstances we may be able to offer places for both twins and all triplets, even when this means breaching infant class size limits.
Late applications for admission
Where there are extenuating circumstances for an application being received after the closing date for applications (15th January 2027), and it is before the Governing Committee have established their list of pupils to be admitted (28th Feb 2027 for BwD) then it will be considered alongside all the others.
Otherwise, applications which are received after closing date will be considered after all the others, and placed on the waiting list in order according to the criteria.
Waiting list
Where we have more applications than places, the admissions criteria will be used. Children who are not admitted will have their name placed on a waiting list. The names on this waiting list will be in the order resulting from the application of the admissions criteria. Since the date of application cannot be a criterion for the order of names on the waiting list, late applicants for the school will be slotted into the order according to the extent to which they meet the criteria. Thus it is possible for a child who moves into the area later to have a higher priority than one who has been on the waiting list for some time. If a place becomes available within the admission number, the child whose name is at the top of the list will be offered a place. This is not dependent on whether an appeal has been submitted. Looked after children, previously looked after children and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those on a waiting list.
This waiting list will operate until 31st December 2027.
Address of pupil
The address used on the school’s admission form must be the current one at the time of application, i.e. the family’s main residence. If the address changes subsequently, the parents should notify the school. Where the parents live at different addresses, and there is shared parenting, the address used will normally be the one where the child wakes up for the majority of Monday to Friday mornings. If there is any doubt about this, then the address of the Child Benefit recipient will be used. Parents may be asked to show evidence of the claim that is being made for the address, e.g. identity cards of various sorts showing the child’s address as the one claimed. Where there is dispute about the correct address to use, the Governing Committee reserve the right to make enquiries of any relevant third parties, e.g. the child’s GP, Council Tax Office, Electoral Registration Officer, utilities provider. For children of UK Service personnel and other Crown Servants returning to the area proof of the posting is all that is required.
Non-routine and In-Year Admissions
It sometimes happens that a child needs to change school other than at the “normal” time; such admissions are known as non-routine or in-year admissions. Parents wishing their child to attend this school can arrange to visit the school to discuss this should they wish. You must submit an “In Year Application Form” to the Admissions Team/Authority. If there is a place in the appropriate class, then your child will be admitted. If there is no place, then the governing committee will have to refuse the application, but information will be provided about how to appeal against this refusal.
If your family is moving house, your application (both for routine and non-routine applications) and any appeal will be considered as being made from your old address until you provide suitable evidence of a permanent change of address, e.g. exchange of contracts on your house purchase or the signed tenancy agreement and rent book for your new address.
The schools in-year admissions will be administered by the Governing Committee of the school.
Appeals for routine admissions
Where the Governing Committee is unable to offer a place because the school is over subscribed, parents have the right to appeal to an independent admission appeal panel, set up under the School Standards and Framework Act, 1998, as amended by the Education Act, 2002. Parents should notify the clerk to the Governing Committee at the school by 14th May 2027. Parents will have the opportunity to submit their case to the panel in writing and also to attend in order to present their case. You will normally receive 14 days’ notice of the place and time of the hearing. Most appeals are now heard through a digital format. For information on appeals go to https://blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions.
Appeals which are received after the deadline will be slotted into the schedule where this is possible. There is no guarantee that this will happen and late appeals may be heard after the stipulated date at a second round of hearings. The schedule is subject to change depending upon the availability of appeal panel members, clerks, venues and the number of appeals for each school (which will vary year on year).
Please note that this right of appeal against the Governing Committee’s decision does not prevent you from making an application or an appeal in respect of any other school. However, parents do not have the right to a second appeal in respect of the same year group at this school unless, in exceptional circumstances, the school has considered a second application from the parents in the same academic year because of a significant and material change in the circumstances of the parents, child or school but the child was still refused admission.
Fraudulent applications
Where the Governing Committee discovers that a child has been awarded a place as the result of an intentionally misleading application from a parent (for example a false claim to residence in the catchment area or of involvement in a place of worship) which effectively denies a place to a child with a stronger claim, then the Governing Committee may withdraw the offer of a place. The application will be considered afresh and a right of appeal offered if a place is refused.
Deferred admission and part-time provision
If your child is due to start school during the next academic year, it is important that you apply for a place for September. If your child’s fifth birthday is between the months of September and December, then if you wish it, admission may be deferred until January: if it is between January and August, then admission may be deferred until the start of the summer term though it is unlikely to be in your child’s interest to start any later than January. Please note that if your child does not take up the place during the summer term, it will be withdrawn, and you will have to apply again for admission.
You may also request that your child attends school part time until he/she reaches ‘compulsory school age’. A child reaches compulsory school age on the prescribed day following his/her fifth birthday (or on his/her fifth birthday if it falls on the prescribed day). The prescribed days are 31 December, 31 March and 31 August.
Admission of children outside of their normal age group
Parent(s)/carer(s) may seek a place for their child outside of the normal age group, for example, if a child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. In addition, the parent/carer of a summer born child (i.e. a child born between 1 April and 31 August) may choose not to send that child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted outside of their normal age group – to reception rather than year 1.
In-year applications (i.e. children who are already of school age)
Parent(s)/carer(s) must submit their written request for admission out of the normal age group to the Governing Committee. If their request is agreed and a place is available in the requested year group, the child will be admitted.
Children seeking admission to reception in the September after their fifth birthday
Parent(s)/carer(s) will need to submit a normal Common Application Form (CAF) to the Local Authority (in writing or online) for admission into the normal age group at the same time as they submit a written request to the Governing Committee for their child to be admitted out of the normal age group.
Please note: This Governing Committee will not honour a decision made by another admission authority on admission out of the normal age group. Parent(s)/carer(s), therefore, should consider whether to request admission out of the normal year group at all their preference schools, rather than just their first preference school.
The Governing Committee will make a decision on the request before the Primary national offer date if at all possible.
If the request is agreed, the parent(s)/carer(s) must make a new application for the next main admission round the following year, and their current application for the normal age group should be withdrawn before a place is offered. The following year the new application will be considered on the base of the determined admission arrangements only, including the application of oversubscription criteria where applicable. The application will not be given lower priority on the basis that the child is being admitted out of their normal age group.
If their request for admission outside their normal age group is refused, parent(s)/carer(s) must decide whether to accept the offer of a place for the normal age group that they receive from the Local Authority, or to refuse it and make an in-year application to the Governing Committee for admission to year one for the September following their child’s fifth birthday.
More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-born-children-school-admission
Making the decision
Parent(s)/carer(s) seeking admission of their child outside their normal age group must send their written request to the Governing Committee. It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/carer(s) to provide the Governing Committee with all relevant information relating to this request, including the parent(s)/carer(s) views; information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development; where relevant, their medical history and the views of the medical professional; whether the child may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely; and whether the child has previously been educated out of their normal age group.
The Governing Committee is required to take into account the views of the Head Teacher on the application as well as the information from the parent(s)/carer(s). The Governing Committee will make their decision on the basis of the circumstances of each individual case, and in the best interests of the child concerned.
The Governing Committee will then inform the parent(s)/carer(s) of their decision on the year group the child should be admitted to and will provide the reasons for their decision.
Parent(s)/carer(s) have a statutory right to appeal to an independent admission appeal panel against the refusal of a place at a school for which they have applied. As the purpose of the appeals process is to consider whether a child should be admitted to a particular school, the right of appeal does not apply if they are offered a place at the school but it is not in their preferred year group. However, they may make a complaint about an admission authority’s decision not to admit their child outside their normal school age group.
.png)
.png)
.jpg)