Batheaston Church School Proposed Admissions Arrangements
Batheaston Church School is part of The Bath & Wells Multi Academy Trust, which is the Admissions Authority for the school. Our Admission Arrangements comply with the requirements of the 2021 School Admissions Code, and the 2022 School Admission Appeals Code issued by the Department for Education under Section 84 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The aim is to promote a fair and equitable process for all.
Although the Bath & Wells Multi Academy Trust is the Admissions Authority, all day-to-day enquiries and applications are handled directly by the school (except for Reception applications, which are handled by the Local Authority.) Please click below for further information:
BANES Admission Arrangements 2025-26
BANES Admission Arrangements 2026-27
BANES Admission Arrangements 2027-28
How to make an application for a child to start school for the first time in the Reception year
Batheaston Church School is part of the Bath and North East Somerset’s (B&NES) Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. All applications for admission for a Reception place must be submitted to your home Local Authority (LA) by the published closing date (15 January). B&NES will forward all applications for Batheaston Church School to the school and the Admission Committee of the Governing Body will rank all applications against the school’s admission criteria should they be oversubscribed. The ranked list will then be returned to the Local Authority under the co-ordinated admissions scheme and they will make a single offer of a place on the published offer date on 16 April.
This link to the Local Authority website will guide you through applying for a primary school place in Reception. Email [email protected] if you have any queries.
Published Admissions Number
Batheaston Church School has a Published Admission Number of 30 which means it will admit 30 children into Reception each year.
Special Educational Needs
The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice requires the Admission Authority to admit any children with an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or with a Statement of Special Educational Needs naming Batheaston Church School. Children with an Educational Health and Care Plan will be dealt with through the SEND Code of Practice and their placement is determined through the statutory assessment process or an annual review of their statement. All schools are consulted before being named on a pupil’s Statement or Educational Health and Care and schools have the opportunity to draw attention to any difficulties arising from oversubscribed year groups. If a school is named on a Statement or Educational Health and Care Plan this will take priority over the Admissions Criteria, although, wherever possible the place will be offered within the Admission Number for the school. Parents/carers who wish to transfer their child from a setting named in the Education Health and Care Plan must seek approval to do so via the Local Authority that issued the plan before applying for an In-Year transfer.
Children from overseas
Applications will be accepted for children who meet one or more of the following:
- They are resident in the UK.
- They hold a full British Citizen Passports.
- They are from countries whose passports have been endorsed to show they have a right to abode in this country.
- They are from the European Economic Area (EEA)
Applications from children who do not meet one of the above will not be accepted until the child is in this country. Click on link below for more information.
School admissions: applications for overseas children – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Deferred entry to Reception
While a child is below compulsory school age, the parent/carer may choose to defer his/her child’s entry to school until later in the school year. However, he/she cannot defer beyond the point at which the child reaches statutory school age or beyond the start of the last term in the school year (the school operates on the basis of a six term year).
In Year Admissions (i.e. all applications for existing year groups)
All In-Year applications must be made directly to the school using the application form which is available to download from the school website or as a paper copy from the School Office. If no form is submitted the Governing Body will not be able to process the application. See link below for application form:
In-Year Application Form – VA & Academy Schools
All applications will be considered by the Admissions Committee and applicants will be sent a written decision by post within 20 school days of receipt of the In-Year application form, or receipt of any subsequent information (submitted to support the application) where this is deemed necessary in order to determine the admission decision. If an application is refused, the decision letter will set out the reasons for refusal and explain how to appeal against the Admissions Committee decision.
If a place is offered, the applicant will be asked to confirm acceptance in writing within ten school days of receipt, following which the place will remain available for 28 school days from the date of the decision letter. If the child concerned is not attending school after this time frame, the Admissions Committee will write to the original applicant with a view to withdrawing the offer.
The Governing Body/Trust supports fair access to school for all children. If a suitable place cannot be secured using the normal admission arrangements as the child meets the Council’s Fair Access criteria, a school place will be identified for the child by the Area Placement Panel in accordance with Bath and North East Somerset’s Fair Access Protocol. The Fair Access Protocol does not override the right of Parents/Carers to state a preference for a school place.
Where there are more applications at any one time than there are places available, priority will be determined by applying the Admissions criteria set out in the admissions booklet.
Monitoring and Review
The Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust will review these Admission Arrangements on an annual basis and where changes are proposed to policy or practice will conduct a public consultation in line with statutory requirement.
BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL ADMISSIONS
BANES 2026-27 Admissions Arrangements
BANES 2027-28 Admissions Arrangements
Schools Appeal Timetable
To talk to someone at Bath & North East Somerset Admissions and Transport Service about school admissions, contact them on 01225 394312; telephone lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5.00pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm. Facsimile: 01225 394296. Email: [email protected] or write to us at: School Admissions and Transport Service, PO BOX 25, Riverside, Temple Street, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 IDN.