Prospectus and Admissions

Admissions

Joining Our School

As a Church of England Primary School, our ethos and vision are deeply rooted in the philosophy and theology of religion, reflecting the foundational Christian values that shape our community. These principles are our personal development CARE values, such as Community, Appreciation, Respect, and Empathy, which resonate across all faiths and form the bedrock of our school's culture. Through our RE syllabus, students are encouraged not only to learn about religious beliefs and practices but also to critically engage with the deeper questions of meaning, purpose, and morality. By fostering an understanding of theology and philosophy, we help pupils explore both Christian teachings and the universal values shared by many world religions, equipping them to reflect on their own beliefs and actions in a way that contributes positively to society. This approach ensures that our school's Christian identity is inclusive, promoting a sense of belonging, respect, and understanding for all.


Applying For A Place

The Local Education Authority is the Admission Authority for county schools and admission is according to its criteria. Please see below to find out how to apply for a place at our school.

Parents can register online for Reception and Secondary places at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/admissions support is available if you phone 01223 699 200.

In year school applications can be done if you contact admissions at admissions@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or telephone 01223 699 200 and 01223 699 662. If you need any more information please speak to our office team and they will help you.


Welcome To Mepal & Witcham Apply Now View Our Admissions Policy

  • Joining at the start of Reception & Years 1 to 6

    Parents wishing to apply for a place for their child in one of our Reception classes or in a class in Years One to Six, please visit the Cambridgeshire Local Authority’s School Admissions website.


    This includes a new school catchment search facility so that you can find out if you are living in our school’s catchment area (although you do not need to be in catchment to apply).


    You can also apply for a place online.


  • Joining the School During the School Year

    Reception and Years One to Six


    If you wish to join the school at a time other than the start of the school year, please visit this section of the Cambridgeshire Local Authority website.


    If you wish to apply for a place at our school on religious grounds then click here to download the appropriate guidance.


How Places Are Offered

For admission into Reception each September, the LA, on behalf of the Governing Body, will offer places to a set number of children. This is the Published Admission Number (PAN) for that year group.

In the event that more applications than the PAN are received, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to determine priority for places. Both preferences are treated equally, regardless of whether they are first or second preference

Over-subscription Criteria

Children who have a statement of special educational needs, whose parents/carers name the school will be admitted.

N.B. Those children with a statement of special educational needs whose parents/carers do not name a school will be referred to Student Assessment to determine an appropriate place.

Where applications exceed the number of places available at the school, referred to as the PAN the following criteria are applied in order.

* The home address is defined as the address of the adult with parental responsibility with whom the child normally lives and which applies at the time of application. Future addresses will be accepted only if the move is intended to take place within 6 teaching weeks of the application and upon confirmation of tenancy or exchange of contracts. For further details, please see the full definition in the LA admissions booklet for parents

** A sibling is defined as another child of compulsory school age living in the same family home.

PAN



  • Children in Care, also known as Looked After Children (LAC)
  • Children living in the catchment area* with a sibling** at the school at the time of admission;
  • Children living in the catchment area;
  • Children living outside the catchment area who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission;
  • Children who live in the ecclesiastical Parish of the Ascension, Cambridge (see attached map)
  • Children of regular worshippers of a Christian church;
  • Children of regular worshippers of other World Faiths;
  • Children living outside the catchment area, but nearest the school according to the shortest safe walking route from their home to the school site.

In criteria 4 and 5, priority in a tie-break will be given to children living nearest the school according to the shortest straight line distance. The distance is measured using a straight line from the centre point of the home to the centre point of the school as determined by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG).


 If a place becomes available it will be offered to the child at the top of the reserve list for the year group or, if no reserve list exists, the place will be offered to the first child for whom an application is received.

Reserve Lists

When an application is refused, the child’s details are automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria.

As part of the co-ordinated scheme for primary admissions, the LA Admissions Team holds the initial reserve list on behalf of the governing body until the end of the first week of the autumn term in the initial year of intake.

If A Place Opens Up

Parents will be contacted immediately if a place becomes available for their child, but should be aware that their child’s place on a reserve list may change if an application is subsequently received that meets a higher criterion than their own.

The governing body then manages the reserve list until the end of the autumn term.

Mid-Phase Applications

Where mid-phase applications are received, children’s details will be automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria.

Reserve lists will be held for a period of one term following the term for which the place was refused.

Appeals

The parent of any child who is refused a place at a VA or F Primary School has a right of appeal to an independent Appeals Panel. The panel consists of three people who are independent of the school’s Governing Body and the Local Education Authority.

The panel will consider the circumstances of the case put before them and the Governing Body and parents must abide by the decision it makes.

Appeals for VA or F Primary School are currently arranged by the LA Admissions Team on behalf of the Governing Body. Further information and appeal forms are available from the Admissions Team.

Definitions
For the purpose of admission to the school, the Governing Body has adopted the LA’s definitions of parent, sibling and home address. Details of these can be found at the back of the LA’s admission booklet for parents.

Applications made under the religious criteria

All parents wishing to apply under the school’s religious criteria must also provide a letter from their parish priest, minister or religious leader confirming the family is known and involved in the life of the church or worshipping community.

This must be returned to the school by the LA application deadline or, for mid-phase applications, at the same time as the school’s application form is submitted.

This letter will define which admission group the child fits into (please see list above).



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