Primary Admissions to Reception Class 2025
If you have a child with a date of birth between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021, please contact Pupil and Student Services on 01204 332143/ 332137 to register your child's details.
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The closing date for Primary admissions is January 2025. If you have applied you will receive an offer letter in April 2025, along with this you will receive an appeal form if Bolton Local Authority has not been able to offer you your school of preferred choice.
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Admissions Criteria 2025
St John's CE Primary School, Kearsley is an Academy. The Academy Trust is the admission authority for the school, and the school is required to act in accordance with the School Admissions Code.
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The following arrangements for admission to the Reception Year in September 2025 are similar to those that were in place prior to the school becoming an Academy in 2016.
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The admissions process is coordinated by Bolton Council (the local authority). Applications for admission to the Reception Year in the normal admissions round must be made on the local authority’s common application form. Details of all the applications made will be forwarded to the school by the local authority.
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Admission arrangements for admission to the Reception Year in September 2025
The school’s published admission number (PAN) for admission to the Reception Year in September 2025 is 30. If no more than 30 applications are received for admission to the Reception Year, all applicants will be offered places.
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The school will admit all children with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school in part 4 of the EHCP.
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Where demand for admission to the Reception Year exceeds the number of places available the following oversubscription criteria will then apply:
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Oversubscription Criteria:
When the number of applications received is greater than the number of remaining places available (after the admission of any pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an EHCP naming the school), the decision on which children will be allocated places will be based on the following oversubscription criteria, which will be applied in the order of priority set out below:
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1. Children in Public Care (Looked After Children) and previously looked after children who were looked after, then ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order)
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2. Children whose medical or social circumstances mean that their needs can only be met at this school.
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3. Children whose parent/s or guardian/s can demonstrate a regular/frequent worship at St Johns Church**.
(The twelve month period is 1st November to 31st October prior to your application.)
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4. Children whose parent/s or guardian/s regularly worship at another church within the parish which is a member of churches together in Britain and Ireland, or a local Churches Together organisation**
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5. Children who have an older brother or sister attending school at the time of their admission. This includes full, step, half, fostered and adopted brothers or sisters living in the same home and full brothers or sisters living apart.
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6. Children who live within the parish of St John’s Farnworth and Kearsley***
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7. All other children
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Children from multiple births
Where twins, triplets etc. or other children born within the same school year might be split when allocations
take place, and there are too few places available at the school to accommodate them all, the governors will
consult with the Local Authority and the parent to consider whether all the siblings can be offered a place at
the same alternative school (which may not be a preference school named on the form) or whether the parents
can be offered places at two or more schools with a view to the parent deciding which child will take up which
offered place.
Special Educational Needs
If your child is undergoing Statutory Assessment you will need to complete an application for admission. For further advice contact the Inclusion and Statutory Assessment Service 01204 332207
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Appeals
If you are not happy with the place you are offered by the Local Authority, you can appeal. You will receive an appeal form in the post with your offer which will be posted out in April 2025. Alternatively, you can visit the Bolton Council's appeals page.
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Transferring between Primary Schools
Bolton Council is responsible for coordinating admissions into all schools for those families resident within Bolton Metropolitan Borough.
This includes:-
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Children wishing to change from one school to another within the borough
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Children who have arrived in the borough requiring a school place
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Children wishing to move from an independent school to a school maintained by the Council
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Children resident in the borough but requiring admission to a school in another borough
If you live outside Bolton borough you must make an application through the school admission process for that authority.
Do I need to complete an application form?
The application form that parents/ carers will be requested to complete when requesting admission to a new school can be found by clicking here or you can contact Pupil and Student Services. It is important that your child continues to attend their current school whilst your application is being considered. However, it is recognised that for families who have moved into the borough this may not always be possible. You must, in such circumstances, inform the Headteacher at their previous school of the arrangements you are making.
Please click here to find out how to apply for a place at a Bolton Secondary school.