Admissions arrangement requirements

Admissions Authorities are required to have an admissions arrangement document for each school they govern. The Admissions Code stipulates a number of requirements for these admissions arrangements. As these requirements are found throughout the Code, KCC have provided a summary below (Admissions Code paragraphs will be referenced in parentheses).

This summary only focuses on information that is required in each admissions arrangement. While it will detail oversubscription criteria that are mandatory, it does not include information about all restricted or limited oversubscription criteria. There is no useful way to summarise this information, which can be found in paragraphs 1.6-1.42 in the Admissions Code.

Admission arrangement documents are required to:

  • include a Published Admissions Number (PAN) or intake number for the year group in which children are normally admitted to the school. (1.2)
  • include the criteria against which places will be allocated at the school when there are more applications than places and the order in which the criteria will be applied. This is known as the school's oversubscription criteria. (1.6)
  • state that before the application of oversubscription criteria, children with a statement of special educational need or Education (SSEN), Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school will be admitted. As a result of this, the published admissions number will be reduced accordingly. (1.6)
  • give highest priority in their oversubscription criteria to looked after children and previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order. (1.7)
    • where arrangements provide for only those pupils who score highest in any selection test to be admitted, no priority needs to be given to looked after children or previously looked after children. (1.20 and 1.23)
    • admission authorities for faith schools may give priority to all looked after children and previously looked after children whether or not of the faith, but they must give priority to looked after children and previously looked after children of the faith before other children of the faith. Where any element of priority is given in relation to children not of the faith they must give priority to looked after children and previously looked after children not of the faith above other children not of the faith. (1.37)
  • ensure oversubscription criteria is reasonable, clear, objective, procedurally fair, and comply with all relevant legislation, including equalities legislation. (1.8)
  • include a clear and fair tie-breaker to decide between two applications that cannot otherwise be separated. (1.8)
  • include definitions of sibling (1.11), distance (1.13), catchment area (1.14), feeder schools (1.15) and/or social and medical need (1.16) if these are included in the oversubscription criteria.
  • include a map of any catchment or priority area. (combination of 1.8, 1.14 and DfE guidance)
  • publish entry requirements for any selective and partially selective place and the process for such a selection. (1.17 and 1.21)
  • explain that unfilled partially selective school places must be offered to other applicants where there are insufficient applicants who have satisfied the entry requirement. (1.21)
  • publish the requirements and process where schools are fully banded, including details of tests. (1.27)
  • clearly detail, where random allocation is used, how it will operate, ensure looked after and previously looked after children are prioritised, and state that is will be independently supervised (1.34 and 1.35)
  • ensure that where Supplementary Information Forms (SIF) are used by schools, a copy is included and that they only request additional information where it has a direct bearing on decisions about oversubscription criteria. (2.4)
  • provide separate entry criteria and PAN where schools have a sixth form. (2.6)
  • state that the school's Waiting List will be re-ranked, in line with the published oversubscription criteria, every time a child is added. (2.15)
  • inform parents of Reception age children of their right deferment of entry or to take the place up part-time, until the term in which the child reaches compulsory school age. (2014 Admission Code has made this a right where historically parents have only had the right to request) (2.17)
  • make clear the process for requesting admission outside of the normal age group. (2.18)