Admission Arrangements

Admissions Arrangements

The Trust has adopted the Local Authority’s policies for admissions and applications for places within our Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland based academies. The admissions arrangements will be made in accordance with the local authorities Co- ordinated Admission Arrangements. Applications must be made on the common application form (CAF) which is provided by the Local Authority.  Full details can be found by clicking the following links:

Middlesbrough admissions

Redcar admissions

In advance of making a preference parents or carers are welcome to make an appointment with their preferred academy/academies.

Appeals Guidance

Parents / carers, if they wish, have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel if they are dissatisfied with an admissions decision of the Academy. The appeal panel will be independent of the Academy. The arrangements for appeals will be in line with the School Admission Appeals Code published by the Department for Education. The decision of the panel is binding on all parties.

Parents can only appeal once for any academic year unless there has been a change in circumstances relevant to the application.

School admission appeals timetable

In-year transfer applications:

Appeals for children refused a place at a preferred school as a result of an in-year transfer application will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

September 2025 entry

Appeals for children refused a place at a preferred school for admission to Reception class in September 2025 will be heard according to the following statutory timescales:

Closing Date	Offers	Appeals Heard By
15th January 2025	16th April 2025	June/July 2025

Parents/carers will be notified of their appeal date at least 10 school days before the hearing.

A copy of the school’s statement of case will be sent to each parent/carer 5 school days before the hearing.

Any additional evidence parents/carers wish to submit in support of their appeal must be sent to the clerk at least 7 school days before the hearing. Any evidence not submitted by this deadline may not be considered by the independent appeal panel.

Nursery Admissions

Children are admitted on or after their third birthday as places become available. When the nursery is full a waiting list is maintained by the academy and if a place becomes available it is offered based on the following criteria:

• The child lives within the academy catchment area
• The child lives out of the academy catchment area, but has brothers or sisters already in the academy
• The child lives out of the academy catchment area

Please note: there is no guarantee that all children will automatically be given a place in reception.

There will be opportunity for you and your child to visit the nursery prior to admission, when you will be given all relevant information.

Nursery – Reception Transition

Children transfer from nursery to reception each autumn term. All places are allocated by the Local Authority prior to starting. Parents must make a formal application and the criteria above are used to prioritise the allocation of places.

We are keen to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. There is a planned programme of visits to the reception class, opportunities to take part in assemblies, academy lunchtimes and other general academy routines prior to admission. Parents will be invited to a number of short meetings to share information before their children start in reception. These visits are very important so please be aware that you will be required to attend before your child is admitted to the academy.

Listed below are the 25/26 and 26/27 admission arrangements for the following Trust academies:

• Brambles Primary academy (Middlesbrough based local authority area)
• Pennyman Primary academy (Middlesbrough based local authority area)
• Dormanstown Primary academy (Redcar and Cleveland based local authority area)
• Wilton Primary academy (Redcar and Cleveland based local authority area)