Admissions

Acorn Multi Academy Trust is the admissions authority for its member schools, responsible for the admissions policies and decisions on applications for admission.

We have an admissions policy for each academic year and they will be published on this page and school admissions pages when they are proposed for consultation and after they have been determined annually. They are written to comply with the School Admissions Code 2021 and School Admissions Appeals Code 2022.

The local governing bodies of each school play an active part in the admissions process. Links below will take you to the academy admissions pages.  

Applying to come to our schools

Once you decide you would like a place in Reception or at any other time after this, you must make a formal application. You can do this by applying to the Local Authority and not direct to the school. For the Normal Round intake into school, children are offered places to start in Reception at the beginning of the September term after their fourth birthday. Children who are admitted to a vacancy at any time after this point are called 'In-Year' Admissions. 

The Local Authority

We take part in the co-ordinated admissions schemes of Devon and Dorset County Councils. Devon and Dorset County Council publish information about admissions and their own policies to support the admissions application and appeals process. The links are at:

Devon County Council Admissions

Dorset County Council Admissions

Applications to Devon can be made online at:  www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonlineoror by using the forms available at: http://devon.cc/applicationforms

Applications to Dorset can be made online at: www.dorset.go.uk/applyforaschoolplace

For questions about your child joining the school or just about the admissions process in general, please don’t hesitate to contact the school direct or contact Devon School Admissions Service on 0345 155 1019 or by email to: admissions@devon.gov.uk.

You can contact Dorset School Admissions Service on 01305 221060 or email to: admissions@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Our Admissions Policies

You can find our admissions policies below through the county council websites. We review the school policies annually and may make changes if we feel this would be in the best interests of the school and our community. Each academic year has its own policy document, with details about how to apply for a place in school from the start of Reception through to Year 6.

Devon school Admissions Policies 2024-25

See our determined policy below.  If you have any comments regarding a policy, you can contact us via the school or schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.   

2024 admissions policies

Devon school Admissions Policies 2025-26

See our determined policies below.If you have any comments regarding a policy, you can contact us via the school or schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.      

2025 admissions policies

Dorset School Admissions Policies 2024-25
2024 admissions policies

2025 admissions policy - Loders

2025  admissions policy - Marshwood

2025 admissions policy - Thorncombe St Mary's

The Admissions Appeals Timetable 2024

Appeals at the normal round of admissions will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals on 31 May 2024. Where the application was not made in time for a decision to be made on 16 April 2024, they will be heard within that 40-day period or, if that is not possible, within 30 days of the appeal being lodged. In-year admission appeals must be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

DEVON ADMISSIONS APPEALS TIMETABLE

DORSET ADMISSIONS APPEALS TIMETABLE

Links to academy admission arrangements

Axminster Community Primary

Mrs Ethelston's CofE Primary Academy, Uplyme

Marshwood CofE Primary Academy

Membury Primary Academy & Little Acorns Pre-School

St Andrews CofE Primary Academy & Little Acorns Pre-School, Chardstock

Loders CofE Primary Academy & Little Acorns Pre-School

Thorncombe St Mary's CofE PrimaryAcademy