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. They are written to comply with the School Admissions Code and School Admissions Appeals Code. We take part in the co-ordinated admissions schemes of Devon and Dorset County Councils.
The local governing bodies of each school play an active part in the admissions process.
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.
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/admissionsonlineor 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 Admssions Service on 01305 221060 or email to admissions@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
You can find our admissions policies below - 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 2020-21
This is our determined policy. If you have any comments regarding the policy, you can contact the school or schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.
Devon School admissions policies 2021-22
This is our determined policy. If you have any comments regarding the policy, you can contact the school or schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. Objections can be made up to 15 May 2020 to the Office of the Schools' Adjudicator.
Devon School admissions policies 2022-23
We will consult on an admissions policy between 1 November 2020 and 8 January 2021. If you have any comments regarding the policy we propose, you can contact the school or schoolsadmissionpolicy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. After the consultation, we will determine the policy at a meeting of the admissions authority held before the end of February 2021. Once determined, the policy will be updated by 15 March 2021. Objections can be made up to 15 May 2021 to the Office of the Schools' Adjudicator.
Dorset School admissions policies 2020-21
The School Admissions (England) (Coronavirus) (Appeals Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 apply to appeals that are submitted by parents on or before 31 January 2021. They amend the timescales and processes referred to in our admissions arrangements. Appeals will not be heard at a face to face meeting. They will be heard by remote access – by video or telephone conference. Where it is not possible for a parent to take part by remote access, the appeal panel may make its decision based on the written information that is submitted. A new deadline for appeals will be at least 28 calendar days from the date of the refusal to admit. Appeals will be heard as soon as possible after they are submitted with parents given at least 14 days’ written notice of an appeal hearing. Parents may not submit additional evidence on the day of the appeal.
Appeals at the normal round of admissions to Reception will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals on 14 May 2021. Where the application was not made in time for a decision to be made on 16 April 2021, 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.
New guidance has been published and is in force from 24 April to 31 Jan 2021
Axminster Community Primary School
Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary School
Marshwood CE Primary Academy
Membury Primary Academy
St Andrews CE Primary Academy
Loders CE Primary Academy