Primary school admission policy for September 2024 to July 2025

• Latest consultation on this policy: 26 October 2022 to 7 December 2022
• Policy determined on: 8 February 2023. Amended 24 October 2023 following School Adjudicator Variation determination VAR2360
• Policy determined by: Leeds City Council Executive Board
  

This admissions policy applies to all schools where Leeds City Council is the admission authority. See the full list of schools this policy applies to.

Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan will be given a place in that school.

How we prioritise school places (oversubscription criteria)

If a school has more applications than places (called being oversubscribed) we will give children priority for places in the following order:

Priority 1 – Looked after and previously looked after children

A looked after child is defined as a child who is (one of the following):

• in the care of a local authority
• being provided with accommodation by a local authority’s social services (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989)

A previously looked after child is any child who was previously looked after but stopped being so because they were (one of the following):

• adopted
• became subject to a Special Guardianship order
• became subject to a Child Arrangements Order

• were in state care outside of England and were then adopted
• You must submit evidence of your child’s previously looked after status (a copy of the court order and evidence of being in local authority or state care outside England) with your application.

Priority 2 – Children with exceptional social or medical needs that can only be met at a specific school

This priority is a request for admission to one specific school because your child has exceptional needs that can only be met at that school. It must be supported by professional evidence.

All schools in Leeds have experience of supporting a wide range of social and medical needs. However, in exceptional cases, there may be compelling reasons why a child needs to attend one specific school. This priority can be requested in these cases, and applicants will need to clearly demonstrate the connection between your child’s need, the specific school and how that school can meet your child’s needs in a way that no other school can. It must be supported by professional evidence. A panel of council officers will review your request for this priority.

A request would not be granted where a parent wishes for their child to attend a school based on the child’s abilities, because their friends attend the school or due to childcare arrangements. Any request for this priority must outline why the child’s circumstances are exceptional, and why only one school is suitable.

You can find out more about this priority on our check if you need to submit extra information page.

You must provide the following information with your application:

• your child’s name, date of birth and address
• the name of the one school you are requesting this priority for
• What precise support your child requires due to their specific needs
• Why only this school can provide the support needed to meet your child’s needs and no other can
• What extra support or funding your child currently receives
• You must attach supporting evidence from an independent professional, such as a medical specialist which confirms exactly what your child’s needs are and why, in their view, only one school can meet that need. Without this evidence, your child’s needs cannot be considered.

Cases will be considered individually and where necessary in consultation with the school that you’ve requested.

Priority 3 – Children who have a brother or sister attending the school

To get this priority, the sibling must:

• live the same address as the child applying
• still go to the school when the child applying starts (in September)
• be a full, half, step or foster sibling (this priority does not include cousins or other family members sharing a house)

Specific school rules for siblings

For Roundhay all through school, if an older sibling is attending sixth form, they must have been going to the school in Year 11 to be considered as a sibling in this priority.

Priority 4 – Children who live in the catchment priority area for the school

Each of the community and voluntary controlled primary schools in Leeds has a defined catchment priority area. You can:

• check your address to see if it is in any catchment area
• find catchment area maps for each school
  

If you live in the catchment area your application will receive a higher priority at that school than applicants who live outside the catchment area. Living in the catchment area does not guarantee a place at the school.

Priority 5 – other children, by straight line distance

If none of the other priorities apply, your application will be considered under this priority.

If children meet the same priority (tie break)

In any priority, if children meet the same priority but there are not enough places left for all of them, the places will be allocated based on distance from the school. For example, if there are 4 places remaining at the school and 5 children all live in the priority catchment area, the 4 priority catchment children living closest to the school will be allocated those places.

If two or more children live exactly the same distance from the school (i.e. in a block of flats) and there are not enough places for both, we will draw lots. This will be witnessed by an independent person.

We will not draw lots for twins or other multiple birth siblings from the same family. Where they are tied for the final place we will admit them all, exceeding the Published Admissions Number for the school.

How many children are admitted to a school (Published Admission Number)

Each school has a Published Admission Number (PAN) which is the number of places the school can admit in Reception in 2024. Find each school’s Published Admissions number.

Application process (normal round)

When applying to start in the entry year, all applications are coordinated by local authorities across England.

You apply to your home Local Authority (the council who empty your bins) by the closing date of 15 January 2024.

All offers will be made by your home Local Authority on offer day of 16 April 2024.

Applying after the national closing date

If you apply after the national closing date, we cannot guarantee to consider your preferences at the same time as those received on time.

Until 12 February, all applications submitted or changed will be treated as if they were on-time.

After 12 February, any applications submitted or changed will only be considered after allocations have been made for all on-time applications, unless there are exceptional reasons for the late application agreed by us.

All applications submitted after 28 February are considered late and won’t be allocated a school place until after national offer day.

Definitions and special circumstances

Nursery

You must apply for a place if you wish for your child to transfer to the reception class. A place in a nursery does not guarantee a place in the school as there is no priority for nursery attendance.

Distance measurements

We use a straight-line distance measurement. The program measures the straight-line distance from a defined Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) point on the main school building to a defined point on your home address.

The point we measure to at your home address is set by the LLPG, which provides coordinates for every property. If we are not able to match your address with the LLPG then we will identify a point at the centre of your home.

Temporary school sites

If a school is based on a temporary site for any reason we will base our distance measurements on the school’s permanent site.

Which address to use

When you apply you must use the child’s permanent address, where they usually live with their parent or carer - this is the address of a person holding parental responsibility for the child. You must not use any other address on your application.

Using the address of a childminder, a relative or renting a property for a short period of time in order to secure a school place is considered as a fraudulent application. We will investigate all queries about addresses, and we could change the school place offer.

If we find out that an intentionally misleading or false address has been given to get a school place, the school place may be withdrawn even if the child has already started at the school.

If the child lives in different properties (shared care)

Only one address can be used on your application for a school place, and this should be the parent address where the child lives for the majority of the week. In cases of equal shared care, both parents must agree which address will be used on the application.

For applications made in the normal round, if there is no agreement, Leeds City Council will decide which parent address will be used, based on where the child spends the majority of the school week. If the child spends equal time with each parent, we will use the address where the child is registered with their doctor at the closing date.

If parents disagree on an application made in the normal round

Only one parent can submit a school place application and we cannot resolve disputes between parents – only a family court can do this.

When you apply, you are confirming you have the consent of all other persons to make the application. If we receive two conflicting applications, both applications will be placed on hold (and school places may have to be offered to other applicants) until we have received (either):

• written evidence that everyone holding parental responsibility agrees the application
• a Court Order specifying who should apply

We may be required to allocate a place at the closest school to the child’s home with spaces remaining available if the child needs a school place offer.

Moving home

When we make an offer, we assume your address will be the same when you take up the school place in September. If you are planning to move house, you must still use your current address on your application.

As soon as you move house, you must tell us your new address and provide proof of the house move, including evidence you’ve permanently left the old address and evidence of your new address. We may have to change the school place offered to you. Find out more on our making changes to your application page.

Accepting offers

You will need to accept the offer of a school place directly with the school. This will not affect your position on any waiting list for any other school or your right to appeal.

If you refuse the offer, or do not accept the offer within a reasonable time, your place may be withdrawn. This will leave your child without a school place in September.

Waiting lists

We hold a waiting list after national offer day. How to add your child to a waiting list will be explained in the offer letter you are sent.

If your child is added to a waiting list after offer day and a place becomes available before the new school year starts, your child will automatically be allocated the place at your higher preference school. We will also automatically withdraw the place at a lower preference school to give it to another child.

We hold waiting lists for all the year groups as follows:

• your child’s place on a list is decided by the oversubscription criteria in the school’s admission policy (the rules for prioritising places)
• each time a child is added or removed, the list is ranked again and your child can move down if another child meets higher criteria
• the waiting list will close at the end of the academic year (July). You must reapply for a new school place to be on the list the following year
• looked after children, previously looked after children and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol take priority over those on a waiting list

When your child must start at school (compulsory school age)

All children can start Reception in the September after they turn 4 and most children thrive when starting school at age 4.

You must ensure your child has a full-time education from when they reach compulsory school age. Your child reaches this on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August after their fifth birthday (whichever comes first).

Once you have a school place offer, you have the right to defer the date your child is admitted to the school until:

• later in the school year but not after the date at which you child becomes compulsory school age (see below)
• and not after the beginning of the final term (after Easter break) of the school year the offer was made

If you do not think your child will be ready to start in September, speak to your offered school about starting part time, or after Christmas or Easter break.

Admission out of chronological age (including deferment for summer born children)

You can ask for your child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example if your child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

In addition, if your child is summer born child (born between 1 April and 31 August) you may request that your child be admitted out of their normal age group, to reception rather than year one. We recommended you:

• talk to any professionals involved with your child about your request
• contact the schools you are considering applying for to understand what they do to meet the needs of their youngest children
• read the Department for Education guidance on Summer born children

You still need to apply for a place in their normal age group, in case you don't get permission. You must apply by any deadline date and we recommend you send the request to each school you intend to apply for, as it is possible for one school to refuse a request that another school agrees.

To apply, you must attach to your application form a request that explains:

• why admission out of normal year group is being requested
• the year group you wish your child to be allocated a place

If you have it, you can also attach any available evidence that supports your request.

Leeds City Council will consider each application individually and make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned.

This request is separate to any decision about offering a place at a preferenced school. There is no right of appeal against a decision relating to admission out of chronological age. All decisions about offering places are made by applying the admission policy oversubscription criteria to the child’s application. Find out more about starting Reception later or part time.

Moving schools (in-year applications)

Leeds City Council delegates the responsibility for in-year admissions to the schools. Requests to join a school in-year, or for Reception places after the start of the school year are considered by the school.

To apply for a place, go to the Leeds application portal at www.leeds.gov.uk/moveschools to submit an online in-year application to Leeds City Council. We send the application on to all the school(s) you have applied for at the same time. Each school will decide whether they can offer a place and contact you with their decision.

If the school refuse to offer a place, the school will confirm this in writing to you, explaining the reasons, and that you have the right of appeal. Schools must give you a written decision within 15 school days.

Your child will be added to a school’s waiting list automatically for that school year. Where any vacancy arises, places will be offered from the waiting list based on the oversubscription criteria within this policy.

Find out more including any current vacancies in Leeds schools.

Appeals

If you have not been offered a place at a school you applied for, you have the right to appeal.

Appeals submitted for a reception place in the normal round will need to be received by the Council’s deadline to guarantee being heard before the new school year starts. Find our appeals timetable containing deadlines and timescales

Appeals against a decision for an in-year application can be submitted any time during the academic year. Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal request being received (where the application for a place has been refused and the right of appeal has been issued).

Fair Access Protocol

All schools must take part in the Fair Access Protocol arrangements. It is a legal requirement and the protocol applies to all Leeds schools. The protocol operates outside of the Admissions policy.

The protocol applies to in-year applications and only to children who do not have a current school place. The aim is to make sure the most vulnerable children are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. It also ensures that no school (including those with places) is asked to take a disproportionate number of vulnerable children. Read our Fair Access Protocol.

Schools this Admissions Policy applies to

Catchment area maps

You can also check our 2024 catchment area maps for entry in: