Admission rules
Admission rules for Hertfordshire community and voluntary-controlled primary schools
Community schools
Community schools are state-maintained schools, run by the local authority (Hertfordshire County Council, in this case). The local authority employs the staff, owns the land and buildings, and decides on the admission criteria to apply if the school is oversubscribed. These schools all follow Hertfordshire County Council's admission rules, described below. Community schools receive funding from the local authority, follow the National Curriculum and are regularly inspected by Ofsted.
SchoolGuru’s Admission Calculator can predict whether you’re likely to get into any of these schools.
Voluntary-controlled (VC) schools
These are Church of England schools that are state-maintained and run by the local authority. As with community schools, the local authority employs the staff, and sets the admission criteria. The land and buildings are normally run by a charity, often a religious body, which also appoints some members of the governing body. In Hertfordshire, voluntary-controlled schools follow Hertfordshire County Council's admission rules, described below. VC schools receive funding from the local authority, follow the National Curriculum and are regularly inspected by Ofsted.
SchoolGuru’s Admission Calculator can predict whether you’re likely to get into any of these schools.
Admission rules
Go through the rules below, in turn. The first rule that applies for your child is the rule you should put into the Admission Calculator. If the school is oversubscribed, the admission rules are applied in the order shown below, from 1 through to 7. Applicants qualifying under Rule 1 are allocated places first, then it's applicants under Rule 2, then Rule 3 etc. Some popular schools ‘run out’ of places by Rule 4, 5 or 6. For the final rule applied, if more children qualify for a place, than there are places available, a tiebreak is used (see individual rules for more information).
Rule 1: Children in public care.
Rule 2: Children with a demonstrable medical or social need to go to the school.
Note: A panel of officers will determine whether the evidence provided is sufficiently compelling. You must provide supporting evidence from a doctor, psychologist or other professional involved with your child. The evidence must relate specifically to the school you are applying to under this rule, and must clearly demonstrate why it is the only school that can meet your child's needs. Medical priority is given to children who have an exceptional illness or disability (for example, restricted mobility) which means that they can only go to one school. Social priority is given to children whose education would be seriously affected if they did not go to a particular school.
Rule 3: Only applies if your child is currently attending an infant school and applying to the linked junior school. You will need to make an application when your child is in year 2.
Rule 4: Sibling at the school.
Note: The sibling has to be on the roll of the school or linked school at the time of application. The older sibling must still be at the school when the younger child starts. This means that you won't be eligible if the older sibling is in their final year at the school (or linked junior school). A sibling means the sister, brother, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, or child of the parent/carer or partner. The sibling must live in the same house as your child from Monday to Friday.
Rule 5: It's your nearest community or voluntary-controlled school.
You will only qualify under Rule 5 for one school – find out which one by calling Hertfordshire County Council on 0300 123 4043.
Tiebreaker: For infant class applications, if the school is oversubscribed, priority will be given to twins/multiple births. For all other years, priority will be given for students living nearest to the school (closest applicants take priority).
Rule 6: Children who live nearest to the school.
Note: If you don't qualify under Rules 1-5, you'll qualify under Rule 6.
Tiebreaker: distance to the school (closest applicants take priority)
Top tip: Not sure what your closest community or VC school is? Ask Herts CC (tel: 0300 123 4043). While you're waiting for a response, use Rule 6 in the Admission Calculator. If you're interested in the school, that's your worst case scenario.
Special note: Any child with a statement of special educational needs, that names the school, will be offered a place (because that's the law!).
Hertfordshire toolkit:
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