Children are admitted to school in the September of the school year in which their fifth birthday falls.

Parents are requested to complete Rochdale LEA’s application form stating their preference,

priority is given according to the Governors Admissions Policy which is as follows:

Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic Primary School provided by the Diocese of Salford and is maintained by the Rochdale Local Education Authority as a Voluntary Aided School. The school’s Governing Body is the Admissions authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions.

Admission to the school will be made by the Governing Body in accordance with the stated parental preferences it receives, subject to the following set of criteria which will be used to form a priority order if there are more applications for admission than the school has places available.

1. Children who are in Public Care or have previously been in the care of the Local Authority.
2. Baptised Roman Catholic children who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and resident in the parish of Sacred Heart.
3. Baptised Roman Catholic children resident in the parish of Sacred Heart.
4. Other baptised Roman Catholic children who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and are resident in another parish.
5. Other baptised Roman Catholic children who are resident in another parish or have previously been in the care of the Local Authority.
6. Other children who are in public care.
7. Other children, with a brother or sister* attending the school at the time of admission.
8. Other children.
9. Applications for placements outside the normal age group will then also be considered under the criteria (1-8) detailed within this policy.

Any remaining places will be decided on the basis of proximity and ease of access to the school. Should the number of pupils falling into this category exceed the Published Admission Number, Distance will be measured from the centre point of the pupil’s house to the main gate of the school taking the shortest safest walking distance. The Local Authority utilises a computer application called SCANA to measure distances utilising ordnance survey maps.

Where pupils have a statement of special educational needs, that names a specific school, the LA has a statutory duty to admit those pupils.

* A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or step-brother/step-sister living at the same address as the child for whom application is being made and attend the school at the start of the academic year for which admission is sought. Sibling priority will not be given where the brother/sister or step brother/sister lives at a different address to the child for whom the application is being made. No sibling priority is given to cousins, regardless of there address.

If your child was born between 1st September 2019 and the 31st August 2020 our child will start primary school in September 2025.

Applications open in September 2025 and should be completed online here.

The closing date for application is

15th January 2025

Application email/letters will be sent out on the 17th April 2026 by 2nd class post.

If you have a child who is currently in Year 6 the closing date for Application to Secondary

School is 31st October 2024.

Any remaining places will be decided on the basis of proximity and ease of access to the school. Should the number of pupils falling into this category exceed the Published Admission Number, Distance will be measured from the centre point of the pupil’s house to the main gate of the school taking the shortest safest walking distance. The Local Authority utilises a computer application called SCANA to measure distances utilising ordnance survey maps.

Where pupils have a statement of special educational needs, that names a specific school, the LA has a statutory duty to admit those pupils.

Reception Admissions 2025

Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic Primary School provided by the Diocese of Salford and is maintained by the Rochdale Local Education Authority as a Voluntary Aided School.  The school’s Governing Body is the Admissions authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions.  For the school year commencing 2023/2024 the governing body’s planned admission number is 30.

Admission to the school will be made by the Governing Body in accordance with the stated parental preferences it receives, subject to the following set of criteria which will be used to form a priority order if there are more applications for admission than the school has places available.

1. Children who are in Public Care or have previously been in the care of the Local Authority.
2. Baptised Roman Catholic children who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and resident in the parish of Sacred Heart.
3. Baptised Roman Catholic children resident in the parish of Sacred Heart.
4. Other baptised Roman Catholic children who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and are resident in another parish.
5. Other baptised Roman Catholic children who are resident in another parish or have previously been in the care of the Local Authority.
6. Other children who are in public care.
7. Other children, with a brother or sister* attending the school at the time of admission.
8. Other children.
9. Applications for placements outside the normal age group will then also be considered under the criteria (1-8) detailed within this policy.                                                                           * see note ( E )

NOTES

1. The Governing Board of Sacred Heart RC Primary School is the admissions authority. The admissions committee is comprised of at least two foundation governors and the Headteacher.
2. Parents must either obtain an in-year Transfer Form from their current school or complete our own Transfer Forms
3. Governors are forwarded the In-Year Transfer forms for their decision
4. If the school is oversubscribed, a waiting list will be maintained. This will be ordered according to the admission over-subscription criteria.
5. It is the duty of governors to comply with class size limits at Key Stage One. This means that the school cannot operate classes in Key Stage One of more than 30 children.
6. The Governing Body reserve the right to admit children within proven and exceptional medical and social needs where admission to the school might best help satisfy those exceptional needs, providing that such application is submitted with appropriate evidence from a doctor or social worker.
7. If an application for admission has been turned down by the Governing Body, parents can appeal to an independent Appeals Panel.

‘A cared for child is a child who is (a) in the care of the Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of the Social Services functions under section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989.  A previously cared for child is one who immediately moved on from that status after becoming subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order.’

School Admission Appeals Timetable 2024

In-Year Transfer Appeals

Appeals resulting from in-year transfer school admission applications will be heard within the timescales set out in the School Admission Appeals Code.

Appeals for September 2024

Entry Appeals resulting from year of entry (Reception) or transfer applications (Year 7 entry) for admission in September 2024 will be heard according to the following timetable:

Appeals lodged after these dates will be heard within the timescales set out in the School Admission Appeals Code.

Appellants will be sent notification of their appeal hearing along with a copy of the school’s case at least 14 days in advance of the hearing.

Further Information about School Admission Appeals can be found here:

Rochdale Council Website

Department for Education Website

Determining Admission Arrangements Dates