Reception school places - catchment

[Samemka]

We are in a catchment area for a little rural church school. My daughters name is down & the Head told me as we lived in catchment & had expressed an interest she would get in no trouble. However......reading over all the info online relating to admissions it says there are different criteria if there are more apps than places. No where on this list does it say being in the catchment - yet numbers 5 and 7 are "living in...." (Villages not in catchment). Number 3 is about being regular church worshippers which we aren't, so I am just worrying myself she won't get in even though we are in catchment & I'm sure there's no where near enough children within the catchments to fill 27 places, it's only a little rural school!! Plus, the other schools I'd have to put down as choices 2 and 3 would also be oversubscribed & we'd be out of catchment anyway! I'm just worrying myself because I really want her to go here but don't understand whether they have to take all from catchment before anyone else? (In which case us not going to church which is criteria 3 won't matter anyway). Help!

 

[Tasha]

Sounds complicated, but first and foremost it sounds like the catchment area is most important, which you're in so it is most likely she will get a place.

 

[RachA]

Generally speaking the criteria goes as follows for church schools:

1/2/ - children who are special needs/in care etc/siblings etc
3 - children who live in a certain area/catchment area who regularly attend church
4 - children who live in a certain area/catchment area who don't attend church
5 - children who live outside of the certain areas who attend church
6 - children who live outside of the area who don't attend church.

hope that helps.

 

[Samemka]

Much appreciated, thank you