Return to Starting Schools Booklet Contents Page
Introduction
The statutory School Admissions Code provides guidance on the process that should be followed when varying the published admission arrangements for any Admissions Authority. The Admissions Authority for St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School is the Governing Body.
In accordance with the code, consultation must be carried out between 1st September and 1st March in the determination year.
The determination year is the one that starts two academic years before arrangements come into force, and therefore the Governing Body must now consult on proposed changes to the admission arrangements effective from September 2027. The arrangements for September 2027 have already been approved and published via the school website and the Monmouthshire County Council’s Parents’ Information Handbook 2027/28.
Anyone who wishes to comment on this consultation document should do so either by writing to the:
Chair of Governors, c/o St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School, Old Bulwark Road, Chepstow, Mon NP16 5JE
stmarysprimary@monmouthshireschools.wales
All comments must be received by no later than 12 noon on 1st March 2027.
School Admissions Arrangements – September 2027
Apply from: 13th November 2026
Closing Date: 15th January 2027 at 4pm
Parents Informed by: 16th April 2027.
| Application Received: | Decision Issued to Parents: |
| 16th – 31st January 2027 | 1st May 2027 |
| February 2027 | 3rd May 2027 |
| March 2027 | 14th May 2027 |
| April 2027 | 21st May 2027 |
| May 2027 | 11th June 2027 |
| June 2027 | 9th July 2027 |
| 1st – 10th July 2027 | 16th July 2027 |
| 11th – 17th July 2027 | 23rd July 2027 |
| 18th – 24th July 2027 | 30th July 2027 |
| 25th – 31st July 2027 | 6th August 2027 |
| 1st – 7th August 2027 | 13th August 2027 |
| 8th – 14th August 2027 | 20th August 2027 |
| 15th – 21st August 2027 | 27th August 2027 |
| 22nd – 28th August 2027 | Within one week |
Admission to St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School /Late Applications
Children can start school in the September following their fourth birthday. The legal requirements confirm that parents are able to delay the admission of their child until the term following their fifth birthday, and such a request will not prejudice an application in any way. It is the expectation however that on starting school the child will continue to follow their chronological year group unless exceptional circumstances apply.
When considering admission to the reception year group, parents should be aware that attending a nursery class does not guarantee a place at any primary or infant school as a separate application is required, and priority is not given to those children attending any specific nursery setting.
In line with the School Admissions Code of Practice 2013, parents must complete a “Common Application Form” from the Local Authority. The school operates an equal preference scheme, which means that all preferences are considered equally in line with the school’s over-subscription criteria, and not on the basis of the order in which they are listed on the application. In the event that more than one preference can be met, the highest rank preference as declared on the application form will be offered.
Applications can only be made by persons holding parental responsibility for the named child, and the person completing the application will be required to make a declaration to this effect. All completed application forms must be returned directly to the school by the deadline of 15th January 2027.
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to ensure that the school receives their completed application form safely and on time. If posting an application, it is recommended that the form is sent by recorded delivery.
Applications received by the closing date will be considered at the same time and decision letters will be sent to parents to inform them as to whether or not their application has been successful on the 16th April 2027.
Any applications that are received after the closing date or applications that remain incomplete as at the closing date will only be processed after places have been allocated for applications that were received by the closing date, and this may increase the possibility of not achieving a place at the school. Any late applications received will be batch filed and processed together by the end of the calendar month following receipt, once the relevant offer date has passed.
However, applications received after the published submission date will be considered with those received at the closing date only if supported by a letter giving exceptional reasons for its lateness and only if received before the offers of the places are made.
Exceptional reasons may be defined as when circumstances include the serious illness of a single parent, having just moved into the area, or arriving from abroad has meant that it was not possible to submit the application by the closing date. Making an application and providing the relevant supporting evidence does not guarantee admission to St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School. Each request will be considered individually and complied with wherever possible.
If more applications are received than the school’s admission number, however, the admission request may have to be refused. In these circumstances, admission is based on the school’s published ‘Over-subscription Criteria’. It is important to note that first consideration in all cases is given to parents expressing a preference for St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School, and therefore it is important to ensure that your list of preferences is properly considered before an application is submitted.
Before deciding to apply for a place at a school, you will need to consider carefully how your child will travel to school, as you will not necessarily be eligible for transport assistance.
Headteachers do not have the authority to give parents an indication of the outcome of their application, or tell them that their child has been given a place at the school, before an offer of a place has been made formally by the Governing Body.
Admission to St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School/Late Applications
St. Mary’s parish includes all of Chepstow, Bulwark, Thornwell and areas north including Itton, Devauden, St Arvans, Tintern and Llandogo, and east to Tutshill and Sedbury. St. Pauls Parish includes Portskewett, Caldicot, Undy, Magor, Caerwent, Penhow and Langstone.
Application Forms, Documents and Proof of Residency
It is the expectation that children are taught in their chronological year group, unless exceptional circumstances apply. For this reason applications must be supported by a photocopy of the child’s birth certificate, NHS medical card or valid passport. The Admissions Authority also requires proof of residency in support of all applications, and for this purpose parent/carers must submit a copy of their current year’s Council Tax Statement in order to verify their home address.
When processing your application, the Admissions Authority will use the address at which you and your child reside on the relevant closing date for your application, and it is your responsibility to advise of any changes in your circumstances following the submission of your application. Such changes may have an effect on the outcome of your application. Monmouthshire County Council will also use the address you provide to determine your child’s eligibility for free ‘home to school transport’, in accordance with the Council’s current transport policy.
If you have indicated that your child is a baptised Roman Catholic or has been received into the Roman Catholic Church, evidence is required to be submitted with the application. Evidence may include a Baptismal Certificate or written confirmation from a priest. If you have indicated that your child is of another faith than Roman Catholic, evidence is required to be submitted with the application. Evidence may include a letter of support from their Minister or Faith Leader. For Christian applicants a Baptismal Certificate should be provided wherever possible. Where admission to the school is sought on medical need, then the application must be supported by a letter from the Consultant overseeing the care of the child. Letters from GP’s or other health professionals will not suffice. Allegations of fraudulent claims will be investigated and places may be withdrawn if parents have knowingly provided false information in order to obtain the advantage of a particular school to which they would not normally be entitled.
In line with the School Admissions Code of Practice 2013, parents must complete a “Common Application Form” from the Local Authority. The school operates an equal preference scheme, which means that all preferences are considered equally in line with the school’s over-subscription criteria, and not on the basis of the order in which they are listed on the application. In the event that more than one preference can be met, the highest rank preference as declared on the application form will be offered.
Deferred Entry
The law does not require a child to start school until the start of the term following the child’s fifth birthday. In accordance with this, the Governing Body will allow parents the option of deferring their child’s entry into Reception until later in the same school year. The effect is that the place is held for the child and is not available to be offered to another child. The parents would not however be able to defer entry beyond the beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday, nor beyond the school year for which the application was made.
How places are allocated
Parents/carers have the right to express a preference for their child to be admitted to any school maintained from public funds. Admission to school is made in accordance with parental preference, subject to availability, and each request will be considered individually. Where the school is oversubscribed, preference requests will still be considered, but the priorities set by the Governing Body will be applied. In deciding which children to admit to the school, the over-subscription criteria will be applied in order of priority.
Over-subscription criteria for admission to St. Mary’s R.C. Primary 2027-2028.
It is important to note that first consideration in all cases is given to parents expressing a preference for St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School, and therefore it is important to ensure that your list of preferences is properly considered before an application is submitted. The indicated admission number for the school is 30. Where the number of applications is equal to or less than the number of places available, all applications will be successful. However where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the Governing Body will apply the following over-subscription criteria and allocate places accordingly.
Where St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School is named in a statement of Special Educational Needs, the Governing Body has a duty to admit the child to the school before the over-subscription criteria is applied against applications received. Children who have the school named in a Statement of Special Educational Need take priority over all children. The criterion will be applied in rank order. Child Looked After (children in the public care) or those who have previously been a Child Looked After and who are baptized as Roman Catholics or have been formally accepted into the Roman Catholic Church (see note *1) following consultation on the appropriateness of the placement.
Please note that in each of the following categories (2-5) below siblings will be given highest priority (Siblings are: brothers and sisters, whether half, full, step, adopted or fostered will be considered relevant where living in the same household and where an older child will still be registered at the school when the younger child will be eligible to attend. Where there is more than one such case, priority will be given to those children closest in age to the siblings already attending the school, as the admission date.)and where an older child will still be registered at the school when the younger child will be eligible to attend. Where there is more than one such case, priority will be given to those children closest in age to the siblings already attending the school, as at the admission date). Multiple birth children will be given the next highest priority in categories 2-5
2. Children who are baptised as Roman Catholics or have been formally accepted into the Roman Catholic Church. (see note *1)
3. Child Looked After (children in the public care) or those who have previously been a Child Looked After following consultation on the appropriateness of the placement.
4. Children of other Christian denominations whose parents have demonstrated a wish for a Catholic education. (see note *2)
5. Children of other Faiths whose parents have demonstrated a wish for a Catholic education. (see note *2)
6. All other children, whose parents demonstrated a wish for a Catholic Education.
*1. Applications from children who are to be considered under criteria 1 or 2 above are asked to provide evidence of baptism or reception into the Roman Catholic Church. Evidence should include written confirmation or certification of baptism/acceptance in the Roman Catholic Church.
*2. Applications from children to be considered under criteria 4 or 5 are asked to provide a letter of support from their Minister or Faith Leader. For Christian applicants a Baptismal Certificate should be provided wherever possible.
Tie Breaker:
Where places are available for some but not all applicants in any particular category then preference shall be given to the children whose home address is closest to the school gate measured as the “shortest safest available walking route, accompanied as necessary” between the nearest entrance/ front gate of the home and the main gate of the school on Old Bulwark Road. Such distances will be measured as recorded by Google Maps (walking option). Parents have a statutory right of appeal against the non- admission of a child to the school. This will be heard by an Independent Appeals Panel, in which the Governing Body and Head teacher play no role. Details of the appeals process will be made available to parents when they are notified of a refusal of a place (or if they request such information from the Governing Body.)
Notes: The Governing Body will consider the child’s home address to be the place where the child permanently resides for the majority of the school week, as at the stipulated closing date for applications. This would normally be at the same address as the person who has parental responsibility for the child and is the main carer.
Where the child spends equal time with both parents/carers, the place of residence of the person who receives the child benefit will be considered the child’s home. Evidence may be required to support this. Applications on medical need must be supported by a medical consultant’s report, obtained by parents, specifying the medical need of the child attending the school. Please note that reports from family doctors are not accepted for this purpose. Siblings are: brothers and sisters, whether half, full, step, adopted or fostered will be considered relevant where living in the same household and where an older child will still be registered at the school when the younger child will be eligible to attend.
Other Relevant Information – Home to School Distances
Within each set of over-subscription criteria, if the number of applications in any category exceeds the indicated admission number, priority will be based on those residing closest to the preferred school. This distance is measured as the “shortest available walking route, accompanied as necessary” between the home (measured to the centreline of the adopted road immediately outside the front of the normal residence of the child) and the nearest school gate. The school will determine the route as outlined above using its’ own specific routing software, measured as recorded by Google Maps (Walking Option). In order to ensure fairness and consistence for all applicants, this is the only measurement tool that is used by the School.
Where two or more applicants are being considered for the last available place, and their home to school distance calculations are the same, MCC will undertake an additional assessment of the distance between the centreline of the adopted road and the front door of the home.
Children of Armed Forces Personnel
Children of armed forces personnel moving to Monmouthshire will be determined as meeting the residency criteria for the relevant primary school if their application form is accompanied by an official proof of posting declaring a definite return date with confirmation of the new address wherever possible.
Children Housed via Domestic Violence Agencies
Children temporarily housed under the protection of approved Domestic Violence agencies will be determined as meeting the residency criteria for the relevant primary school if their application form is accompanied by an official letter from the relevant agency.
Waiting lists for oversubscribed schools
Phase Transfer FP – KS2 During a phase transfer process, should your child be refused a placement at your preferred school(s), your child’s name will remain on a waiting list for this school until 30th September in the year in which the application is made. If additional places become available, they will be allocated to children on the waiting list on the basis of the published over-subscription criteria. Waiting lists do not give priority to children based on the date the application was added to the list. Prior to 30th September, parents will be contacted and asked to confirm whether or not they wish to remain on the waiting list for the remainder of the academic year, after which time a new application may be made.
In-Year Admission or Transfer
Where an application made for an in-year transfer is refused, the child’s name will remain on a waiting list for the preferred school until the end of the academic year (31st August) in which the application is made, at which time a new application may be made. If additional places become available, they will be allocated to children on the waiting list on the basis of the published over-subscription criteria. Waiting lists do not give priority to children based on the date the application was added to the list.
Some Reasons Why We May Refuse Admission
Whilst parents have the right to express a preference for their child to be admitted to any school maintained from public funds, there are reasons why that preference may have to be refused, since when determining applications, the Admission Authority also has to have regard for:
- The infant class size initiative which is committed to ensuring that no child aged 5, 6 or 7 years will be in a class of more than 30 pupils for every one qualified teacher. The statutory infant class size limit of 30 pupils applies to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes.
- Any other factors which may prejudice the provision of efficient education and / or the efficient use of resources.
Class size exceptions
Welsh Government regulations require Admission Authorities to limit infant class sizes to no more than 30 pupils and also to ensure where possible that junior class sizes do not exceed 30 pupils. There are, however, exceptions to these regulations (called ‘excepted pupils’) which may allow the 30 pupils per class limit to be exceeded. These pupils are as specifically outlined in the statutory School Admissions Code. Excepted pupils will remain so, once admitted, for the remainder of their time in an infant class or until class numbers fall back and they can be organised to comply with the infant class size limit. Classes must be organised so as to comply with the limit wherever possible.
Voluntary Aided School Appeals
Parents have the statutory right of appeal against the refusal by a Governing Body to admit their child, and should put their reasons for appeal in writing in accordance with the procedures outlined in the decision letter. Appeals will be heard by an Independent Appeal Panel, in which the Governing Body and Headteacher play no role. The decision of the Appeal Panel is binding on all parties.