This policy relates to Reception entry admissions to Heronshill School & Nursery for September 2026. These admissions are co-ordinated by Milton Keynes Local Authority. This information should be read in conjunction with the Milton Keynes Council publication
“Admission to Primary Schools in Milton Keynes: Information for Parents and Carers”.
Places are allocated in line with Heronshill School’s oversubscription criteria, taking into account the infant class size limit of 15 for pupils aged 5, 6 or 7 at Key Stage 1. The LocalAuthority will inform parents of their child’s school placement on National Offer Day.
Admissions Criteria for pupils aged 4+
The planned admission number (PAN) for September 2026 is 15 pupils.
All children born during the school year, i.e. between 1st September 2021 and 31st August 2022, will be admitted to school in September 2026. Prospective applicants should note that it is generally not Heronshill School’s policy to allocate a place for a child to a yearabove or below that of the child’s chronological age.
If a place cannot be offered, parents will be informed of their right to an independent appeal.
Defined Area
Heronshill School’s defined area for admissions is the area of Milton Keynes east of the Ouzel to Tongwell Street (V11) and between Standing Way (H8) and the north part of Walnut Tree. This area covers Kents Hill, Kents Hill Park, Walton, Walton Manor, Walton Park and part of Walnut Tree to the north of and including Walton Road, Hindhead Knoll and Fyfield Barrow.
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEND) or an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC) naming Heronshill School will be given priority for admission within the normal admission round, in accordance with national regulations.
Oversubscription Criteria
In the event of there being greater demand for admission than there are places available, places will be allocated in the following priority order:
1. Looked after or previously looked after children. A 'looked after child' is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after butceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order).
2. Children attending Heronshill School Nursery who also live in the school’s defined area.
3. Children who live in the school’s defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of admission.
4. Children attending Heronshill School Nursery who live outside the defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of admission.
5. Children attending Heronshill School Nursery who live outside the defined area.
6. Children who live in the defined area served by the school.7. Children of staff employed by IFtL (Inspiring Futures through Learning). Children of staff may only be given priority where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application to the school is made, and/or a member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is ademonstrable skill shortage.
8. Children who live outside the defined area.
In the event of over subscription following the application of the criteria above, places will be allocated according to the proximity of the child's home to the school. The shortestnroute between Heronshill School and the normal home address is measured using acomputerised geographical information system. Each house and school has a unique reference, as do all the redways and paths which are coded at any point of junction such as at an underpass or where it crosses with another path. This enables the program to calculate the distance from home to school. All measurements are calculated using the same system providing consistency for all applicants.
Deferred entry
In accordance with the requirements of the Admissions Code, if your child has been offered a place:-
1. your child is entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday;
2. you can defer the date your child is admitted to the school until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which your child reaches compulsory school age and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which it was made; and
3. if you wish, your child may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which your child reaches compulsory school age.
If this option is preferred, the Headteacher will wish to discuss the reasons with the parents to ensure that all the implications are understood by parents and school.
Permanent Residence
Permanent residence relates to the address where a parent receives child benefit for the child or where the child is registered with a GP. For situations where parents have shared responsibility for a child who lives part of the week with one parent and partly with another,the place would be offered in accordance with the main residence of the child during the week.
Sibling
A sibling is a brother or sister, which for admission purposes means brothers and sisters of whole or half blood or any other child (including an adopted child) who permanently resides at the same address and for whom the parent also has parental responsibility.To be included as a sibling within the admissions rules the other child (sibling) should stillexpected to be in attendance when the applicant child joins the school. Siblings are always checked and it would be helpful if you indicated where the existing child has a different family name.
Multiple Births
In cases where there is one remaining place available and the next child on the waiting list is one of a twin, triplet or other multiple birth group, both twins would be admitted (or all the siblings in the case of multiple births) even if this goes above the admission number for the school.
Fair Access Protocol
Local Authorities are required to have Fair Access Protocols in order to make sure that unplaced, vulnerable children are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible.
The school will comply with the Milton Keynes Fair Access Protocol. This may mean admitting children above the PAN.
Waiting List
The Local Authority maintains a waiting list until 31st December. If it is not possible to offer a place at Heronshill School during the autumn term, a parent may request have their child’s name added to the school waiting list, which is held in partnership with governors. The list is organised in line with the admissions criteria. A waiting list will be maintained until the end of the academic year after which it will be cleared. If you would like your child to be placed on the waiting list for the following academic year please contact the school.
If places become available they will be allocated from the waiting list.
The waiting list is maintained in the order of the published criteria. This means that names can move down the list if, e.g. someone moves into the area and is higher placed under the admissions criteria.
Appeals
The parents of any child refused a place at the school have a right to appeal to an independent appeal panel. Parents must submit their appeal in writing to the school within 20 school days from the date of notification (National Offer Day) that the application was unsuccessful. Appeals for September entry will be heard by July 2026.
Verification of information
Heronshill Hill School reserves the right to make its own enquiries to verify any information supplied on admissions application forms. If the school discovers that a place has been given to a child based on false, inaccurate or misleading information, it may withdraw the place.
Please contact the school office with any queries you have in relation this policy.
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Governing Body.