Admissions

For parents with children starting school for the first time in September 2022 (born between 1 September 2017-31st August 2018), school applications need to be completed by 31st October 2021. Further information can be found in the downloadable admissions booklet and on the ESCC website

In-year Transfer

In-year transfers relate to children moving to a school during the school year, when they are already at school age. If you are thinking of moving your child to East Hoathly or Chiddingly School, we suggest that you take a look around before making an application with East Sussex. This means you can see if the school is right for your child before you apply. Please contact the relevant school to make an appointment and to check if we have spaces.

Chiddingly Primary School Tel. 01825 872307
East Hoathly CE Primary School Tel. 01825 840247

You can make an online application for in-year transfers or telephone 0300 330 9472 to speak to the Admissions team at County.

Phase Transfer

Phase transfers relate to children who are starting school for the first time at the age of 4+. East Sussex County Council will release key dates for applications to primary schools in their Admission booklet. The process usually goes as follows:

  • Early September – Admission booklet becomes available on ESCC website
  • Parents then start to visits schools; view school websites; read school prospectuses
  • January (exact date to be confirmed) – national application closing date
  • April (exact date to be confirmed) – allocation day

Admission priorities for community and voluntary controlled schools in East Sussex 2020-21

The priorities below will be used to decide who gets a place at community and voluntary controlled infant, primary and secondary schools.

  1. Looked after children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or subject to residence orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following being looked after.
  2. Children who will have a brother or sister* at the school (or linked junior school) at the time of admission and who live at the same address, within the pre-defined community area**.
  3. Other children living within a pre-defined community area**.
  4. Children who will have a brother or sister* at the school (or linked junior school) at the time of admission who live at the same address, outside the pre-defined community area**.
  5. Other children.

*Children are ‘siblings’ if they are full, half, adoptive or foster brother or sister living in the same household including siblings attending sixth forms. **Each home address in the county falls within a community area although living in a community area does not guarantee a place. Children who have a brother or sister who joined the school prior to 1 September 2017 and who is still on roll will be assigned to priority 2 under the previous arrangement which gave priority to brothers and sisters regardless of whether they live in the pre-defined community area or not. Where a child has been unable to secure a place at a school in his/her community area and has been directed to attend a school outside the community area as an alternative, any applications for younger siblings to attend the school will be treated as if the family were resident in the community area, as long as the sibling will still be attending the school when the younger child starts.

Tiebreaker

In the event of oversubscription within any priority, place allocation will be decided by prioritising applications on the basis of home to school distance measured in a straight line. This will be measured from the address point in the school (supplied by Ordnance Survey) to the address point in the family home. In the event that applicants cannot be prioritised using the tiebreaker above because the distance measurements are the same, the Authority will use random allocation to decide which children will be offered the remaining places. This will be done electronically using the Authority’s admissions software.