School Admissions

Bridge Schools Admission Arrangements

Bridge Multi-Academy Trust is the Admissions Authority.

The Trust participates fully in Cornwall Council’s Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for starting school and applying for a place during the school year.

Published Admission Number (PAN)

The number of places available in Reception Class (and all other year groups) is as follows:

School	PAN
Blisland Primary Academy	10
Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy	60
Copper Valley Infants & Nursery	30
Copper Valley Juniors	30
Darite Primary Academy	12
Duloe CofE VA Primary Academy	12
Harrowbarrow Primary Academy	17
Lanlivery Primary Academy	10
Looe Primary Academy	50
Pelynt Primary Academy	12
Polperro Primary Academy	22
Polruan Primary Academy	9
St Cleer Primary Academy	38 (Year R-3) 40 (Years 4-6)
Trenode CoE VA Primary Academy	12
Wadebridge Primary Academy	60

Applying for a place

If you are applying for a place in Reception Class commencing September 2027 and live in Cornwall you should complete Cornwall Council’s Common Application Form, available electronically at Cornwall Council or in paper form in their reception class prospectus.

Completed forms should be returned to Cornwall Council by the date required on the form. Applicants from outside Cornwall should complete the form provided by their own council.

How places are allocated

If you apply for a place in the school and the number of applications is not greater than the PAN (the number of places shown above), then you will be automatically offered a place.

However, if this number is exceeded, then after the admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then oversubscription criteria will be applied. These can be found in the admission arrangement documents below.

Late Applications

Late applications will be processed at a later stage, so it is possible that all places will have been filled. For further information, please see the council’s website.

In-Year Admissions / Waiting lists

If the school is oversubscribed, a waiting list will be held, and parents/carers can request that their child is added to this list. A pupil's position on the list will be determined by the over- subscription criteria set out in the documents attached.

The waiting list is for the whole of the academic year for all year groups. Children’s places on a waiting list are subject to change according to additional information received about applications or children being added to the list.

No priority is given to the length of time that a child has been on the list.

Part-time or deferred entry to school and admission of children outside their normal age group (early or delayed entry to reception)

Parents of summer born children (children born between 1 April and 31 August) can request that their child in admitted to Reception in the September after they turn five, a year later than they would usually start school.

Deciding to request delayed entry

Please refer to the Department for Education guidance:

Making a request to delay entry

You will need to put a request in writing to your preferred school/s.

You should also apply for a school place as normal – as if your child were going to start school at age 4 – even if you think you want to delay their start until age 5.

How your request will be considered

The admission authority (see below) must make a decision based on the individual circumstances. They should refer to the Department for Education guidance:

Guidance on handling admissions requests for summer born children

How to apply

The process for requesting admission out of the normal age group is to contact the preferred school, in writing, to request a meeting with the Head of School/Headteacher (or his or her representative) to discuss the issue. Please visit the school. Bridge Schools Trust (the Admission Authority) will make decisions on the basis of the individual circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child concerned. We will refer to the Department for Education guidance:

Guidance on handling admissions requests for summer born children

This will include taking account of the parent’s views; information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development; where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional; whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group; and whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely. We will also take into account the views of the Head of School and will delegate the decision to that Head of School/ Headteacher. When informing a parent of their decision on the year group the child should be admitted to, Bridge Schools Trust will set out clearly the reasons for their decision. The application will not be given a lower priority on the basis that the child is being admitted out of their normal age group.

What happens next

If your request is agreed by the relevant admission authority:

Agreement does not guarantee a place at the school even if you have been offered a place for your child's chronological year group - you will still need to apply (or reapply) for a place at the school for the next year so that it can be considered alongside all other applications for reception in that year.

If you applied for a place in your child's normal age group you can withdraw this application (or decline the place if one has already been offered) - you should contact Cornwall Council to do this.
You will then need to make an application as part of the main admissions round for the following year. To do this you will need to contact Cornwall Council in September for an application form and provide evidence of the school's agreement.
Your application will be considered alongside all other applications in accordance with the school's published admission criteria.

If your request is refused:

You can accept the offer of (or apply for) a place in Reception for your child's normal age group. You could then request part-time entry or delay your child’s school start until later in the school year (but not later than the beginning of the summer term).
You can refuse the offer of a place in Reception in the normal age group and make an in-year application later in the school year for Year 1 in the September following their fifth birthday.
You can make a request to other schools.
If you are not happy with the response to your request you can make a complaint to the relevant Bridge Schools Trust (Admission Authority) for the school. You do not have the right of appeal. If you are still not happy following the complaint process there is further information in the Department for Education guidance.

Appeals

If an applicant is not allocated a place at their preferred school/s they will have the right to appeal to an independent panel. The refusal letter will explain how to do this. For refusals in the normal admissions round parents will have 20 school days after they receive the notification to appeal the decision. Appeals must then be heard within 40 school days of this deadline. Further details and a timeline can be found in the Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for September 2026 entry to infant, junior and primary schools or Co-ordinated

In-year Admissions Scheme 2026/27.

Bridge Multi-Academy Trust recommends that any parent considering an appeal arranges an informal discussion with the Headteacher before proceeding.