Admissions

Our School Vision, "Growing into all God wants us to be", is central in all that we do as a school and this includes our admission procedures. 

The school provides education for children between 4 and 11 years old, year groups Reception to Year 6 inclusive.

The published admission number for the school is 30.  Children are admitted to the Reception class in the school year in which they have their fifth birthday. All Reception year children are admitted in September.

Where the number of applications for admission exceeds the number of places available, all applications will be considered in accordance with our 'over-subscription criteria':

1.  Children in Local Authority care or previously in Local Authority Care

2.  Current Family Association

3.  Health and Special Access reasons

4.  Nearness of child’s home

If you are interested in visiting our school, please call the School Office on 01892 863044.

Our admissions criteria is set out in our Admissions Policy (click here for link to Policies page).  However, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the School Office.

More details about applying for primary school places in Kent can be found on the Kent County Council website by following this link.

OPEN DAYS FOR RECEPTION - SEPTEMBER 2026

Please see dates below of our Open Afternoons for Reception entrants for September 2026.  If you would like to attend one of these dates, please email the school office (office@speldhurst.kent.sch.uk), with your name, a contact number and confirm how many adults will be attending.  These sessions are mainly aimed at parents but children are welcome to come if you are unable to find alternative childcare. 

DATES:

Open morning dates will be posted in May 2025 

We have also created an up-to-date video of the school which shows you around the buildings and grounds and also includes interviews with some of the children and staff. CLICK HERE 

The link below will take you to the appropriate page on the KCC website for further information.

How to apply for a Primary School place

Please follow the link below for the KCC admissions website which provides details about the application process:

·        Primary school places - Kent County Council

In-Year Admissions 

In-Year Admissions are made directly to Speldhurst School. Please contact the school office (office@speldhurst.kent.sch.uk) to enquire if there are any spaces available. If you wish to apply for a school place, please complete and return an In Year Admission Form (IYAF).  Forms can be returned either directly to the office, by email or by post.  We will respond to you in writing and if we are unable to offer you a place, you can request to be placed on the waiting list. We will place you on the waiting list according to the address you are using on the application form. We will request to see proof of residence in the form of a rental agreement or exchange of contracts.

We are usually full in all year groups. As we are oversubscribed, there are prioritised waiting lists for all year groups.  We do have people leaving Speldhurst School during the school year, but there is not a high turnover and we rarely get much advance notice. Any places that do become available are offered immediately to whoever is currently at the top of the waiting list.

As with all waiting lists, Speldhurst's are ranked according to our Admissions policy. Unless you fulfill one of the earlier criteria, your address will be used to rank you; KCC measures all the distances in a straight line from the school. Clearly the closer you live to the school, the higher you will be on the waiting list but please be aware that your position on the waiting list is subject to change. Until you have a local address you will be at the bottom of the waiting list.

Appeals

If your application for a place at Speldhurst Primary School was unsuccessful, you have the right

to appeal the decision.

If your child is due to start primary school in September 2025, you can appeal if you are refused a place at one of your preferred schools on National Offer Day (Wednesday 16 April 2025).

You must submit your appeal before Tuesday 20 May 2025 for it to be considered by Friday 18 July 2025. Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

For late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

You will find all the information you need on the Kent County Council Admissions Appeals page.

Please see links below regarding In-Year Admissions.

If you applied to move your child to a different school but were not offered a place you have the right to make an appeal.

You will find all the information you need on the Kent County Council website (www.kent.gov.uk)