Admissions

Thank you for your interest in Rufford Church of England Primary School

Please contact us if you have any questions or you would like to arrange a visit, 01704 821300, bursar@rufford.lancs.sch.uk

Admissions September 2026

Applying for Primary School places for September 2026:

If you have a child who has a 4^th birthday between 1^st September 2025 and 31^st August 2026, then for Lancashire resident families you need to apply for a school place, even if an older brother or sister is already attending your preferred school/academy.

If you would like any information or to have a look around our school please call the School Office (01704 821300) and Mrs. Elleray, our headteacher, will be happy to help. Our published admission number (PAN) is 20 places.

What should you do if you want to apply for a place for your child at our school?

The means of application is via Lancashire’s on-line system at:-

www.lancashire.gov.uk/schools (then click on “School Admissions” then “Apply for a school place”)

This will go live from September 2025. It is quick and easy to use and offers an e-mail receipt of all submitted applications. Please ensure that you hit the "submit" button when you are ready to send in your completed on-line application. You must apply even if you already have siblings at your preferred school or academy.

If you live in Lancashire you can include out of area preferences on your on-line application. If you do not have access to the internet, the school office have a few paper applications available, alternatively we are happy to help you with an online application using a computer in school and are happy to support families where English is not your first language.

Applications received on time are prioritised and a late application may reduce your chance of getting your preference of school.

The deadline to apply for a school place for September 2026 is:

15 January 2026 for primary schools
31 October 2025 for secondary schools

If you miss this deadline then you will need to fill in a late application as soon as possible.

If you are submitting a late application you cannot make any changes after you submit it.

September 2025 Admission

The closing date for primary school applications for September 2025 was at 11-59 pm on:- 15th January 2025

Primary offers will be confirmed with you by 16th April 2025. The national offer date is 16 April, if this date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, offers are sent the next working day.

For prospective families, we welcome visits throughout the year, please contact us to arrange. Email bursar@rufford.lancs.sch.uk or telephone 01704 821300

For more information you can read our Admissions Policy for 2026 below.

Applying for place at our school during the school year (In-Year Admissions)

In Year Admissions are admissions to school that take place outside the normal admissions rounds (ie Reception and Year 7)

If you are new to the area and require a school place or if you already reside in the area and you want to move your child from their current local school to our school, your application should be made directly to our school and the child will be admitted where there are available places.

To apply for a place, complete our In-Year Admissions form, available below or by contacting school, and return to bursar@rufford.lancs.sch.uk

If you would like your application to be considered under our faith criteria, in addition to the In Year Admissions form, please also complete a church reference form (Supplementary Information Form)

Copies of both forms are available in the Admissions section of our website or from the school office.

If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions, please contact us either by email bursar@rufford.lancs.sch.uk or by phone on 01704 821300

Your application will be acknowledged upon receipt and we will advise you of the outcome within a maximum of 15 school days.

Where places are available, but we have more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria will be applied, to ensure the correct child/children are offered the places.

If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list and you have the right of appeal. Please see below for appeal information. Please note, that the waiting list does NOT guarantee a place at our school and if your child is currently not in education you should either make an appeal to our school and/or apply for a place at an alternative school.

Appeals

The school's admission appeals are supported by Lancashire County Council. If the Governing body cannot offer a school place, parents have the right to make an appeal. This appeal should be submitted using the link below within twenty days of refusal of admission.

The appeal provides you with an opportunity to explain why you wish to register your child at our school.

The appeal forms and advice on how to complete them is available on the Lancashire County Council website via this link:

Appeal for a school place - Lancashire County Council

Lancashire County Council will contact you in respect of your appeal application and inform you of the arrangements. The outcome of the appeal will be notified to you in writing. The decision of the Independent Appeal Panel is binding to all parties, ie the family and the school.

Please note that this right of appeal against the Governors’ decision does not prevent you from making an appeal in respect of any other school.

Further information on how to apply for a local school can be found on the Lancashire County Council website: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/schools/apply-for-a-school-place/changing-schools-during-the-school-year

Please click on the pdf files below for the School's Admission Policy and Supplementary Information Form (SIF).

Please note parents should refer to the admissions policy for the school year their child started in Reception Class..

	Name	Format
Files

	2026 Determined Admissions Arrangements Rufford C.E. Primary School.pdf	.pdf
	2025 Admission Arrangements determined.pdf	.pdf
	Diocesan Supplementary Information Form 2025.pdf	.pdf
	Parish Boudary - Rufford with Holmeswood.JPG	.JPG
	In_Year_application_form.pdf	.pdf
	2024 Admission Arrangements determined.pdf	.pdf
	Information for Parents 2024 25.pdf	.pdf
	2023_Admission_Arrangements_determined.pdf	.pdf
	2022_Admission_Arrangements_determined.pdf	.pdf
	2021_Admission_Arrangements_determined.pdf	.pdf

If you require further information regarding the admissions procedure please do not hesitate to contact Mrs R Elleray, Headteacher.