School admission arrangements consultation 2027/2022
School admission arrangements set out how schools will admit pupils.
The arrangements include:
- the published admission number (the maximum number of pupils a school can admit to a year group).
- the oversubscription criteria
- information on the school waiting lists
Admission arrangements must be determined 18 months before the September of the academic year for which they’re relevant.
All schools will determine their arrangements each year. They will only formally consult every seven years, unless changes are proposed.
Consultation on admission arrangements 2027 to 2028 for community and voluntary controlled schools
The local authority is consulting on:
- its proposed admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for which Wakefield Council is the admissions authority
- the coordinated arrangements for schools in Wakefield
The local authority is not proposing any changes to the School Admissions Policy.
Any comments should be emailed to KKpolicy@wakefield.gov.uk or posted to:
The School Admissions Team,
Wakefield Council,
Wakefield One,
PO Box 700,
Burton Street,
Wakefield,
WF1 2EB.
The closing date for the receipt of any comments is 30 January 2026.
Admission arrangements for Southdale CE (VC) Junior School
Wakefield Council is the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in the district. We set the over-subscription criteria and make decisions about which pupils are admitted.
From 2027 all pupils applying for a place at Southdale CE (VC) Junior School will have their applications considered in accordance with the Local Authority’s Admissions Policy rather than the Education Ossett Community Trust’s admissions policy.
There may be changes to the admissions policy for other academies and foundation/trust schools which were also part of the Education Ossett Community Trust. Details of any consultation should be on the individual school/academy website.
Coordinated scheme for admission to school 2027/28
The Local Authority is not proposing any changes to the co-ordination schemes.
Read the co-ordinated schemes for admission to school on our schools admissions page.
Published Admission Numbers
Changes have been proposed to the Published Admission Numbers (PAN’s) of eight schools, either by the local authority/governing bodies of community and voluntary controlled schools or by the admission authority for academies and foundation/trust schools.
These changes are:
- Airedale Academy – a reduction from 240 to 220 places for year 7
- Kettlethorpe High School – a reduction from 350 to 300 places for year 7
- St Thomas CE (VC) Junior School – a reduction from 105 to 90 places for year 3
- South Kirkby Academy – a reduction from 64 to 60 places for year 3
- Dimplewell Infant – a reduction from 60 to 45 places for reception
- South Ossett Infant Academy – a reduction from 30 to 15 places for reception
- Southdale CE (VC) Junior School – a reduction from 90 to 60 places for year 3
- Newton Hill Community Primary School – an increase from 45 to 60 places for reception
Any comments should be emailed to KKpolicy@wakefield.gov.uk or posted to:
The School Admissions Team
Wakefield Council
Wakefield One
PO Box 700
Burton Street
Wakefield
WF1 2EB
The closing date for the receipt of any comments is 30 January 2026.
Relevant area for consultation on admission arrangements
The Education (Relevant Areas for Consultation on Admission Arrangements) Regulations 1999 requires all local authorities to review the relevant area which identifies all schools that must be consulted on changes to admission arrangements. This must be done every two years.
For community and voluntary controlled schools, the Local Authority is consulting on the Relevant Area being the geographical area covered by Wakefield Council.
For voluntary aided, foundation, academies and voluntary academies the Local Authority is consulting on the Relevant Area being the admission authorities within a radius of 3 miles of the school, including Wakefield Council and the admission authorities in neighbouring local authority areas. It is proposed that Relevant Areas for consultation remain unchanged.