Admissions
Is your child starting school in September 2026?
If your child was born between 1st September 2021 and 31st August 2022, you will need to apply for a school place for September 2026. We would be delighted to welcome you to The Ferns Primary Academy!
We know that choosing a school for your child is a big decision – it can be both an exciting and nerve-wracking time for children and parents alike! We understand it can be a daunting process for parents, especially those who are going through this process for the first time - we are here to support families to ensure this important decision is the right one for each child’s learning journey.
We would encourage you to look at the different sections across our website as they contain a wealth of useful information about life at The Ferns, however, please do contact us with any specific enquiries you may have.
The Ferns Primary Academy also has places for Year 3 for children moving on from an infant school. As a primary school, children in Year 2 automatically have a place in Key Stage 2 (Year 3 to 6) however, if you are looking for a junior school place, we are able to offer a limited number of places in Year 3. Please contact our academy office for more information about transferring at the end of Year 2.
Come & visit!
We are so proud of our academy and warmly invite new families to visit us to experience first-hand the welcoming, inclusive and encouraging learning environment we offer. We are holding Reception open afternoons on the following dates between 1.30 and 2.30pm:
Tuesday 14th October
Friday 24th October
Tuesday 11th November
Tuesday 9th December
Friday 12th December
Friday 23rd January
Additionally, we are also offering open mornings between 10.30am and 11.30am on the following dates:
Wednesday 15th October
Wednesday 12th November
Monday 8th December
Finally, there will be an open evening for prospective parents on Thursday 20th November between 6pm and 7pm.
Should none of the above dates/times be convenient, we would be delighted to welcome you on an individual tour. Please contact the academy office on 01276 31554 or info@ferns.kite.academy to arrange a suitable date/time.
We look forward to meeting you.
How to apply
You can apply for a school place for September 2026 between 1st November 2025 and 15th January 2026.
You can find further information about school admissions and apply online here or you can call 0300 555 1377. Please also contact the academy office as we would be glad to help you with the admissions procedure.
The Ferns Primary Academy has a Published Admissions Number (PAN) of 30 for initial entry (Reception Class). This means there are 30 places available in our Reception class. We are also able to offer a limited number of places in Year 3. Please contact our academy office for more information about transferring from another infant school at the end of Year 2.
The Kite Academy Trust is the admission authority for all its academies. The allocation of school places at initial entry (Reception Class) is coordinated by the Local Authority Admissions Team in accordance with our published admission arrangements (see below).
Once places have been offered by the Local Authority, any waiting list for places will be ranked according to our oversubscription criteria and managed by The Ferns Primary Academy.
Supplementary Information Form - Exceptional Social or Medical Need
Moving schools?
Applying for a place at a school during the academic year and outside of the normal round of admissions (as described above) is called an ‘in-year admission'. An in-year admission may be made, for example, if you move house and your child can no longer attend their current school. Any parent can apply for a place at The Ferns Primary Academy at any time.
In-year admissions are co-ordinated by the Local Authority on our behalf. Further information can be found here. Applications should be made using the online application portal. Please also contact the academy office as we would be glad to help you with the admissions procedure.
Upon receipt of an in-year application, the Local Authority will process the application as quickly as possible, usually within 15 working days of receiving your fully completed application form. Where an application is refused, there is the right to appeal. Details of how to appeal can be found below.
Where an applicant is offered a school place following an in-year application, and the offer is accepted, arrangements will be made for the child to start school as soon as possible, particularly where the child is out of school.
Supplementary Information Form - Exceptional Social or Medical Need
Supplementary Information Form - Children of Staff
Please note that in order to ensure that pupil numbers in infant classes do not exceed 30, as set out in the 2021 School Admissions Code, pupil numbers are temporarily capped at 13 for Year 1 and 15 for Year 2. In order to ensure that numbers for our Year 5/ 6 class do not exceed 32, pupil numbers for Year 5 are temporarily capped at 19 and Year 6 are capped at 13. In-year admissions for these year groups are subject to these numbers not being exceeded.
Right to Appeal
All parents have a right to express a preference for the school they would like their child to attend. The admission authority must offer a place at that school unless there is a legal reason for refusing a place. All parents have the right to appeal against any decision made by or on behalf of an admission authority as to the school their child attends under legislation produced by the Department for Education (DfE). Further information about the appeals process can be found here.
Admissions Arrangements 2027/28
Our admissions arrangements for the academic year 2027/28 will be determined by the Board of Trustees at their meeting on 12th February 2026.