Appendix 4: Admission arrangements and oversubscription criteria for voluntary aided schools (2026-2027)

on this page:

St. Marks VA School, Haverfordwest

St. Oswalds VA School, Jeffreyston

St Aidans VA School, Wiston

Ysgol yr Eglwys yng Nghymru Penrhyn Dewi VA School, St Davids

Federation of Holy Name, Fishguard and St Francis, Milford Haven

Federation of Teilo’s Catholic Primary School, Tenby and Mary Immaculate Catholic School, Haverfordwest

St. Marks VA School, Haverfordwest

St. Mark’s V. A. Church in Wales Primary School,

Merlin’s Bridge, Haverfordwest,

Pembrokeshire, SA611JX

Tel no 01437 767623

E-mail: admin.stmarks@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Headteacher: Mr R Owen (Acting)

E-mail: head.stmarks@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Our church school

As a church school our Christian ethos is at the heart of all that we do. Our 'school should be a special place, a safe place, a place of learning, a place of nurture and of exploration. A church school must demonstrate openness and acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness. Here, values and attitudes are formed and every individual is celebrated as unique… A church school develops a distinctive Christian character through its religious education, collective worship and ethos, that makes God's love and presence known to the world.” (Church Schools Website)

Mission statement

We are a caring community, where everyone is valued and respected. Surrounded by God’s love every day, we learn, play, pray and grow together so that we become the best that we can be.

Motto

Learning, playing, praying and growing together, to become the best that we can be.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The school is committed to ensuring the highest standards of Data Protection. We will treat all personal data as we would expect our own personal data to be treated, i.e. with respect, integrity and confidentiality and in accordance with the GDPR and other Data Protection laws. All of our school policies will adhere to GDPR guidelines. Our privacy notice (opens in a new tab) is published on the school website

UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child)

The principles of the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) are embedded throughout all our curriculum, policies and practices. This provides us with a framework which provides a real meaning and understanding for everything we do.

Admissions Policy

The admissions authority for this school is the Governing Body. The admissions policy is reviewed annually.

This policy relates to the years up to and including the school year 2026-2027.

This admissions policy has been developed to ensure a consistent and fair system for admitting children to the school, especially if spaces are likely to be limited due to reaching the admission number of 20 pupils in any particular year group.

The aim of the Admissions Authority is to have admission arrangements that will work for the benefit of all parents and children in the area and be as simple as possible for parents to use and help them make decisions.

When can my child start school?

At St Mark’s V A School, as in the rest of Pembrokeshire, children are eligible to attend school on a part-time basis from the first term after their third birthday and full-time basis from the first term after their fourth birthday. Please note that compulsory education commences from the term following their fifth birthday. The date of your child’s birthday determines when he or she can start school, regardless of the date when the term starts and the table below shows when your child may be admitted to school. Parents can opt to defer their child’s start date anytime up until the child is of compulsory school age; for more information please contact the St Mark’s School on 01437 767623.

Child's birthday falls between

1 April - 31 August: Nursery admission term: Autumn
1 September - 31 December: nursery admission term: Spring
1 January - 31 March: nursery admission term: Summer

Children may attend St Mark’s full time at the start of the term following their fourth birthday.

The law does not require a child to start full time education until the beginning of the school term following the child's fifth birthday. However, pupils are provided with a full-time place the term after the age of four years and are strongly encouraged to attend full time in order to receive the full benefits of Foundation Phase education and experiences.

Applications

Applications for a place at St. Mark’s V. A. School should be made online via Pembrokeshire County Council. If parents to not have an e-mail address an application form is available from the school or by contacting School Admissions at Pembrokeshire County Council. The closing date for applications to Nursery is 30^th April preceding the calendar year in which the school place is required. The closing date for applications to Reception is 31^st January in the year in which the school place is required. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by the 31^st July 2025. Parents who have made an application for Reception will be notified of the success of their application by the 16^th April 2025. St Mark’s V A School is committed to ensuring the highest standards of Data Protection.

Parents will be asked to provide a copy of the child's birth certificate. Children from overseas, who are lawfully resident in the UK, whether they are accompanied or unaccompanied by parents, have the same rights to education as British Citizen children. As a result, St Mark’s V A School will treat such applications for admission to schools in the same way.

Over subscription criteria

St Mark’s V. A. School is a Church in Wales school which essentially serves the community of Merlins Bridge and the pastoral area of Haverfordwest and the admissions policy reflects this in its prioritised list of over subscription criteria:

Current and former Looked After Children (children who are looked after by a Local Authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989).
Siblings of children already in the school at the time of admission. This will include any full, half or step brothers or sisters or adopted or fostered child living at the same address as a child already in the school.
Children residing within the community of Merlins Bridge. (Please see map at end of this document which may be used as a guide.)
Children of practising members of the Church in Wales (application to be supported by a statement from their Parish Priest).
Children of parents of other Christian denominations who wish their child to have a church school education (application to be supported by a statement from their Faith Leader).
Children of parents of other faiths who wish their child to have an Anglican Church school education.

In the event of children resulting from a multiple birth applying for places at our school, they will be considered as a unit and either all or none will be offered a place, dependant on whether admitting them all would cause the admission number to be exceeded. If the last child to be admitted up to the Admission Number is one of a multiple birth then the other sibling(s) of that multiple birth would also be admitted.

The children of armed forces personnel will be admitted outside the normal admission round, even if their admission would cause the infant class size limit to be exceeded. (Subject to the above oversubscription criteria)

On admission to the school the children are entered into the School Register. Their details, along with any information provided by their parents, are included on computer records that are subject to data protection regulations.

The Governing Body may refuse to admit a child to school when the admission number is reached.

Appeals

If entry is refused then parents have the right of one appeal per academic year to an independent body that the Governing Body would set up. (There may be a second appeal if there appears to have been faults in the first hearing or if there has been a significant and material change in the circumstances of the parent or young person or school (i.e. medical reasons or house move.)) Parents who are unsuccessful should appeal in writing to the Chair of the Governing Body c/o St. Mark’s V. A. School, Merlins Bridge, Haverfordwest, SA61 1JX. Parents will be allowed 14 days (10 working days) from the date of notification that their application was unsuccessful to prepare and submit their written appeals. Receipt of appeal requests will be acknowledged. Appellants will be given at least 14 days (10 working days) written notice of the date of their appeal hearing. Only parents of children of statutory school age may appeal against refusal.

Parental preference

The Admissions Authority will show regard for the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents, unless to admit that child would prejudice the provision of efficient education, or the efficient use of resources.

If a child has been permanently excluded from two or more schools the requirement to comply with the parental preference is disapplied for a period of two years following the second exclusion.

Tie breaker for all categories

In the event of a tie when considering the over subscription criteria, the Governors will admit those applicants who live nearest the school. In the case of a child whose parents have joint/shared responsibility the residence of the parent who has the greater responsibility during the school week will be the determining address. Proof of residency (dated within the last three months) will be required in the form of one of the following:

Council Tax statement
Utility bill
Benefit statement e.g. Child Allowance, Pension
Mortgage statement
Bank / Building Society statement
Credit Card statement

The Governing Body will use the shortest walking route, calculated using Ordnance Survey customised route data from the front door of the school to the front door of the residence of the applicant. Where necessary, the Governors will request assistance from the local authority to determine the shortest route.

Waiting list

A waiting list of unsuccessful applications will be maintained until the normal date of admission is reached. If a place becomes available, the Governors will consider those on the waiting list on the basis of the published over subscription criteria. If the Governors place an application on the waiting list it will not affect the parent’s right of appeal. For applications received outside the normal admission rounds (e.g. pupils of non-compulsory school age who wish to join the nursery) waiting lists are held until the end of the academic year.

Transfers between schools

Parents may request a transfer at any time. If the transfer request is due to a change of address and there is room to accommodate the pupil at St Mark’s V A School, the transfer will be made as soon as mutually convenient.

If the transfer request is not due to a change of address, advice will be sought from the Pupil Support Service. Parents will be invited to discuss the transfer request with the Headteacher, who will determine whether an immediate transfer should be granted.

Changing schools can be unsettling for pupils and can disturb class organisation. It should be a last resort and considered only when all other options for resolving problems have been explored. If your request for a transfer is due to concerns about your child’s progress or there are any problems at your child’s school, you should, as a first step, discuss the matter with the headteacher of the present school.

What safeguarding arrangements are in place?

The care and wellbeing of pupils is a principal concern of all schools. All school staff adhere to the Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019 in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Every school has a safeguarding policy and will have a named Designated Senior Person (DSP) who is responsible for safeguarding matters and for dealing with individual allegations of abuse.

Schools have a statutory duty to act in the best interests of the child and therefore have a duty to make a safeguarding referral to the Child Care Assessment Team (CCAT) within the Social Services Department if there are concerns about a child’s welfare or if there is an allegation of abuse. Consent for a referral will normally be sought from a parent, however, in order to protect a child it will sometimes be necessary to make a referral without informing the parents. This is a sensitive area of work and the support of parents is important when schools implement safeguarding protocols. Please be assured that school staff are working with the wellbeing of your child firmly in mind. Pembrokeshire schools operate a Preventing Extremism and Radicalisation Policy, which is intended to provide a framework for dealing with issues relating to vulnerability, radicalisation and exposure to extreme views.

All Pembrokeshire schools take part in a project with Dyfed-Powys Police called Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has exposed to, or involved in, any domestic incident. The Head and DSP have been trained to use the information about the domestic incident to ensure that a child and/or their families are adequately supported when they have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic abuse incident.

St. Oswalds VA School, Jeffreyston

This policy will apply to admissions during 2026 - 2027

Preamble

The policy and arrangements set out below are governed by the relevant parts of education legislation and the provision of the schools Trust Deed.

Rights of parents

The school seeks to provide places for all children who reside within the catchment area from which the former Jeffreyston V. C. School and Loveston C.P. School drew their pupils up to 31^st August 2001. However, any parent may apply for his/her child to be admitted to the school. A form of application can be obtained from the school office which must be returned to the Chairperson of St. Oswald’s Governing Body. Parents must also apply via the Pembrokeshire County Council website.

If a child is refused admission the parent may, within a period of 14 days, appeal against the decision to a Panel constituted for that purpose in accordance with the provisions of the Education Acts. Information on how to appeal will be given by the Headteacher at the time of the original decision. All appeals must be submitted to the Chairperson of St. Oswald’s Governing Body. There is no right of appeal for nursery applications.

Number of pupils to be admitted

The school's admission number, established on the basis of the relevant legislation is that 17 pupils will be admitted to Nursery Class or up to that number. The closing date for applications to Nursery is 30th April preceding the calendar year in which the school place is required. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by the 31st July.
In line with the local authority’s school admission policies, application for admission to St. Oswald’s V. A. School will be made in line with parental preference. Applications are to be made online through Pembrokeshire County Council’s (PCC) online admissions system.
Pembrokeshire County Council forward the application via PDF to the school for consideration. The school will confirm with Pembrokeshire County Council of the number status of the year group/class/es applied for.
Where the admission number is not exceeded the school would contact the parent/s of the child who have applied for a place. A request to complete a school admission form is made (this must be completed). The school encourages a visit to view the school through meeting with the parent/s and child prior to starting.
Where the admission number is exceeded, the same arrangements apply as above. The parents will be informed of the school’s waiting list and procedures around this.
Applying outside the normal admissions round moving into the area parents planning to move into the area should apply no earlier than a term in advance of their children’s anticipated start date. Applications received more than a term in advance will be held until the appropriate time. Delays in moving into the area may result in offers being withdrawn, unless good reason is given. School Transfers during the year and changing schools requires serious consideration and should, in the first instance, be fully discussed with the Headteacher of your child’s present school. Should parents still need to transfer their child from one school to another then they must apply through submitting an online application which will be treated in the same way as any other application for admission.
The closing date for Nursery applications for Sept 2026 is 30th April 2026. Admission for Reception in Sept 2026 must be made by 31st January 2026.
Waiting lists - we keep children on the waiting list for a Reception place until 30th September and then ask parents if they would like their child’s name to remain on the waiting list until the end of the academic year. All others remain on the waiting list until the end of the academic year they have applied for.
Children are eligible to attend school on a part-time basis from the first term after their third birthday and full-time basis from the first term after their fourth birthday. Please note that compulsory education commences from the term following their fifth birthday. The date of your child’s birthday determines when he or she can start school, regardless of the date when the term starts, and the table below shows when your child may be admitted to school. Parents can opt to defer their child’s start date anytime up until the child is of compulsory school age; for more information, please contact the school.

Child's birthday falls between

1 April - 31 August: Nursery admission term: Autumn
1 September - 31 December: nursery admission term: Spring
1 January - 31 March: nursery admission term: Summer

Children may attend St Oswald’s School full time at the start of the term following their fourth birthday.

Criteria for determining admissions. If the number of children whose parents are seeking admission to the school exceeds the number of places available offers will be made in the following order of priority:

If the number of children whose parents are seeking admission to the school exceeds the number of places available offers will be made in the following order of priority:

a) Pupils Looked After (PLA) or children who were previously PLA.

b) Children with parents / carers who are active members of the armed forces or were members of the armed forces no more than six years before the date of the admission application.

c) Children with brothers or sisters, these being determined as foster, adopted or permanently living at the same address, who attend the school at the date of the proposed admission.

d) Children who live in the catchment area of the school as described in 2 above.

e) Children from families living outside the area who are regular communicants at an Anglican Church.

f) Children from families of other Christian denominations from outside the area as defined in 2 above whose parents wish them to be educated in an Anglican Church School.

g) Children from families outside the area as defined in 2 above who are not active Christian worshippers but whose parents wish their children to be educated in an Anglican Church School.

If the school is named in in an Individual Development Plan (IDP), the Governing body has a duty to admit the child to the school.

There is, in all instances a ‘right of appeal’ against a decision that has been made with regard to the refusal of an application for admission which must be made to the Chairperson of the Governing Body.

This policy is reviewed annually and consulted with between all VA and VC schools in Pembrokeshire, the Diocesan Director and between Pembrokeshire Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion Local Authorities as part of the consultation process.

St Oswald’s V.A. School is committed to ensuring the highest standards of Data Protection. We will treat all personal data as we would expect our own personal data to be treated, i.e. with respect, integrity, confidentiality and in accordance with the GDPR and other Data Protection laws. Our privacy notice (opens in a new tab) is available on the school website

St Aidans VA School, Wiston

Admissions Policy

St Aidan’s Church In Wales V.A, School Admissions Policy is policy will apply to admissions during 2026 - 2027

The admissions authority for this school is the Governing Body. This policy is reviewed annually with all Pembrokeshire primary phase schools – VA, VC, community 3-11 and both 3-16 schools, the Diocesan Director and Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion Local Authorities are consulted.

Our admission policy has been developed to ensure a consistent and fair system for admitting pupils to our school, especially if spaces are likely to be limited due to reaching the admission number of 13.

St Aidan’s V.A. School is a Church in Wales’ school which essentially serves the community within the Anglican United Benefice and Local Ministry Area of Daugleddau, in particular the historic parishes of Llawhaden, Walton East, Clarbeston, Slebech and Wiston.

Applications

Applications for a place at St. Aidan’s Church in Wales V. A. School should be made online via Pembrokeshire County Council (https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning) If parents do not have an e-mail address an application form is available from the school. The closing date for applications to Nursery is 30th April preceding the calendar year in which the school place is required. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by letter.

Over subscription criteria

In the event of oversubscription, priority will be given to the admission of pupils in the following order:

Current and former Looked After Children (children who are looked after by a Local Authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989).
Children from the Anglican United Benefice and Local Ministry Area of Daugleddau, in particular the historic parishes of Llawhaden, Walton East, Clarbeston, Slebech and Wiston.
Children who will have a sibling of statutory school age, at the school, at the time of admission. This will include any full, half or step brothers or sisters or adopted or foster child living at the same address as a child already at the school.
Children from families whose parents wish them to be educated in an Anglican Church School.
Children from families of other Christian denominations whose parents wish their children to be educated in an Anglican Church School.
Children from families whose parents indicate a preference for their child to be educated through the medium of English.

In the event of a tie, places will be offered to pupils living nearest to the school, measured by the shortest distance from the nearest available school gate to a point where the pupil’s private dwelling meets the public highway. (Google maps will be used to measure the distances)

The Government has set dates by which children must attain the age of 5 to be of compulsory school age in the following school term: these dates are 31st August, 31st December and 31st March. St Aidan’s has nursery provision and children may join on a part-time basis from the start of the term following the child’s third birthday. The eligibility dates above also apply to these admissions and will determine the term in which the child can start. Those children born between 1st September and 31st March may attend nursery provision full time in the term following their 4th birthday. If an application is made for a Nursery place, a further application also needs to be made for a Reception place.

Admission deadlines adhere to the admissions application timetable as published by Pembrokeshire County Council admissions authority.

Appeals

If a child is refused admission the parent may, within a period of 14 days, appeal against the decision to a Panel constituted for that purpose in accordance with the provisions of the Education Acts. Information on how to appeal will be given by the Headteacher at the time of the original decision. All appeals must be submitted to the Chairperson of St. Aidan’s Governing Body. There is no right of appeal in relation to nursery admissions.

Waiting list

A waiting list of unsuccessful applications will be maintained. If a place becomes available, the Governors will consider those on the waiting list on the basis of the published over subscription criteria. If the Governors place an application on the waiting list it will not affect the parent’s right of appeal. The waiting list will be maintained until 30^th September at the start of the relevant academic year. Priority for any places which become available will be given according to the oversubscription criteria and not according to the date on which the application for a place was originally submitted. For applications received outside the normal admission round, waiting lists are held until the end of the summer term of the academic year the place was requested.

Ysgol yr Eglwys yng Nghymru Penrhyn Dewi VA School, St Davids

Admissions Policy 2026/2027

Our church school

As a church school our Christian ethos is at the heart of all that we do. Our school should be a special place, a safe place, a place of learning, a place of nurture and of exploration. A church school must demonstrate openness and acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness. Here, values and attitudes are formed and every individual is celebrated as unique. A church school develops a distinctive Christian character through its religious education, collective worship and ethos that makes God’s love and presence known to the world.

Motto

‘Be Joyful, Keep the Faith and do the little things’.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The school is committed to ensuring the highest standards of Data Protection. We will treat all personal data as we would expect our own personal data to be treated; i.e. with respect, integrity and confidentiality and in accordance with the GDPR and other Data Protection laws. All of our school policies will adhere to GDPR guidance.

Admissions arrangements and oversubscription criteria

Admission to the school is the responsibility of the Governing Body and applications should be made online via the Pembrokeshire County Council website

When can my child start school?

At Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi VA, as in the rest of Pembrokeshire, children are eligible to attend school on a part-time basis from the first term after their third birthday and full-time basis from the first term after their fourth birthday. Please note that compulsory education commences from the term following their fifth birthday. The date of your child’s birthday determines when he or she can start school, regardless of the date when the term starts and the table below shows when your child may be admitted to school. Parents can opt to defer their child’s start date anytime up until the child is of compulsory school age; for more information please contact the school on 01437 809200 or email admin.penrhyndewi@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Child's birthday falls between

1 April - 31 August: Nursery admission term: Autumn
1 September - 31 December: nursery admission term: Spring
1 January - 31 March: nursery admission term: Summer

Nursery age children – 3 years old

Date by which the appropriate age must be reached

31 December 2025: term of admission - Spring 2026
31 March 2026: term of admission - Summer 2026
31 August 2026: term of admission - Autumn 2026

Primary age children – 4 year olds

31 December 2025: term of admission - Spring 2026
31 March 2026: term of admission - Summer 2026
31 August 2026: term of admission - Autumn 2026

Secondary age children – 11 year olds

Pupils on roll in Year 6 will not be required to apply for transfer to the secondary element

31 December 2025: term of admission - Autumn 2026

Admission timetable – Normal admission rounds

Provision	Age	Starting school	Closing date for applying	Offer/Notification date	Appeals closing date
Nursery	1 Sept 2023 – 31 Aug 2024	January, April, September 2027	30 April 2026	By end of July 2026	No rights of appeal
Reception place (there is no automatic transfer from Nursery to Reception)	1 Sept 2021 – 31 Aug 2022	Autumn Term 2026	31 January 2026	16 April 2026	10 working days from receipt of refusal letter
Secondary school transfer	1 Sept 2014 – 31 Aug 2015	Autumn Term Sept 2026	21 December 2025	2 March 2026	10 working days from receipt of refusal letter

Applications

Applications for a place at Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi VA School should be made online via Pembrokeshire County Council. The closing date for applications to Nursery is 30th April preceding the calendar year in which the school place is required. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by the 31st July. If your child is admitted to Nursery education, this does not guarantee your child a Primary School place (Reception). You must re-apply for a Primary school place. The closing date for applications to Reception is 31st January prior to the start of the autumn term in the same calendar year. Pupils on roll in Year 6 will not be required to apply for transfer to the secondary element. Subject to parental preference, pupils will remain on roll until the end of their statutory school age.

Oversubscription criteria

The admission number for the school is 27 for Reception to Year 6 and 80 for Years 7 – 11 and, where the number of applications does not exceed this number, then all applicants will be admitted. However, the Governing Body has set a temporary admissions number of 29 Reception to Year 6 and 84 from Years 7 – 11. Should there be more than the above number of applications received for a single year group, pupils will be admitted on the basis of the following oversubscription criteria, applied in priority order as listed below.

Current and former Looked After Pupils of Authorities in Wales and England in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 as amended by the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations.
Children who reside in the school’s catchment area.
Children who have brothers and sisters already attending the school at the time of admission. (a sibling is a full, half or step brother or sister, or adopted or foster children, living in the same household at the time of admission).
Pupils who have attended a feeder school
Children of parents who wish their child to have an Anglican Church School education.
Children of Christian denominations living outside the catchment area of the school whose parents specifically wish them to have a Church School education. (With a supporting letter from their priest or minister).

Where preferences exceed places available, priority will be given under each oversubscription category to multiple birth siblings (e.g. twins or triplets). If the last child to be admitted up to the admission number is one of a multiple birth, then the school will also admit the other sibling(s).

In the event of a tie, places will be offered to pupils who live nearest the school, measured by the shortest walking distance from the nearest available school gate to a point where the pupil’s private dwelling meets the highway.

Appeal

If entry is refused then parents have the right of one appeal per application per academic year to the Diocesan Admissions Appeal Panel, an independent body that the Diocesan Education Authority has set up for the Governing Body. Parents who are unsuccessful should appeal in writing to the Headteacher, Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi VA, Dewi Campus, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6QH or via email to: admin.penrhyndewi@pembrokeshire.gov.uk (FAO: Headteacher). Parents will be allowed 14 days (10 working days) from the date of notification that their application was unsuccessful to prepare and submit their written appeals. Receipt of appeal requests will be acknowledged. Appellants will be given at least 14 days (10 working days) written notice of the date of their appeal hearing. Only parents of children of statutory school age may appeal against refusal.

Waiting list

Applying outside the normal admissions round

Moving into the area

Parents planning to move into the area should apply no earlier than a term in advance of their children’s anticipated start date. Applications received more than a term in advance will be held until the appropriate time. Delays in moving into the area may result in offers being withdrawn, unless good reason is given.

School transfers during the year

Changing schools requires serious consideration and should, in the first instance, be fully discussed with the Headteacher of your child’s present school. Should parents still need to transfer their child from one school to another then they must apply through submitting an online application which will be treated in the same way as any other application for admission.

Federation of Holy Name, Fishguard & St Francis, Milford Haven

Admissions Policy for The Federation of Holy Name and St Francis 2026 - 2027

The Governing Body is responsible for determining and administrating the policy relating to admission of pupils to both schools. It is guided in that responsibility by:

a) the requirement of the law (School Standards and Framework Act 1998)

b) the advice of the Diocesan Trustees on the nature and purpose of its duties and in fulfilment of its Trust Deed and Instrument of Government

c) its duty towards the school and Catholic community it serves

d) the Catholic character of the school and its Mission statement

The ethos of both schools is Catholic. The schools were founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. We ask all parents applying for a place at either school to support and respect this ethos, its importance to the school community and the education it provides. This does not affect the right of parents who are not of the faith of these schools to apply for and be considered for a place.

Applications

Applications for a place in either of the schools must be made using the online form on the Pembrokeshire County Council website.

Holy Name – Fishguard

The school’s admission number for each year group is 18.

The normal age for admission to Holy Name is the start of the term following the child’s fourth birthday. In the context of when a child can commence school, please note the timescales below:

Child's birthday falls between:

1 April - 31 August: admission term - Autumn (Reception)
1 September - 31 December: admission term - Spring (Nursery full time in Reception class)
1 January - 31 March: admission term - Summer (Nursery full time in Reception class)

St Francis - Milford Haven

The school’s admission number for each year group is 19.

The normal age for admission to St Francis is the start of the term following the child’s third birthday. In the context of when a child can commence school, please note the timescales below:

1 April - 31 August: nursery admission term - Autumn (part time)
1 September - 31 December: nursery admission term - Spring (part time)
1 January - 31 March: nursery admission term - Summer (part time)

Nursery place

Age: 3rd Birthday 1st Sept 2023 to 31st Aug 2024
Starting school: January, April, September 2027
Closing date for applying: 30th April 2026
Offer/notification date: By end of July 2026
Appeals closing date: No right of appeal

Reception place

(There is no automatic transfer from the Nursery age provision – a separate application will be required).

Age: 4th Birthday 1st Sept 2021 to 31st Aug 2022
Starting school: Autumn term 2026
Closing date for applying: 31st January 2026
Offer/notification date: 16th April 2026
Appeals closing date: 10 working days from receipt of refusal letter

Parents will be informed in writing of the outcome following a meeting of the admissions committee.

The governing body has delegated responsibility for determining admissions to its Admissions Committee, which will consider all applications at the same time and after the closing date for admissions, made in accordance with the admissions criteria.

All parents have to re-apply for the Reception/Primary year group – which is the academic year that a child turns 5.

Parents may ask for their child’s entry to school to be deferred until the child reaches statutory school age (i.e. the term after the pupil’s fifth birthday). The place must be held open in this situation.

Late applications

Applications received after the closing date will be deemed to be late (unless there are exceptional reasons) and only considered after those received by the closing date. An exceptional reason would be any situation that prevented the family applying on time. In these cases, the family should include supporting documents with the applications e.g. when a family moved into the Local authority between the closing date and the offer date then evidence of the change of address would be required.

Appeals

If an application for admission has been turned down by the Governing Body, parents can appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel. This panel must be sent in writing to the School Admissions Appeal Panel within 14 days (10 working days) of refusal. There is no right of appeal for nursery applications – only from Reception (normal admission round) upwards.

Parents must give reasons for appealing in writing and the decision of the Appeals Panel is binding on the Governors.

Waiting lists

A waiting list of unsuccessful applications will be maintained. If a place becomes available, the governors will consider those on the waiting list based on the published oversubscription criteria, not on the date the application was received. If the governors place an application on the waiting list, it will not affect the parents’ or guardians’ right of appeal. The waiting list will be maintained until 31^st August in the school year that the application was made. After that date, the parent of pupils in N1 must inform the school that the application should be taken forward to the next academic year, N2. Parents of all others must make a new application as it for a different academic year.

Waiting lists for Reception under the normal admission round are to be held until 30th September. We will then ask parents if they would like to remain on the waiting list until the end of the academic year or remove them from the list.

Admissions criteria

Where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the Governing body will apply the following over-subscription criteria in priority order:

Baptised Catholic children within the parishes served by the school.
Children for whom the Local Authority has specifically asked for a place at the school
All children baptised in the Orthodox Church living in the school’s catchment area.
Other baptised Catholic children.
Children who have a brother or sister in the school at the time of admission.
Children of other Christian denominations.
Children of other faiths whose parents seek a Catholic education
Non-Catholic children whose parents seek Catholic education for their child.

In all of the above categories Looked After Children (LAC) will be given priority. All schools have a duty to admit children with a Statement of Education Needs where the school is named in the statement

As stated above in the event of any over-subscription, the over subscription criteria should be used to determine places.

Where more than one child meets these criteria and applicants remain then the child living nearest the school will be admitted. All distances are measured by the shortest walking distance using public highways from the child’s front door to the main entrance of the school.

All Christian applicants will be required to produce baptismal certificates.

As required by law, the Governing Body will not admit more than 30 pupils to any one Reception of Foundation Phase class.

Applying outside the normal admissions round

Moving into the area – parents planning to move into the area should apply no earlier than a term in advance of their children’s anticipated start date. e.g if a place is required in the Spring term than the application should be submitted no earlier than the start of the preceding autumn term. Applications received more than a term in advance will be held until the appropriate time. Delays in moving into the area may result in offers being withdrawn unless good reason is given.

School transfers during the year

Changing schools requires serious consideration and should in the first instance, be fully discussed with the Head Teacher of your child’s current school. Should parents still need to transfer their child from one school to another then they must apply through submitting an online application which will be treated in the same way as any other applicant for admission.

The Federation of St Teilo’s Catholic Primary School, Tenby & Mary Immaculate Catholic School, Haverfordwest

Admission Policy 2026-2027

The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools is conducted as a Catholic school in accordance with Canon Law and the teachings of the Catholic Church and in accordance with the Trust Deed of the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia. In the application of this policy, The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools will have regard, in particular, to advice from the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia.

The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools will act in accordance with all relevant provisions of the statutory Codes of Practice (the Welsh Assembly Government School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code of Practice 2013 as they apply at any given time to maintained schools and with the law on admissions as it applies to maintained schools.

Reference in the codes or in this policy to “admission authorities” or 'the governors' shall be deemed to be references to the Voluntary Aided Governing Body of The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools. References to 'the local authority' shall be deemed to be references to Pembrokeshire County Council.

The ethos of the schools is Catholic. The schools were founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. We ask all parent/s or guardian/s applying for a place here to support and respect this ethos, its importance to the school community and the education it provides. This does not affect the right of parent/s or guardian/s who are not of the Catholic faith, or whose children are not of the Catholic faith to apply for and be considered for a place here.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Admission arrangements and oversubscription criteria

Admission to the school is the responsibility of the Governing Body and applications should be made online via the Pembrokeshire County Council website

When can my child start school?

At The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools, as in the rest of Pembrokeshire, children are eligible to attend school on a part-time basis from the first term after their third birthday and fulltime basis from the first term after their fourth birthday. Please note that compulsory education commences from the term following their fifth birthday. The date of your child’s birthday determines when he or she can start school, regardless of the date when the term starts and the table below shows when your child may be admitted to school. Parents can opt to defer their child’s start date anytime up until the child is of compulsory school age; for more information please contact the school on 01437 762324 or email admin.maryimmaculate@pembrokeshire.gov.uk for Mary Immaculate Catholic School or 01834 843995 or email admin.stteilo’s@pembrokeshire.gov.uk for St Teilo’s Catholic School.

The normal age for admission to school in Pembrokeshire, in schools like The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools with nursery provision, is the start of the term following the child’s third birthday. In the context of when a child can commence school, please note the timescales below:

Child's birthday falls between:

1 April - 31 August: nursery admission term - Autumn
1 September - 31 December: nursery admission term - Spring
1 January - 31 March: nursery admission term - Summer

Nursery age children - 3 years old

Date by which the appropriate age must be reached:

31 Dec 2025: term of admission - Spring 2026
31 Mar 2026: terms of admission - Summer 2026
31 August 2026: terms of admission: Autumn 2026
31 Dec 2026: term of admission - Spring 2027
31 Mar 2027: terms of admission - Summer 2027
31 Aug 2027: terms of admission - Autumn 2027

Primary age children – 4 year olds

Date by which the appropriate age must be reached:

31 Dec 2025: term of admission - Spring 2026
31 Mar 2026: terms of admission - Summer 2026
31 August 2026: terms of admission: Autumn 2026
31 Dec 2026: term of admission - Spring 2027
31 Mar 2027: terms of admission - Summer 2027
31 Aug 2027: terms of admission - Autumn 2027

Secondary age children – 11 year olds

Date by which the appropriate age must be reached:

31 August 2026: terms of admission: Autumn 2026
31 August 2027: terms of admission: Autumn 2027

Applications

In line with the local authority’s school admission policies, application for admission to The Federation of Mary Immaculate and St Teilo’s Catholic Primary Schools will be made in line with parental preference. The closing date for applications to Nursery is 30th April preceding the calendar year in which the school place is required. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by the 31st July. If your child is admitted to Nursery education, this does not guarantee your child a Primary School place (Reception). You must re-apply for a Primary School place. The closing date for applications to Reception is 31st January prior to the start of the autumn term in the same calendar year. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by 16^th April. Pupils in Year 6 must apply for Secondary places in their preferred school by 20^th December in the year prior to the start of the autumn term in the following calendar year. Parents will be notified of the success of their application by 1^st March.

Application process

Applications are to be made online through Pembrokeshire County Council’s (PCC) online admissions system
Pembrokeshire County Council forward the application to the school for consideration.
Where the admission number is not exceeded, a place will be offered.
The school encourages a visit to view the school to meet with the parent/s or guardian/s and child/children prior to starting.
Where the admission number is exceeded, the place will be refused, and the parents will be advised. The parent/s or guardian/s will be informed of the school’s waiting list and procedures around this (see below).

In all of the above categories, Children and Young People Looked After (CYPLA) will be given priority.

Tiebreaker for all categories

In the event of a tiebreaker, being required in any of the categories above, the governors will admit those applicants who live nearest the school. In the case of a child whose parent/s or guardian/s have joint/shared responsibility, the parent/guardian who has the greater responsibility during the school week and whose residence is nearer the school will be the determining factor. Proof of residency will be required in the form of one of the following:

Current Council Tax notification letter for the address on the application
Current child tax credit note
Current child benefit notification letter
Current income support notification
Current pension award notification
Current housing benefit notification

The governors will use the shortest walking route calculated using Ordnance Survey customised route data from the front door of the school to the front door of the house or flat of the applicant. Where necessary, the governors will request assistance from the local authority to determine the shortest route.

Waiting list

A waiting list of unsuccessful applications will be maintained. If a place becomes available, the governors will consider those on the waiting list on the basis of the published oversubscription criteria, not on the date the application was received. If the governors place an application on the waiting list it will not affect the parents’ or guardians’ right of appeal. The waiting list will be maintained until 31^st August in the school year that the application was made. After that date, the parent must inform the school that the application should be taken forward to the next academic year.

Appeals

If an application for admission has been turned down by the Governing Body, parents can appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel. This appeal must be sent in writing to the clerk to the Governors at the school within 14 days (10 working days) of refusal. There is no right of appeal for nursery applications. Applicants will be given at least 14 days (10 working days) written notice of the date of their appeal hearing.

Admission to schools in Pembrokeshire - Information for Parents (next academic year)