Eton Park Junior Academy
2026/2027
2025/2026 & 2024/2025
Admission arrangements 2026/2027
Eton Park Junior Academy (‘the Academy’) provides education for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 of their Primary schooling.
The Published Admission Number (PAN) for the Year 2026-27 entry is 60. This number may be exceeded at the discretion of the Affinity Learning Partnership (‘the Trust’), but they are not obliged to accept students in excess of this number unless parents have successfully challenged the initial decision as part of the Local Authority Appeal procedure.
Full time places in Year 3 at Eton Park Junior Academy will be available in September of the academic year within which the child becomes eight years old.
Although parents have the right to express a preference, there is no guarantee of a place being offered.
Parents have to apply for a school place for their child to start in Year 3 at Eton Park Junior.
The Academy utilises the Staffordshire Admissions and Transport Service. Parents must make their application for a Year 3 place at the academy through the Local Authority.
It is the Academy’s policy to try and meet parents’ wishes where possible, however in some cases there may be more applications for the Academy than there are places available. Admission is determined by the oversubscription criteria detailed below.
Oversubscription Criteria
A pupil who has an Education, Health and Care Plan that names Eton Park Junior Academy will be admitted to the Academy. This will reduce the number of places available.If the total number of preferences for admission to the Academy exceeds the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN), the following order of priority is used to allocate the available places.
a) Children in care and children who ceased to be in care because they were adopted (or became subject to child arrangement order or special guardianship order), including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
b) Children of staff in either of the following circumstances:-
i) where the member of staff has been employed at the Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the Academy is made, and/or
ii) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
c) Pupils in Year 2 who attend Lansdowne Infant Academy at the time of the application.
d) Pupils who at the time of the application have an elder sibling in attendance at the Academy, who will still be attending at the proposed admission date (For admission purposes, a brother or sister is a child who lives at the same address and either: have one or both natural parents in common; are related by a parents’ marriage; are adopted or fostered by a common parent or are unrelated children who live at the same address, whose parents live as partners)
e) Pupils residing within the catchment. A copy of the catchment area can be obtained from the Academy or the School Admissions and Transport Service. The Academy does not operate a catchment area guarantee.
f) Pupils who satisfy both of the following tests:
They are distinguished from the great majority of applicants either on medical grounds or by other exceptional circumstances. Medical grounds must be supported by a medical report, (obtained by the parents). It must clearly justify, for health reasons only, why it is better for the child to attend the academy rather than any other school. Exceptional circumstances must relate to the choice of academy, i.e. the circumstances of the child, not the economic or social circumstances of the parent. They should be supported by a professional report (obtained by the parents), e.g. social worker, justifying why it is better for the child to attend the academy rather than any other school.
They would suffer hardship if they were unable to attend the academy. Hardship means severe suffering of any kind, not merely difficulty or inconvenience, which is likely to be experienced as a result of the child attending a different school. Parents must provide detailed information about both the type and severity of any likely hardship at the time of application.
g) Other pupils arranged in order of priority according to how near their home addresses are to the main gate of the academy, determined by a straight-line measurement as calculated by the Local Authority’s School Admissions and Transport Services Geographical Information System.
Where it is not possible to accommodate all pupils applying for places within a particular category then the academy will allocate the available places in accordance with the remaining criteria. If for instance, all the catchment area children cannot be accommodated at a school, children who are catchment area children and satisfy category f) will receive offers of a place, followed by children who live in the catchment area and satisfy category g).
Parents may seek to apply for their child’s admission to the Academy outside of their normal age group, for example if the child is exceptionally gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group.
Additional Notes
There is no charge or cost related to the admission of a child.
Admissions are administered through a co-ordinated admission scheme and preferences will be processed centrally by the School Admissions and Transport Service. Each pupil will receive one offer of a place at a Staffordshire school.
Children in Care and Children previously in Care are those in the care of or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making the application.
Please note that the feeder schools that have been named in criteria c) are those that are either part of the Academy Trust or we work closely with and therefore all of our transition activity work takes place with these schools.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide any supportive information required in order for the application to be assessed against the published admissions criteria, the Academy will not seek to obtain this information on behalf of the applicant.
The Local Authority uses the Geographical Information System (GIS) to calculate home to school distances in miles. The measurement is calculated using Ordnance Survey (OS) data from an applicant’s home address to the main front gate of the school. The coordinates of an applicant’s home address is determined and provided by the Local Lane and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) and OS Address Point data.
The home address is considered to be the child’s along with their parent’s main and genuine principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living.
Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the children lives with both parents for part of the school week, parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.
If a place is offered on the basis of an address that is subsequently found to be different from a child’s normal and permanent home address then that place is likely to be withdrawn.
If there are a limited number of spaces available, and we cannot distinguish between applicants using the criteria listed, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the child or children offered the available spaces will be randomly selected. This process will be independently verified.
Parents whose request for a place for their child is not accepted may appeal to the Academy via Staffordshire County Council, stating their grounds for appeal. All appeal forms are available on the Staffordshire County Council website.
It is Trust’s policy to avoid any form of selection or discrimination on the grounds of a child’s ability, religion or race.
Waiting lists
Unsuccessful applicants will be placed on a waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria stated above and not based on the date their application was received. There will be a period of two weeks after the national offer date whereby available places will not be reallocated. If places become available after the offer date they will be offered according to the child at the top of the waiting list.
Waiting Lists will be kept until the end of the autumn term of admission.
Inclusion on the Academy’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.
A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down the list since each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the oversubscription criteria listed above.
Children who are subject of a direction by a local authority to admit or who are allocated to Eton Park Junior Academy in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those on the waiting list.
Late Applications
Preferences received after the closing date will be considered alongside those applicants who applied on time wherever possible. Where it is not practicable because places have already been allocated, or are shortly to be allocated, then late applicants will be considered only after those applicants who applied by the published closing date.
A late application does not affect the right of appeal or the right to be placed the Academy’s waiting list.
Repeat Applications
Parents do not have the right to a second appeal in respect of the Academy for the same academic year unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Academy accepted a second application from the appellant because of a significant and material change in the circumstances of the parent, child or school but still refused admission.
Closing Date for Return of Applications
All applications for a normal age of entry place in Year 3 at the Academy should be submitted to the Local Authority by the national closing date of 15th January 2026.
Decisions
On 16th April 2026, the Local Authority will notify all parents who have applied for a normal age of entry school place.
“In-Year Transfer” Arrangements
Parents or carers seeking to transfer to the Academy may make an application using the appropriate application form. This application will be processed in the normal way but parents and carers need to be aware that any date set for joining the new school may be after the next term or half term holiday and those parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that their child continues to receive appropriate education in the interim.
Appeals
Any parent has a right to appeal against a decision not to admit. The appeal will be heard by an independent appeal panel.
Relevant Area
Staffordshire County Council’s relevant area for consultation is contained within the administrative area of Staffordshire County Council.
Admission arrangements 2025/2026, 2024/2025
Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Trust Academy provides education for pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 of their Primary Schooling.
The Published Admission Number (PAN) is 55. This number may be exceeded at the discretion of the Governing Body, but they are not obliged to accept students in excess of this number unless parents have successfully challenged the initial decision as part of the Local Authority Appeal procedure.
Full time places in Year 3 at Eton Park will be available in September of the academic year within which the child becomes eight years old.
Although parents have the right to express a preference, there is no guarantee of a place being offered.
Parents have to apply for a school place for their child to start in Year 3 at Eton Park Junior.
The Academy utilises the Staffordshire Admissions and Transport Service. Parents must make their application for a Year 3 place at the academy through the Local Authority.
It is the Academy’s policy to try and meet parents’ wishes where possible, however in some cases there may be more applications for the Academy than there are places available. Admission is determined by the oversubscription criteria detailed below.
Oversubscription Criteria
A pupil who has a statement of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care Plan that names Eton Park Junior: a de Ferrers Trust Academy will be admitted to the Academy. This will reduce the number of places available.
If the total number of preferences for admission Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Trust Academy exceeds the school's published admission number (PAN) the following order of priority is to be used to allocate the available places.
a) Children in care and children who ceased to be in care because they were adopted (or became subject to child arrangement order or special guardianship order) including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
b) Children of staff employed in either of the following circumstances:-
i) where the member of staff has been employed at the Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the Academy is made, and/or
ii) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
c) Pupils in Year 2 who attend Lansdowne; a de Ferrers Trust Academy at the time of the application.
d) Pupils who at the time of the application have an elder sibling in attendance at the Academy, who will still be attending at the proposed admission date (For admission purposes, a brother or sister is a child who lives at the same address and either: have one or both natural parents in common; are related by a parents marriage; are adopted or fostered by a common parent or are unrelated children who live at the same address, whose parents live as partners).
e) Pupils residing within the catchment. A copy of the catchment area can be obtained from the Academy or the School Admissions and Transport Service. The Academy does not operate a catchment area guarantee.
f) Students who satisfy both of the following tests:
They are distinguished from the great majority of applicants either on medical grounds or by other exceptional circumstances. Medical grounds must be supported by a medical report, (obtained by the parents). It must clearly justify, for health reasons only, why it is better for the child to attend the academy rather than any other school. Exceptional circumstances must relate to the choice of academy, i.e. the circumstances of the child, not the economic or social circumstances of the parent. They should be supported by a professional report (obtained by the parents), e.g. social worker, justifying why it is better for the child to attend the academy rather than any other school.
They would suffer hardship if they were unable to attend the academy. Hardship means severe suffering of any kind, not merely difficulty or inconvenience, which is likely to be experienced as a result of the child attending a different school. Parents must provide detailed information about both the type and severity of any likely hardship at the time of application.
g) Other students arranged in order of priority according to how near their home addresses are to the main gate of the academy, determined by a straight-line measurement as calculated by the Local Authority's School Admissions and Transport Services Geographical Information System.
Where it is not possible to accommodate all students applying for places within a particular category then the academy will allocate the available places in accordance with the remaining criteria. If for instance, all the catchment area children cannot be accommodated at a school, children who are catchment area children and satisfy category e) will receive offers of a place, followed by children who live in the catchment area and satisfy category f).
Parents may seek to apply for their child's admission to the Academy outside their normal age group, for example if the child is exceptionally gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is an appropriate course of action will be made by the Local Authority who will take into account the circumstances of the case and views of the Principal. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group.
Additional Notes
There is no charge or cost related to the admission of a child.
Admissions are administered through a co-ordinated admission scheme and preferences will be processed centrally by the School Admissions and Transport Service. Each pupil will receive one offer of a place at a Staffordshire school.
Looked after and previously looked after children who are in the care of or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making the application.
Please note that the feeder schools that have been named in criteria c) are those that are either part of The de Ferrers Trust or we work closely with and therefore all of our transition activity work takes place with these schools.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide any supportive information required in order for the application to be assessed against the published admissions criteria, the Academy will not seek to obtain this information on behalf of the applicant.
The Local Authority uses the Geographical Information System (GIS) to calculate home to school distances in miles. The measurement is calculated using Ordnance Survey (OS) data from an applicant’s home address to the main front gate of the school. The coordinates of an applicant’s home address is determined and provided by the Local Lane and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) and OS Address Point data.
The home address is considered to be the child’s along with their parent’s main and genuine principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living.
Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the children lives with both parents for part of the school week, parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.
If a place is offered on the basis of an address that is subsequently found to be different from a child's normal and permanent home address then that place is likely to be withdrawn.
If there are a limited number of spaces available, and we cannot distinguish between applicants using the criteria listed, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the child or children offered the available spaces will be randomly selected. This process will be independently verified.
Parents whose request for a place for their child is not accepted may appeal to the Academy via Staffordshire County Council, stating their grounds for appeal. All appeal forms are available on the Staffordshire County Council website.
It is governing body policy at The de Ferrers Trust to avoid any form of selection or discrimination on the grounds of a child's ability, religion or race.
Waiting lists
Unsuccessful applicants will be placed on a waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria stated above and not based on the date their application was received. There will be a period of two weeks after the national offer date whereby available places will not be reallocated. If places become available after the offer date they will be offered according to the child at the top of the waiting list.
Waiting Lists will be kept until the end of the autumn term of admission.
Inclusion on Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Trust Academy's waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.
A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down that list since each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the oversubscription criteria above.
Children who are subject of a direction by a local authority to admit or who are allocated to Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Trust Academy in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those on the waiting list.
Late Applications
Preferences received after the closing date will be considered alongside those applicants who applied on time wherever possible. Where it is not practicable because places have already been allocated, or are shortly to be allocated, then late applicants will be considered only after those applicants who applied by the published closing date.
A late application does not affect the right of appeal or the right to be placed on Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Academy's waiting list.
Repeat Applications
Parents do not have the right to a second appeal in respect of Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Academy for the same academic year unless, in exceptional circumstances, Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Academy accepted a second application from the appellant because of a significant and material change in the circumstances of the parent, child or school but still refused admission.
Closing Date for Return of Applications
All applications for a normal age of entry place in Year 3 at Eton Park Junior; a de Ferrers Academy should be submitted to the Local Authority by the national closing date of 15 January.
Decisions On 16 April, the Local Authority will notify all parents who have applied for a normal age of entry school place.
"In-Year Transfer" Arrangements
Parents or carers seeking to transfer to Eton Park Junior; A de Ferrers Trust Academy may make an application using the appropriate application form. This application will be processed in the normal way but parents and carers need to be aware that any date set for joining the new school may be after the next term or half term holiday and those parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that their child continues to receive appropriate education in the interim.
Appeals
Any parent has a right to appeal against a decision not to admit. The appeal will be heard by an independent appeal panel.
Relevant Area
Staffordshire County Council’s relevant area for consultation is contained within the administrative area of Staffordshire County Council.