If you are interested in finding out about St Margaret's for your child who is already of statutory school age, then we warmly welcome you to visit the school and see how we bring our vision and values to life.
Please contact our Admission Secretary Mrs Capoia on 01903 785416 or school@stmargaretsprimary.org.uk to discuss your individual circumstances and arrange a tour of the school.
If you wish to proceed with applying for a school place during the school year, the Local Authority In-Year application form must be completed and submitted in accordance with this authority’s published procedure. This is available to download from the Local Authority or you can complete it online through the West Sussex Schools website. The In-Year Application Form may be submitted at anytime but will only be administered during school term time and within six school weeks of the place being required, unless the application is for a child from a Service family or the parent is a Crown Servant returning from overseas. In these circumstances, an application may be considered further in advance if an official letter is provided with the application, which confirms a relocation date and unit postal address or quartering area address. Please note if you are applying under our faith criteria, you will also need to complete the Supplementary Information Form below and return it directly to the School Office.
Who processes your application?
The governing body is the admissions authority for St Margaret's CE Primary School and has responsibility for admissions to the school, including setting the priority of admissions when the school is oversubscribed. The governing body will consider whether it has any vacancies and if so, whether they are able to offer a place. The school will confirm to West Sussex County Council (WSCC) as soon as possible. WSCC will contact you to let you know the outcome of your application.
When will parents be notified of the outcome of their application?
Upon receipt of an In Year application, WSCC will aim to notify parents of the outcome of the application in writing within 10 school days. However, it might take up to 15 school days. You must respond to any offer of a place within ten school days.
The right to appeal
If you are refused a place at any school you applied for, you have the right to make an appeal to an independent appeal panel. Where an application is refused, the school will set out the reason for refusal.
For applications for In Year Admissions, appeals must be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged. If parents wish to appeal, they must set out the grounds for appeal in writing.
Other Information
Where an applicant is offered a school place following an in-year application, and the offer is accepted, arrangements should be made for the child to start school as soon as possible, particularly where the child is out of school.
If your child is not offered a place, you can add their name to a waiting list. Waiting lists are ranked according to each school’s admission criteria. Your child’s position on a waiting list may go down as well as up, for example, if other children with greater priority according to the school’s admission criteria are added to the list.
For further information regarding our Admissions Policy, please see the documents below.