Consultation on school admission arrangements for September 2026 intakes

Overview

All admission authorities are required to formally publicly consult if they want to make any changes to their schools’ admission arrangements for the following school year. They also have to consult on their schools’ admission arrangements at least once every 7 years, even if there have been no changes during that period.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) co-ordinates an annual school admissions consultation on behalf of all schools in the council area, regardless of who the admission authority is, should they request to be included. The aim of the consultation is to raise awareness of any proposed changes to school admission arrangements and ensure that these are subject to appropriate consultation.

The consultation on school admission arrangements for September 2026 is now open. The consultation will run from Monday 11 November 2024 to Tuesday 31 December 2024.

Proposed changes to school admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools for 2026 intakes

West Northamptonshire Council is the admission authority for all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools in the council area.

The local authority is proposing to give some priority within each school’s admission arrangements to children of staff working at the school. You can see where this new criterion will sit within the admission arrangements by viewing the WNC Admission Arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools for 2026 intakes (PDF, 212KB) this opens in a new window.

WNC is also proposing changes to the Published Admission Number (PAN) for the following schools:

• Boothville Primary School – reduction from 90 to 60
• Delapre Primary School – reduction from 90 to 60
• Croughton All Saints CE Primary School – reduction from 20 to 15

Proposed changes to school admission arrangements for own admission authority schools for 2026 intakes

The school governing body is the admission authority for all Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools in the council area, whilst the admission authority for Academies, Free Schools and UTCs is their Academy Trust.

The link below provides an overview of all schools in the West Northamptonshire Council area for whom WNC is co-ordinating consultation on admission arrangements for 2026.

• Overview of consulting own admission authority schools (PDF, 84KB)

The following schools are taking part in the consultation co-ordinated by WNC. Click on the school names below to view the proposed admission arrangements on the school or Trust websites.

• Abbeyfield School
• Badby Primary School
• Blakesley CE Primary School
• Castle Academy
• Chacombe CEVA Primary Academy
• Greens Norton CE Primary School
• Hackleton CEVA Primary School
• Hardingstone Academy
• Kilsby CE Primary School
• Lumbertubs Primary School
• Magdalen College School
• Northampton International Academy
• Paulerspury CE Primary School
• Rothersthorpe CE Primary School
• Silverstone UTC
• Spratton CE Primary School
• Spring Lane Primary School
• St Loys CE Primary Academy
• St Luke’s CE Primary School
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School (Aston le Walls)
• Stimpson Avenue Academy
• Sunnyside Primary Academy
• Weedon Bec Primary School
• Woodford Halse CE Primary Academy
• Woodland View Primary School
• Woodvale Primary Academy

Responding to the proposed school admissions arrangements for 2026 intakes

Should you wish to make any comments about any of the school admission arrangements above, you can do so by email: schooladmissionsconsultation@westnorthants.gov.uk, or by post:

• Schools Admissions Team
• West Northamptonshire Council
• The Guildhall 
• St Giles Street
• Northampton
• NN1 1DE

Objections to the Schools Adjudicator

Following consultation, admission authorities must determine the admission arrangements for all their schools by 28 February 2025. Once determined, any objections to admission arrangements for 2026-2027, can be made to the Schools Adjudicator until 15 May 2025.

The contact details are as follows:

• Officer of the Schools Adjudicator
• Bishopsgate House
• Feethams
• Darlington
• DL1 5QE

Email: osa.team@schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk

Find out about Objection to school admission arrangements on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)