RECEPTION ADMISSIONS 2027

We are delighted to invite parents of children due to start school in September 2027 to visit us for a school tour between November-December.

The daytime tours are a lovely opportunity to view the school on a normal school day, look round the whole school and see and speak to some of our children creating amazing work, so that you can get a good feel for us as a school for your child.  We welcome children attending the daytime tours.

To book in for a tour, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1680007560839?aff=oddtdtcreator

DAYTIME SCHOOL TOUR DATES

IN YEAR ADMISSIONS

The process for applying for an in-year school place has recently changed.   You would need to complete an online application form at Move to a different school - Kent County Council and name Lady Joanna Thornhill (Endowed) Primary School as your preference.   The form will then be sent to us to process.

We are always happy to arrange a tour of our lovely school.  Once we have received your form we will contact you to arrange this.   We are happy to accept admission requests for all year groups, including ones that are full.   If we do not have a space in your required year, we are happy to add you to our waiting list.

If you have any admissions queries, or to discuss whether we have spaces, please do either email admissions@ladyj.kent.co.uk. or telephone 01233 812781.   

RECEPTION ADMISSIONS

The information contained on this page should be read in conjunction with the KCC Admissions policy.

Online applications for a reception school place for September 2027 are open between Friday 6th November 2026 and Friday 15th January 2027.  Paper applications should be submitted by visiting the KCC primary admissions website and downloading a form.  The final date for acceptance of on time changes to application details is Thursday 11th February 2027.

If you miss the deadline, you can submit a late application up until Friday 30th April 2027, although you will only receive a school place offer in the second round of offers.

If you applied online KCC will email you on National Offer Day on  Friday 16th April 2027, after 4pm, to tell you which school you have been offered. They cannot guarantee the exact time you will receive your email, this will depend on your email service provider. 

You can also log in after 5pm on offers day to view your offer online.  

If you receive an offer of a place at our school, please be aware that you must send back your form to us to accept or refuse the place by no later than Friday 30th April 2027.  If you are accepting your place, we will also require you to bring in the ID required on the acceptance form and also your child's original birth certificate (full version, we are not able to accept photocopies). 

If you have applied to our school but have not received a place in the first round of offers you can apply to be placed on the waiting list for the second reallocation round of offers.  The deadline for applications for the waiting list is Friday 30th April 2027.  

The second round / reallocation offers will be sent out on Thursday 27th May 2026, after which time we, as a school, will be responsible for our waiting list.  Any applications after this date must be made by completing an admission form online here and naming Lady Joanna Thornhill (Endowed) Primary School as your preference.   This form will then be sent on to the school for us to contact you.

If you wish to appeal a decision regarding admissions for Reception Year, the deadline for this is Monday 17th May 2027 for it to be considered as on time.  Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.  Please see the section below for details regarding how to lodge an appeal. 

RECEPTION YEAR POSTAL APPLICATIONS

If you applied by post KCC will send your offer by first class post on Friday 16th April 2027.

Click on the links below to be redirected to the kent.gov.uk website.

• KCC Primary Admissions Website
• KCC In Year Information
• KCC online admissions form.

Deferred Entry Admissions for Summer Born Children

Starting School

Children reach compulsory school age at the beginning of term after their fifth birthday. The children due to be admitted in any academic year are those born between 1st September and the following 31st August. Each school decides as a matter of policy when to admit four year old. In coming to a decision the Headteacher has to take account of the number of teachers, class sizes and the accommodation at the school.

Admissions Policy

In line with Kent County Council’s commitment to open enrollment, Lady Joanna Thornhill will do its best to provide a place for a child at the school, but this may not always be possible. The capacity of the accommodation or other constraints at our school may mean that parental preference cannot be met.

Admission may have to be refused, for example, if it would lead to oversized classes now or later, or it would prevent resources from being used efficiently. In some years we have not been able to accept all applicants to the school.

The LEA has to plan the number of children admitted to each school very carefully to make sure that no school is overcrowded. For this reason Lady Joanna Thornhill intends to admit a maximum of 60 children into Reception for the new academic year. (There is no set allocation of places for admissions of children entering school other than in Reception).

If the number of preferences for our school is less than this figure, there is usually no problem in meeting parents’ wishes. However, there may be occasions where so many parents want places that difficult decisions have to be made.

When this happens, places at County schools are allocated by the LEA (or Headteacher acting on its behalf) taking account of the following priority order:

• Children in care of the Kent County Council;
• Current Family association (a brother or sister in the same school at the time of entry where the family continue to live at the same address as when the sibling was admitted – if they have moved – live within 2 miles of the school – or have moved to a new property that is nearer to the school than the previous property);
• Health reasons (children who for reasons of health or physical impairment need to attend a particular school);
• Nearness of children’s homes to school

For information regarding our school's Admission Policy, please click the link below:

Admissions Policy

Changing Schools in Year

If you want to transfer your child from one primary school to another, other than at the normal transfer age (for example because you are moving home), you should contact the school, it would also be helpful if you could inform the Headteacher of your child’s present school. The transfer of a child to another school on educational grounds can be considered at any time.  If you wish to apply for a place at our school for your child in year, you would need to complete the IYAF (In Year Admission Form) and return to the school.  We will then write to you and advise if we have a space available, and if not we will offer you the opportunity to join our waiting list.  Applications will be dealt with upon receipt and in any event, by 31st August at the latest each year.

Appeals Against Admission Decisions

Parents who are unhappy with an admission decision at a particular County school can appeal in writing to the Education Office at (Appeal a school offer - Kent County Council). If you are not satisfied with this decision, the case can be referred to members of the Education & Libraries committee. There is a final stage of appeal to an Independent Statutory Appeal Committee, although if the admission of the child would breach Infant class Size Limit, this appeal can only be upheld where parents demonstrated the Authority has acted unreasonably or erroneously in refusing their child a place.

How to apply…

Applications for Reception places are completed online through the Kent County Council Website – KCC Admissions. Please note that there are set deadlines and special forms for children entering Reception. Information is usually available in the December before your child is due to start school, with deadlines for application usually in January before your child is due to start school.

In Year Applications need to complete the IYAF form – IYAF FORM – and return it to the school either by post or email.