Admissions

If you would like your child to attend our School or Nursery,
please see full details of our admission arrangements below...

School Admissions Link

Information on applying for a school place

Starting school is an exciting and important stage in your child's development.  We want your child to be happy, confident and independent and will do our best to support them in this.

Ghyllgrove is a happy and successful school.  Our aim is to work in close co-operation with you.  We share the same responsibility with you, for educating your child academically, socially and morally.  We also share your expectation that your child will be encouraged to achieve a level of excellence in every aspect of the curriculum.

Looking for a place in 2023/24?

If you would like your child to start in Reception for September 2023, the closing date for applying to Essex County Council is 15th January 2023.  This is for parents/carers of children born during the period 1st September 2018 to 31st August 2019.

We do hold 'Open Days' for those looking for a Reception place for their child.  If you would like to come and visit us, please make an appointment by ringing the school office to book on a tour.  Our Headteacher will conduct tours of the school during the day for small groups.  We feel it is important for prospective parents/carers to experience the school in action.  Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate individual tours for the Reception intake.  If there are special circumstances for a child, please make us aware and we will be happy to arrange to discuss these with you fully.

If you require a place for your child mid-year in any year group, please contact Essex County Council using the link 'school place application' above.

Applications for Reception places must be made to the Local Authority at:

Essex County Council

County Hall

Market Road

Chelmsford

Essex      CM1 1QH

email - admissions@essex.gov.uk

telephone no. - 0345 603 2200

Admissions Policy for Reception

There is no guarantee of a place for children living in the priority admission area.

In the event of oversubscription, places will be allocated using the following criteria in the order given:

1. Looked After Children and previously looked after children (as defined in the Primary Education in Essex 2023/2024 booklet);
2. children with a sibling* attending the school;
3. children living in the priority admission area;
4. remaining applications.

In the event of oversubscription within any of the above criteria, priority will be determined by straight line distance from home to school, those living closest being given the highest priority.

*For applications made in the normal admission round, or mid-year, a relevant sibling is a child who has a brother, sister, adopted brother or sister, stepbrother or stepsister living in the same family unit, in the same family home and address who attends the school with an expectation that the sibling will be attending at the time of admission.  Children residing in the same household as part of an extended family, such as cousins, will not be treated as siblings.

Admissions Policy for Nursery

There is a Nursery within the school and applications for the Nursery must be made directly to the school.  The admission criteria is as follows:

1. Looked After Children and previously looked after children;
2. children living in the priority admission area with a sibling* attending the school;
3. children living in the priority admission area;
4. children with a sibling* not living in the priority admission area;
5. remaining applicants.