Admissions

Come and join our school!

Welcome to Ellacombe C of E Academy! We are delighted that you are thinking of joining our school family in September and we would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome you to the Learning Academy Partnership. We are really looking forward to working in partnership with you to ensure that your child has the best possible start to their primary education.

If you are interested in your child joining the academy, please contact us - 01803 293040 or email ellacombe@lapsw.org

 

 

How to Apply

Once you decide you would like a place, you must make a formal application. This is the same for all new admissions, including children who have a sibling with us, children who have been a pupil here before and children who attend our Nursery.  Applications are made via the Local Authority Citizens' Portal

If your child is due to start in Reception (Foundation Stage), they will be offered a place to start in Reception at the beginning of the September term after their fourth birthday, even if you intend to defer admission until later in the academic year.

The Local Authority

Torbay Council publishes information about admissions and its own policies to support the admissions application and appeals process. This is via the TIPS 4 Booklet and TIPS 8 Booklet

Applications can be made online at  https://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/admissions/ or by using the forms available by calling the Local Authority. 

There is an appeals process if an application is refused; this is detailed at www.devon.gov.uk/school-appeals

For questions about your child joining the school  or just about the admissions process in general, please don’t hesitate to contact the school directly or contact Torbay School Admissions Service on 01803 208908 or by emailing pupil.services@torbay.gov.uk

For the normal round intake into school, children are offered places to start in Reception at the beginning of the September term after their fourth birthday, even if they intend to defer admission until later in the academic year.

There are different options for parents of children starting school in Reception. This includes part-time education and deferring or delaying admission until later in the Reception year or, for children with birthdays in the summer term, to the following September. Come and talk to us if you are considering this.

Do come and talk with us if you are interested in a place in a different year group for any reason.

Applications for residents of Torbay are made between 15 November and 15 January for primary schools at https://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/admissions

If your child lives in another Local Authority, including Cornwall, Dorset, Plymouth, Somerset and Devon, you should apply through that council. The closing dates are the same nationally.

Admission Arrangements

Privacy Notice

The Learning Academy Partnership is the admissions authority for our school, responsible for the admissions policies and decisions when there is an application for admission. We have an admissions policy for each academic year.

Policies are written to comply with the School Admissions Code 2021 and the School Admissions Appeals Code 2022. We take part in the normal round and the in-year co-ordinated admissions schemes of Torbay Council and Devon County Council.

Applications can be made online at  Apply for a School Place – Torbay Council

The appeals process is detailed at  Appeal against a school place decision – Torbay Council

Our Admissions Policies

You can find our admissions arrangements below – we review the school policy annually and may make changes if we feel this would be in the best interests of the school and our community.

Each academic year has its own policy document, with details about how to apply for a place in school from the start of Reception through to Year Y6.​​​​​​

 

 Appeals

The Admissions Appeals Timetable 2026

Allocation date for Reception or junior school Year 3:  16 April 2026

Deadline for appeal forms to be submitted: 31 May 2026

Appeals will be heard within 40 school days, by: 24 July 2026

Where possible, appeals that are submitted after 31 May will be heard by 24 July. If that is not possible, they will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal form being submitted.

In-year appeals can be submitted after a refusal. They will be heard within 30 school days of an appeal being submitted.

The Admissions Appeals Timetable 2027

The deadline for submitting appeals allows appellants at least 20 school days to prepare and submit a written appeal. The appeal must then be heard within 40 school days for the normal round and within 30 days for in-year admissions.

Allocation date for the normal round Reception: 16 April 2027

Deadline for appeal forms to be submitted: 31 May 2027

Appeals will be heard within 40 school days, by: 23 July 2027

Where possible, appeals that are submitted after 31 May will be heard by 23 July. If that is not possible, they will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal form being submitted.

In-year appeals can be submitted after a refusal. They will be heard within 30 school days of an appeal being submitted.

Part-Time Offer For Reception Children of Non-Compulsory School Age

We invite parents to visit so that we can discuss the provision on offer to children in our Reception class, how it is tailored to meet the needs of the youngest children, parent concerns, how their needs would be met as they move through the school and school readiness. Children follow the same Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in Reception as in Nursery and Childminder settings. The Early Years is delivered in a way where learning involves lots of play and exploration rather than formal learning at tables and can be tailored to meet the needs of the individual child.