Admissions
Please scroll down for September 2025 admissions.
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Ashford St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School is close to Ashford town centre. We are a two-form entry school with a published admission number of 420. We admit 60 children into our Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception) classes in the September after their 4th birthday. As a church school our governors admit pupils in accordance with our admission criteria (see below). A supplementary information form, which is attached to our admissions criteria should be completed if you wish to claim church affiliation.
September 2025 Admissions
You will receive an email (from KCC admissions) on Tuesday 16th April 2025 after 5pm advising you of your child’s offer. You will then need to inform the school via email (admissions@st-marys-ashford.kent.sch.uk) or phone (01233 625531) as to whether you will be accepting or refusing our offer of a place.
Next step, provide us with:
- Your child's birth certificate
- Proof of address for yourself and your child
These can be handed to our school office or emailed.
Proof of address evidence: All proof of address evidence must be dated within the application window (5th November 2024 - 15th January 2025)
- Council Tax statement for 2024 to 2025 or 2025 to 2026, OR
- Signed Tenancy Agreement or Exchange of Contracts/Completion document
Plus at least one of these:
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Job Seeker Allowance, Disability Benefit letter or statement
- a driving licence
- a schedule of motor insurance
- a utility bill, such as gas, water, electric or broadband
- a payslip.
Proof that your child lives at the same address can be any of:
- doctor or hospital letter in their name
- savings account or bank account in their name
- Child Benefit statement.
This is not a full list of evidence. KCC or the school may ask for more evidence. We will do this if the current evidence does not prove you lived at the address during the application window.
Your offer may be withdrawn if you fail to provide:
- sufficient address evidence or
- evidence that does not support your address at the final closing date for applications.
If you are concerned you used an incorrect address on your application, or if your circumstances have changed unexpectedly, email: primaryadmissions@kent.gov.uk
If you do not provide address evidence or if you provide insufficient evidence to confirm that you lived at your address at the final closing date of 15th January 2025 the offer may be withdrawn even after your child has started at the school.
If you have any queries about the Admission process, please email admissions@st-marys-ashford.kent.sch.uk. You can also contact the Kent Admissions Team on 03000 41 21 21 or visit their website.
Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception) classes initially start on a part-time basis i.e. they gradually build up to full-time hours. Once a place has been formally offered, parents and carers will be advised of our start dates and admission arrangements for their child.
September 2025 Start: Appeals
If your child is due to start Primary school in September 2025, you can appeal if you are refused a place at one of your preferred schools on National Offer Day (Wednesday, 16 April 2025). You needed to submit your appeal before Tuesday, 20 May 2025 for it to be considered by Friday, 18 July 2025. Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.
For late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.
In Year Admissions for children already at Primary School
If you are a parent wishing to apply for a place for your child at our school you will need to complete the In Year Admissions Form . Please return the completed form back to school. You will need to fill in a separate form for each child. You will hear from us within 15 (school) days. If we are unable to offer a place we will confirm this to you in writing and you can choose to have your child’s name added to our waiting list until there is a space, at which point, the over-subscription criteria is applied to ascertain who the place is offered to.
Oversubscription Arrangements:
Oversubscription Criteria 2024/25