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St Thomas ofCanterbury

Admissions

Thank you for your interest in our school, please take a look at our Prospectus!

St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School welcomes Catholic and non Catholic children from 3 years of age. 

 St Thomas’ is part of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust which means the Trust have overall responsibility for admissions to the school.  Please contact Mrs Sellers, Office Manager to enquire further (admin@stcanterbury.herts.sch.uk or 01920 821450).

Applying for a Place at our School

Nursery Admissions:

For September 2025: (Children born between 1st September 2021 and 31st August 2022).

We are a catholic school, but we welcome and embrace children and staff of different faiths or no faith.

Please note that we have a single intake into our Nursery in September.  We also offer 30 hour childcare provision – please contact the School Office for further details.  Once your child’s place in our Nursery is confirmed, please complete a Parent Declaration Form and return to the School Office if you are eligible for 30 hour funding. 

When applying for a Nursery place, you will need to complete an Early Years Application Form  available from our website or the School Office between 2nd October 2024 and 13th December 2024. (Please note that Hertfordshire County Council no longer co-ordinates Nursery Admissions therefore you need to apply directly to each school).  You will also need to complete our Supplementary Information Form which is contained within our Nursery Admissions Arrangements 2025/2026

 Nursery Applications ~ Key Dates:

02 October 2024: Nursery Applications open
13 December 2024: Deadline for Nursery Applications to be received
01 March 2026: School advises parents outcome of their Nursery Application
15 March 2026: Deadline for parents to accept Nursery place

Reception Admissions:

For September 2025 (Children born between 01 September 2020 and 31 August 2021):

We are a catholic school, but we welcome and embrace children of different faiths or no faith.  

Please note that we have a single intake into our Reception in September. When applying for a Reception place, you will need to complete the standard Primary Application Form from Hertfordshire County Council (see www.hertsdirect.org/admissions). Online applications open on 1st November 2024.   In addition, you will need to complete the Supplementary Information Form contained within the Determined Admission Arrangements 2025/2026 or obtain a hard copy from the School Office.  

The Supplementary Information Form should be returned to the School Office, together with a copy of Baptism Certificate (if applicable).  This form should be returned by 15 January 2025.

Please refer to the following website for Appeals information: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/school-admissions/primary-junior-and-middle-schools/primary-school-appeals.aspx

Please refer to Hertfordshire's KEY DATES for Reception applications.

Key dates for Admissions in 2025/26 are as follows:

Key Dates

Date

Closing date for online applications to be submitted to the LA

15 January 2025

Statutory deadline for receipt of paper applications

15 January 2025 

Allocation information dispatched to parents

19 April 2025

Date by which parents/ carers may accept or reject place offered

03 May 2025

Date by which parents / carers return appeal forms

16 May 2025 (by 4 pm) 

In Year Admissions:

In-Year Applications

We are a catholic school, but we welcome and embrace children and staff of different faiths or no faith.  

An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places.  

Nursery In Year Applications:

Please refer to our Nursery Admission Arrangements 2024/2025  (or request a hard copy from the School Office), and return to the Office along with a Baptism Certificate if applicable.  A reminder that securing a place in our Nursery does not guarantee a place in Reception.

Reception - Year 6 In Year Applications:

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2024/25 will be applied. Please apply online via Herts County Council.  In addition, please complete and return to the School Office a Supplementary Information Form contained within our Determined Admission Arrangements 2024/2025 and In Year Application Form to St Thomas of Canterbury School, High Street, Puckeridge, Herts SG11 1RZ along with Baptism Certificate if applicable.

You will be advised of the outcome of your application in writing as soon as possible. Applicants must be informed of the outcome of their application within 15 school days of receipt, but the aim is to notify applicants of the outcome of their application within 10 school days of receipt.

The Admission Number for KS 1 (Year 1) is 15

The Admission Number for KS 1 (Year 2) is 15

The Admission Number for KS 2 (Year 3) is 16

The Admission Number for KS 2 (Year 4) is 16

The Admission Number for KS 2 (Year 5) is 16

The Admission Number for KS 2 (Year 6) is 16

If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions please contact Executive Head Teacher: Mrs Michelle Keating, St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School, High Street, Puckeridge, Herts SG11 1RZ. You may also wish to discuss in-year applications with the Local Authority:   https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/school-admissions/in-year-admissions-change-schools-during-the-year/in-year-admissions-change-school-during-the-year.aspx

Appeals

You have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your application is unsuccessful.

Please click here for Parent Guidance for Appeals.

Please click here for the School Admission Appeals Timetable

All parents should have the ability to lodge all school admission appeals online. All parents now need to set up an appeals account in order to appeal.  The online appeals portal is the same for all parents and is found here: School Admission Appeal | Hertfordshire County Council  In order to set up an account, the following codes are needed:

  • Application Reference Number
  • Child ID

 Parents who live out-of-county or who applied on paper will need to contact our Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4043 in order to obtain their registration details to gain access. These they will be sent via automated email.

2026/2027 Admission Arrangements - Under Consultation

St Thomas of Canterbury School is consulting on the Proposed Admission Arrangements for the School Year 2026/2027 and is seeking responses from parent/carers, schools and community groups. The proposed changes are:

  • Alteration of wording where the policy is managed by St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School to the St Francis of Assisi (SFOA) Catholic Academy Trust.  This means all Primary Schools within the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust will be adopting the same Admissions Policy, using the same over-subscription criteria.
  • The addition within each category of the over-subscription criteria of a third prioritisation point, covering children of members of staff.

The consultation period runs from 28 October– 08 December 2024. Please send your comments regarding the proposals to the school direct at admin@stcanterbury.herts.sch.uk

St Thomas of
Canterbury

High St, Puckeridge,
Ware, SG11 1RZ

08:45 - 15:15 (Opening Hours: 32.5 per week)

01920 821450

admin@stcanterbury.herts.sch.uk