Norfolk Schoolfinder

Show School admission policy : 2026/27 (Agreed)

Show School admission policy : 2027/28 (Proposed)

School admission policy : 2026/27 (Agreed)

THIS SCHOOL WAS OVER-SUBSCRIBED FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 ADMISSIONS 

All children whose education, health and care (EHC) plan name Wayland Academy will be admitted before any other places are allocated.

If Wayland Academy is not oversubscribed, all applicants will be offered a place.

In the event that Wayland Academy receives more applications than the number of places it has available, places will be given to those children who meet any of the criteria set out below, in order until all places are filled:

1. Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children who apply for a place at Wayland Academy.

2. Priority will next be given to children with siblings at Wayland Academy. Siblings include step siblings, foster siblings, adopted siblings and other children living permanently at the same address. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former pupils of Wayland Academy.

3. Priority will next be given to children of staff at Wayland Academy, in either of the following circumstances:  The member of staff has been employed at Wayland Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage

4. Priority will next be given to children who attend named feeder schools. Our named feeder schools are Great Hockham Primary School & Nursery, Ashill VC Primary School, Watton Junior School, Watton Westfield Infant & Nursery, Thompson Primary School, Parker’s Church of England Primary Academy, Caston Church of England Primary Academy and St. Peter & St. Paul Carbrooke Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery.

5. Priority will next be given to children living nearest Wayland Academy, by a straight line distance

Show School admission policy : 2027/28 (Proposed)

School admission policy : 2027/28 (Proposed)

All children whose education, health and care (EHC) plan name Wayland Academy will be admitted before any other places are allocated.

In the event that Wayland Academy receives more applications than the number of places it has available, the order in which places will be allocated will be as follows:

1. Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children. Applications in this category may need to be supported by documentary evidence confirming the child’s status. Ideally any evidence should be received by the application deadline in the normal admission round.

2. Priority will next be given to children with siblings on roll at Wayland Academy at the point of application for the new pupil. Siblings include full siblings (sharing both parents), half siblings (sharing one parent), step siblings (one child’s parent married to the other child’s parent), foster siblings, adopted siblings or children of their parent’s cohabiting partner. In all cases the sibling must live at the child’s home address (as defined by this policy). Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former pupils of Wayland Academy. The sibling’s full details must be provided in the application form.

3. Priority will next be given to children of staff members based at Wayland Academy, in either of the following circumstances:

• The member of staff has been employed at Wayland Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, or

• The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage

For the purposes of this criterion:

• ‘Staff members’ means any person employed by Inspiration Trust and based at Wayland Academy on a permanent or fixed term contract for 0.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) or more, including teaching staff, support staff and leadership staff.

• ‘Children of staff members’ includes the staff member’s natural child, adopted child, stepchild, or child of the staff member’s partner where the child lives with the staff member as part of their family unit for the majority of the school week.

• ‘Based at Wayland Academy’ means their primary place of work where they spend the majority of their contracted working time. It is not possible for a staff member to have priority at more than one academy within the Inspiration Trust. Where a staff member works across multiple academies within the Inspiration Trust, they may only claim priority at the academy where they spend the majority of their working time.

• A ‘demonstratable skill shortage’ will be determined by the Inspiration Trust at the point of recruitment, based on factors such as:

o Difficulty in recruiting suitable candidates for the role

o National or local shortage of qualified professionals in that field

o Specialist qualifications or experience required that are in short supply

The determination of a demonstrable skill shortage must be documented in the recruitment process and confirmed in writing by the Inspiration Trust Chief People Officer.

Parents/carers wishing to claim priority under this criterion must indicate this on the Common Application Form and provide written confirmation on Inspiration Trust headed paper from the Chief People Officer, confirming:

• The staff member's name and role

• Their start date of employment at Wayland Academy

• That they meet one of the two qualifying circumstances (employed for 2+ years or recruited to fill a demonstrable skill shortage)

• The relationship of the child to the staff member

This confirmation must be submitted to the school by the application deadline. The school reserves the right to verify this information with the Inspiration Trust HR department.

4. Priority will next be given to children who attend named feeder schools. Our named feeder schools are Great Hockham Primary School & Nursery, Ashill VC Primary School, Watton Junior School, Watton Westfield Infant & Nursery, Thompson Primary School, Parker’s Church of England Primary Academy, Caston Church of England Primary Academy and St. Peter & St. Paul Carbrooke Church of England Primary Academy & Nursery.

5. Priority will next be given to all other children who do not fall into any of the oversubscription categories above.

If you would like to comment on the above proposed admissions policy please email admissions@norfolk.gov.uk, letting us know which school's policy you want to comment on, and any comments on it that you would like to share with us.

Show School admission policy : 2026/27 (Agreed)