We are delighted that you are considering St. Paul’s Church of England Primary School for your child.

Choosing a school is an important decision, and we warmly encourage families to visit St. Paul’s, meet our staff and children and see our school in action.

Come and visit us

We hold open events during the autumn for families whose children are due to start Reception the following September.

Dates and booking information are published on our Come and See Us page.

Families are also very welcome to arrange an individual visit at other times during the school year. Please contact the school office and we will be happy to arrange this.

Our Published Admission Number

St. Paul’s is a half-form entry primary school.

Our Published Admission Number (PAN) is 15, which means that up to 15 pupils are normally admitted to Reception each September.

Who is responsible for admissions?

St. Paul’s Church of England Primary School is a voluntary-controlled school.

Kent County Council is the admission authority for the school and is responsible for coordinating applications and determining the admission arrangements that apply to St. Paul’s.

The school does not determine its own admissions criteria.

You can find the current admission arrangements and application information on the Kent County Council website.

Kent County Council – School Admissions

For 2026–27, community and voluntary-controlled schools use Kent County Council's determined admission arrangements.

Starting school in Reception

Applications for children starting Reception are made through the child's home local authority as part of the normal primary admissions process.

For families living in Kent, applications are made through Kent County Council.

Kent County Council publishes information about:

• when and how to apply;
• application deadlines;
• how places are allocated;
• National Offer Day;
• waiting lists; and
• what to do if you are not offered your preferred school.

Apply for a primary school place through Kent County Council

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan

The admission of children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is managed through the statutory EHCP process rather than through the ordinary school admissions oversubscription arrangements.

Parents and carers should work with their local authority SEND team when considering the school to be named in their child's EHCP.

We warmly encourage families of children with SEND or disabilities who are considering St. Paul’s to visit us and speak to our SENCO. This gives us an opportunity to discuss your child's needs, our provision and any reasonable adjustments that may support them.

Our SEND Information Report and Inclusion/SEND pages provide further information about support at St. Paul’s.

In-year admissions

An in-year admission is an application for a school place outside the normal Reception admissions round — for example, because a family has moved into the area or wishes to change schools.

In-year admissions to St. Paul’s are coordinated through Kent County Council.

Families considering an in-year place are very welcome to contact the school office to discuss current availability and arrange a visit, but the formal application should be made through the appropriate KCC admissions process.

Admission outside the normal age group

Parents and carers may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age group.

This can include requests relating to summer-born children.

Requests are considered in accordance with the current Kent County Council admission arrangements and relevant statutory guidance.

Further information about requesting admission outside the normal age group is available from Kent County Council.

Deferred entry and part-time attendance in Reception

Children are normally offered a full-time Reception place from September.

Parents and carers may, however, defer their child's entry until later in the school year, provided that the child starts school before reaching compulsory school age and within the school year for which the place was offered.

Parents may also request that their child attends Reception part-time until they reach compulsory school age.

Families considering either option should contact the school and Kent County Council to discuss the arrangements.

Waiting lists

Where there are more applications than places available, waiting lists are managed in accordance with Kent County Council's admission arrangements.

Being on a waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available.

The ordering of a waiting list is determined by the applicable admission criteria rather than simply by the date an application was received.

Admission appeals

Parents and carers have a statutory right of appeal if their child is refused a place at St. Paul’s.

Appeals for St. Paul’s are administered through Kent County Council.

Kent County Council publishes the current appeals timetable, deadlines and information about how to submit an appeal.

Kent County Council – School Admission Appeals

Current admission arrangements

The current admission arrangements for St. Paul’s are those determined by Kent County Council for community and voluntary-controlled primary schools.

Kent County Council – 2026/27 Admissions Criteria

Parents and carers should always refer to the current Kent County Council information when making an application.

Contact us

We know that admissions terminology and processes can sometimes feel complicated, and the school office will be happy to help with general enquiries about St. Paul’s or arrange a visit.

St. Paul’s Church of England Primary School
Telephone: 01322 664324
Email: office@st-pauls-swanley.kent.sch.uk

For decisions about applications, waiting lists and appeals, families should contact Kent County Council Admissions.