Admissions to Reception in September 2027

Applications for Admission via South Gloucestershire Council

Applications for Reception places for September 2027 open in early September 2026 through South Gloucestershire Council. If your child was born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, you must apply for them to start primary school in September 2027.

Applications must be submitted no later than 15 January 2027. Parents are strongly encouraged to apply online via South Gloucestershire Council, although paper application forms are also available.

If your child is a baptised Catholic, a copy of the baptism certificate should be provided directly to the school by 15 January 2027.

Applying for a place for your child to start school in September 2027

Step 1

Read the Holy Family Admissions Policy for 2027/28 (link below).

If you would like your child to attend Holy Family Catholic Primary School, you must apply through South Gloucestershire Council Admissions and submit any supporting documentation required by the school. The deadline for receipt of all information is 15 January 2027.

Step 2

Apply through South Gloucestershire Council online or by completing a paper application form. South Gloucestershire Council recommends that parents use all three available preferences and rank them in genuine order of preference.

Step 3

If applicable, provide a copy of your child's baptism certificate directly to the school by 15 January 2027. This enables the Governing Body to apply the school's oversubscription criteria correctly where there are more applications than places available.

What happens next?

After the closing date, South Gloucestershire Council collates all applications and sends details to Holy Family Catholic Primary School. The Governors' Admissions Committee ranks applications in accordance with the school's published admissions policy.

Parents who applied online will be able to view their outcome on 16 April 2027. Applicants who used a paper form will be notified by letter posted on 16 April 2027.

Parents must respond to their school place offer by 30 April 2027.

Waiting Lists

If your child is not initially offered a place at Holy Family, you may request that they remain on the waiting list.

Waiting lists are maintained according to the school's published oversubscription criteria and not according to the date a child's name was added. The waiting list will be maintained until 31 December 2027.

If places become available, children on the waiting list will be ranked again in accordance with the admissions criteria.

The Right to Appeal

If your child does not receive a place at Holy Family, information about the appeals process will be provided by South Gloucestershire Council.

Parents have the right to appeal against the refusal of the Governing Body to admit their child and should submit their appeal in writing to the Clerk to the Governors within the published timescales. Appeals for the normal admissions round should normally be lodged by 21 May 2027.

Clerk to the Governors:
Anne Collins
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Amberley Road
Patchway
Bristol BS34 6BY

If your child is offered a place at Holy Family

Following acceptance of a place, parents will be invited to an information session during the summer term. Details regarding induction arrangements, transition visits and communication systems will be provided before children start school in September 2027.

The Reception children at Holy Family normally start full-time from the beginning of the school year, although individual arrangements can be discussed where a child may benefit from a staggered start.