Admissions
Welcome to St Mary's school admissions page.
Please ensure that you are using the relevant section when applying for your child's school place.
Section 1: Applying for a Reception Class place in September 2024
All information about finding the right school for your child, and the application form, can be found on the Suffolk County Council website - the link is below.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School require a completed Supplementary Information form by the 15th January 2024 deadline. Please see step 3 below.
The deadline for Reception 2024 applications is 15th January 2024.
If you wish to apply for a Reception class place at our school for September 2024 there are three steps:
Step 1: Read the school's Admissions Policy for 2024/25 as below.
The Admissions Policy document contains key dates and an explanation of the oversubscription criteria.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Admissions Policy 2024/25
Step 2: Complete an on-line application form. This can be found on the Suffolk County Council website. See link below: The Local Authority manage our admissions process for us. Your application will need to be made by the recommended date, and should be sent to Suffolk County Council Admissions.
Step 3: Complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF 2024/25) as below. Once complete, this form should be returned to school (not Suffolk County Council Admissions), along with a copy of your child's baptismal certificate.
Supplementary Information Form 2024/25
Section 2: Applying for school place during an academic year
In-Year Applications
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. An application should be made to the school by completing the in-year admissions application form and SIF and returning it to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, IP4 4ED.
Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2023/24, will be applied. See Admissions Policy 2023 /2024. Parents are advised to read the admission arrangements carefully before making their application.
If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list. Please see the admission arrangements for more details.
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.
You have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your application is unsuccessful.
If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions please contact Jo Berry or Jo Measham – headteachers. You may also wish to discuss in-year applications with the local authority – Suffolk.
How to apply for a place during an existing academic year
A Supplementary Information form (SIF) is also required - see SIF below. Please complete and return this to the school (not Suffolk County Council Admission) along with a copy of your child's baptismal certificate.
Supplementary Information Form (SIF) for In-Year Applications
Admissions Policy
Read the schools' Admissions Policy for 2023/24 as below.
Section 3: Admissions Policy and SIF for entry to Reception September 2025
This is the admissions policy and SIF to be used when making an application for your child to enter Reception in September 2025. This application window does not open until September 2024."
Addendum to published admission policy for 2023/24 and 2024/25
As a result of the recent publication of the 2021 Admissions Code by Government, all schools are required to amend the definition of “previously looked after children” in their admissions policies. The definition now reads:
“A previously looked after child’ is a child who is looked after, but ceased to be so because he or she was adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. Previously looked after children also includes those children who appear (to the governing body) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted”.
This definition has been approved by the Our Lady of Walsingham Trust Board (as the admissions authority for our school), and will apply to admissions from 1st September 2021 onwards.