Admission Information
We have Nursery and School places available
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. Our aim is to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can make the right choice for your child.
You are welcome to make an appointment to come and visit the Academy at any time to look around and meet the staff.
Please contact the Academy office to arrange a visit.
Telephone: 01924 469578
Email: office@orchard.spacademies.org
Admission to Pre-School (2 year olds)
Government funding is available to qualifying families for 15 hours per week places for 2 year olds.
Please click here to find out if you qualify
If you would like to apply for a place at our nursery for your 2 year old child please complete our application form or call into the school office to collect a form. We currently only offer morning places for pre-school.
Admission to Nursery Class
Government funding for free Early Years Education is available for 15 hours a week for all children from January, September or April following their 3rd birthday.
30 hour funded places are available for working parents who meet the government criteria.
If you would like to apply for a place at our nursery for your 3 year old child please complete our application form or call into the school office to collect a form.
Arrangements for admission at age 4 (Reception Class)
The academy trust plans to offer 52 places at age 4. This is the current admission number for the academy (AN). However, we are willing to take over PAN to increase the current number to 60.
Application Process
Orchard Primary Academy is a non-selective, independent, state funded Academy, serving the local community first.
The Academy has agreed a priority admission area (PAA) with Kirklees Local Authority. The local authority will coordinate normal round applications for entry at age 4. The Academy will coordinate their own in-year applications and will participate with, in-year fair access protocols.
a) Arrangement for applications for places at Orchard Primary Academy will be made in accordance with Kirklees local authority coordinated admission arrangements, as published in the LA’s booklet “Guide for Parents about Admissions to Primary Schools”.
b) In order to be eligible for a place parents must make the academy one of their three choices in the local authority primary common application form (PCAF). This is now an online ONLY.
For further guidance on local authority admission processes Click Here
c) If the number of preferences received is less than the AN then all preferences will be met.
d) If there are more applications than places available at the Academy the oversubscription criteria will be applied.
e) It is very important that the form is returned by the closing date because forms received after this date will be treated as ‘late’. Late applications are not dealt with until all those received on time have been through the application.
Notification of a Place
The formal offer of a place will come from the Local Authority, on behalf of the academy, who will write to parents allocating a single primary school/academy to their child.
Waiting Lists and Appeals
Where, in any year, the Academy receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate throughout the year and be maintained by the academy.
Children’s position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
When places become vacant they will be allocated to children on the writing list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria above. Waiting lists for each year will end on the last day of the summer term.
Unsuccessful applicants have a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. Appeals can be made here:
About admission appeals | Kirklees Council
It is very important for you to stay within any timetable given for your appeal process and that you state all the information on which your appeal is based in your written statement of appeal. If you miss the last date to ask for an appeal it may result in a delay in hearing your appeal.
| Appeal type | Appeals received by | Appeals will be heard by |
| Starting school for the first time | Friday 15 May 2026 | Friday 17 July 2026 |
| Transfer to junior/middle school | Friday 15 May 2026 | Friday 17 July 2026 |
| Transfer to high school | Monday 13 April 2026 | Tuesday 16 June 2026 |
In-year Admissions
An in-year admission is when a child already attends a school but wants to transfer to another school outside the usual transfer time, for example because the child is moving to a new address. These transfers take place during the school year, which is why they are called in-year admissions. There are two different types of in-year admission:
- Parents or carers who are moving/have moved house and wish to move to a school closer to their new home.
- Parents or carers who are not moving house, or whose change of address is not a significant one (a significant house move is defined as over 2 miles for Key Stage 1 or 3 miles for Key Stage 2 and above), but would like their child to change school.
If you would like to apply for a place at our school then please apply online on the Kirklees Parent Portal:
If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan then please do not complete the ICAF. You should contact your child's SEN caseworker to discuss a change of school.