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• CONSULTATION: Admission Arrangements for 2026/27 for TDJS

The Local Governors of Thames Ditton Junior School (TDJS) and Trustees of the Hinchley Wood Learning Partnership (HWLP or Trust) are currently considering making changes to the TDJS Admission Arrangements for Year 3 entry in September 2026. As determined by the School Admissions Code 2021, they have a statutory duty to seek the views of families and other interested stakeholders on their proposal to change the school’s Admission Arrangements for September 2026. Details of the changes being proposed are set out below.

Documents / forms available as part of this consultation include:

• Proposed Admission Arrangements for 2026/27
• Revised Supplementary Information Form (SIF): Children of Staff
• Consultation response form including pdf of the response form

Proposed changes

A summary of the changes being proposed to the 2026/27 Admission Arrangements for TDJS are detailed below:

Proposal 1: Decreasing the TDJS Published Admission Number for September 2026 from 90 to 60 places. 

TDJS currently has an intake of 90 pupils for Year 3. This is known as the Published Admission Number (PAN).

From September 2026, TDJS is proposing to reduce its PAN at Year 3 from 90 to 60 places.

The proposal to reduce the school’s PAN will mean that the number of places available for children in Year 3 from September 2026 will be 60. The proposed decrease in PAN would have no impact on children who are currently on roll at the school.  The Headteacher, Local Governing Body and the Trust Board are in agreement with this proposal, which will assist the school both organisationally and financially. 

Thames Ditton Infant School formally consulted on reducing its Reception PAN from 90 to 60 in September 2025 in response to a fall in birth rates. Thames Ditton Infant School is a feeder school to TDJS, with the majority of children transferring to this school. The proposal to reduce the Year 3 PAN at TDJS is a direct consequence of a reduction in the number of pupils on roll at Thames Ditton Infant School. There will be fewer children seeking to transfer to Year 3 in the local area in September 2026.  A reduction in PAN at TDJS would create a better match of places to expected demand, protecting the financial viability of TDJS moving forward. 

Surrey’s planning area data shows that, with a PAN of 60, TDJS will be able to meet the expected demand for school places in the local area.  The primary planning area for The Dittons, Claygate and Hinchley Wood comprises of TDJS, Thames Ditton Infant School, Hinchley Wood Primary School, Long Ditton Infant and Nursery School, Long Ditton St Mary’s Junior School and Claygate Primary School. Place planning forecasts indicate that there will be a need for 305 Year 3 places in September 2026 in the primary planning area. If TDJS reduces its PAN from 90 to 60, there will be a total of 330 Year 3 places across all schools in the primary planning area. There will therefore continue to be a sufficient number of Year 3 places across the primary planning area if TDJS reduces its PAN.

Surrey County Council forecasts predict that the number of pupils needing a school place in Year 3 in the primary planning area of The Dittons, Claygate & Hinchley Wood, will remain between 253 and 305 from 2026/27 to the end of the forecast period in 2033/34.  Should the demand for additional places increase in the future, TDJS will consider offering places above PAN.

Proposal 2: Amending the Supplementary Information Form for application under the Children of Staff criterion.

It is proposed that applicants who wish to be considered for priority under the Children of Staff criterion must complete the revised Supplementary Information Form (SIF) – Children of Staff with their application. The revised SIF – Children of Staff aligns with Surrey County Council guidance and the School Admissions Code 2021.

It is therefore proposed that the new Admission Criteria for September 2026 would be as follows:

1. Looked after and previously looked after children
2. Exceptional social/medical need
3. Siblings, at the time of admission
4. Children of staff at the school
5. Children attending Thames Ditton Infant School
6. Any other children

How to respond

The consultation on the proposed changes to the TDJS Admission Arrangements for 2026/27 will run for 7 weeks from Wednesday the 4^th of December 2024 until 17:00 on Wednesday the 22^nd of January 2025. If you would like to take part, please complete an online response form available here. Alternatively, if you would prefer to respond on a paper form, a pdf of the form is available here or can be collected from the School Reception.

Please note, no individual replies to response forms will be provided and only response forms which are fully completed with the respondent’s name and address will be accepted. The form should be completed and submitted by 17:00 on Wednesday the 22^nd of January 2025. No further responses will be accepted after the closing date and time.

Next Steps

• Responses will be collated and presented to the Primary Phase Admissions Committee for consideration. The Committee will consider all responses and make a recommendation to the TDJS Local Governors and the HWLP Trustees on the proposed changes.
• The Local Governing Body and Trustees will approve or reject the recommendations and will determine the TDJS Admission Arrangements for September 2026 onwards.
• Once determined, the final Admission Arrangements will be published on the TDJS Admission web page and shared with Surrey County Council by the statutory deadline – 28th of February 2025.

 

Anya Headon

Clerk to the TDJS Local Governing Body

04 December 2024