School Admissions
Our friendly helpful admissions team understand how important securing the right school place is for your child. We will work with you to make the process as smooth as possible and help with your queries. If you have any queries about admissions, please send an email with ‘Shinfield Infant and Nursery School’ in the subject title to [email protected]
From 1st April 2020 Shinfield Infant and Nursery School became an academy school within a Multi Academy Trust (The Circle Trust). The Trustees of the Circle Trust are the Admissions Authority for all of the schools in the trust.
Admissions for Reception
Admissions for Reception entry for 2027/28 must be made to your home local authority.
If you are considering applying for the Reception September 2027 intake at Shinfield Infant and Nursery School, then the school must be named as a preference on your application to your home local authority.
Local Authorities may differ in dates in which you can apply from however, the National Closing Date for applications to be received is 15 January 2027. Please contact your home local authority for further information regarding the admissions process.
Before you apply
Please ensure you have read and understood our admission arrangements. These arrangements confirm how applications will be processed by the admission authority, and include our oversubscription criteria, which explains how places will be allocated should the school receive more applications than there are available places.
Outcomes will be provided by your home local authority on National Offer Day: 16 April 2027.
If you are offered a school place
If a school place has been offered, you will need to confirm your acceptance of this offer by the deadline provided within your outcome letter from your home local authority.
Once your acceptance has been received and the school has been informed of all those allocated for September 2027 you will be contacted directly by the school regarding transition dates and enrolment.
If you are not offered a school place
If we have not been able to offer your child a place, this is because there were more applications for the school than there were available places and not all requests for places could be met. Places are allocated in line with the admissions criteria published and your application was not ranked high enough to obtain a place.
For late applicants: If we have not been able to offer your child a place, this is because the school has reached its admissions number (the maximum number of children that can be admitted to the year group for September 2027) from the initial round of admissions
The Circle Trust can provide you with further information regarding waiting lists and details on how to exercise your right to appeal. You can also find this information within our reason for refusal document provided below;
In-year admissions
To apply for a place for all year groups, including Reception outside of the normal admissions round, applications should be made directly to The Circle Trust.
Before you apply
Please ensure you have read and understood our admission arrangements. These arrangements confirm how applications will be processed by the admission authority, and include our oversubscription criteria, which explains how places will be allocated should the school receive more applications than there are available places.
Shinfield Infant and Nursery School’s Admissions arrangements were consulted on by The Circle Trust and apply to all intake years.
If you would like more information, please send an email with ‘Shinfield Infant and Nursery School’ in the subject title to [email protected]
How to apply
To make an in-year application, please complete the form below and return to The Circle Trust, with the requested accompanying documentation, by emailing [email protected] or the postal address given on the form.
If your application is for a child who has a medical or social need, please complete this additional form – click here to download form
Your application will be considered by The Circle Trust and you will be informed in writing of the outcome.
If you are offered a school place
If a school place has been offered, you will need to confirm your acceptance of this offer.
Once your acceptance has been received, you will be contacted directly by the school regarding transition dates and enrolment.
If you are not offered a school place
If we have been unable to offer your child a school place, then this is due to the relevant cohort being full. By this we mean the school has reached its published admission number for the year group. Your outcome letter will provide details regarding the school’s reason for refusal, waiting lists and how to exercise your right to appeal.
Waiting Lists
Details regarding how waiting lists will be maintained for each Circle Trust school is confirmed within the individual school’s admission arrangements.
Your child’s name will be placed on a waiting list for the school you have applied for. Should a place become available for your child from the waiting list we will contact you immediately. Please therefore ensure you keep us up to date with your contact details
The waiting lists will close 2 weeks before the end of the academic year for which you have applied.
If you wish your child’s name to be placed on the waiting lists for the following academic year, you will need to complete the In-Year application process again no sooner than 20 school days before the start of the academic year you wish to apply for. You will not be reminded to do this.
Admission Arrangements
The admissions arrangements for all mainstream academies and free schools must comply with the School admissions code and the School admission appeals code. Shinfield Infant and Nursery Schools Admissions arrangements were consulted on by The Circle Trust and apply to all intake years.
If you would like more information, please send an email with ‘Shinfield Infant and Nursery School’ in the subject title to [email protected]
Admission Arrangements
Breakdown of allocated places for Reception (Foundation Stage)
Appeals
If you have received a refusal of a school place and wish to lodge an appeal, please click on the link for further information. (Please note: The Circle Trust uses Bracknell Democratic Services for any school appeals)