Admissions
The information below is a guide to parents regarding our admissions process, how to secure a place for your child at Summerlea School and some of the transition arrangements.
For further information regarding transition to and from our school, please see our Transition pages.
For further information regarding the admissions process, please see the West Sussex County Council website.
For further information on our Admissions Policy please refer to 'Policies'.
When do I apply for a place at Summerlea School to start in Reception?
All parents of children who are eligible to start school in the following academic year will receive a letter from West Sussex County Council in October each year, advising of the application process and including a leaflet and checklist with further information on how to apply online. The closing date for applications is in January each year.
Is it possible to visit the school before I make the final decision?
Yes absolutely.
We will be hold several open days and will have all the information on the website to allow you to make an informed decision before the January deadline to apply. At these events, parents and children have an opportunity to meet staff and have a tour of the school. In addition, prospective parents are always very welcome to book an appointment to visit the school at any other time.
When will I know which school my child has been allocated?
The Local Authority, West Sussex County Council, inform parents of their allocated school normally in April, ready for the September.
How are places decided for Summerlea School?
Our Pupil Admission Number (PAN) is 60 children. If 60 or less children apply for Summerlea School then all of those children will be allocated a place. If more than 60 children apply, then children are prioritised using the Oversubscription Criteria, which is published each year by the Local Authority.
What is our Oversubscription Criteria? School admission policies for the school year beginning in September 2025.
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Each school has a set of rules, often called an over-subscription policy or admissions criteria. If a school is over-subscribed, it will use these rules when allocating places.
West Sussex community and voluntary controlled schools
The West Sussex over-subscription policy is the criteria that apply to the majority of community and voluntary controlled schools in the county.
The West Sussex over-subscription policy for 2025 admissions and West Sussex coordinated scheme for 2025 have now been determined.
These policies and scheme are explained in the documents below:
There are some community and controlled schools where the criteria are different, which are given in the document.
Does the school manage the admissions process?
No.
This process is managed by the Local Authority, West Sussex County Council.
My child does not currently attend Summerlea School but I want them to attend, is it worth applying?
Yes.
This decision is based around the availability at the time of application and may result in your child being placed on a waiting list. West Sussex will be able to advise on this using some up to date pupil numbers given by the school.
My child has been given a place at Summerlea School, what happens now?
The children will take part in a Transition Programme which will involve the Early Years teachers visiting you at home and/or the childcare settings that your child attends. This all helps in beginning to build relationships and so children become familiar with their new staff and new surroundings.
How do I apply for a school place?
You will need to contact Admissions and inform them of your preference. They will inform you whether there is a space available and the nearest school with an available space.
Is it possible to visit the school beforehand?
Yes.
Parents are very welcome to book an appointment by contacting the school office.
When will I know if a place has been allocated?
The Local Authority will contact you as soon as possible and inform you of your allocation.
What if there is no space at the school?
You will be allocated a place at the nearest school with a space.
Is there an appeals procedure?
If you are not allocated a place and wish to appeal the decision, then we follow the West Sussex Appeals Procedure.
How will you help my child settle in to their new school?
There will be an opportunity to meet the Headteacher or senior member of staff before starting as well as a tour of the school.
We have a phased approach to starting Summerlea with a gradual increase in hours as the first week in school progresses. This then leads to the children starting on full time basis in week two.
