St John’s Meads C of E Primary SchoolSt John’s Meads Church of England Primary School is an academy within the Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust. As such the Trust is the Admission Authority responsible for all decisions in connection with admitting pupils and for the publication of Admission Arrangements which explain how the admissions process will be applied. The trust delegates the responsibility for admissions to the Governing body of the school. The Arrangements has been written after consultation with the Diocese, Local Authority, Admissions Forum and other schools in the area. St John’s Meads has a Christian ethos and aims to provide a caring environment in which pupils are encouraged to reach their full potential in academic work and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
| Admissions Contact | office@sjm.academy |
| School Tel | 01323 730255 |
| Headteacher | Mrs Shevlyn Byroo |
| Chair of the Transition Board | Jenny Barnard-Langston |
Prospective Parents – Admissions to Reception Class and Year 3 – September 2025
Open Day Events: 9.30am – 10.30am on 21st, 23rd, 24th and 25th October. No need to book!
SJM Admission Arrangements 2025
East Sussex operates a co-ordinated admission scheme for primary schools. Applications should be made on the East Sussex County Council application form completed in accordance with the information provided in its School Admissions Booklet, available online via the East Sussex website.
Infant, junior or primary school 2025
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September to December 2024 | Start contacting schools to arrange visits |
| September 2024 | Applications open Apply for primary school |
| 15 January 2025 | Closing date for school applications |
| 15 March 2025 | The deadline to apply late for a school place with a good reason, for example you’ve moved into the area |
| 16 April 2025 | National offer day |
| 12 May 2025 | Deadline to make an appeal |
| June to 22 July 2025 | Admissions appeals heard |
Admissions – East Sussex Schools
St John’s Meads Church of England Primary School will admit a maximum of 30 children in 1 class to the Reception / Foundation Stage Class and increase from 30 to 32 children in 1 class to the Year 3 class each year.
If you are due to start at our school, please look at our SJM Admission Arrangements 2025
You can apply for a school place online. Please click here to find out more.
There is a set of priorities that decide who gets a place. These include looked after children, siblings and how close you live to the school. Please ensure that you read the requirements for completing a supplementary information form if applying under one of these priorities.
For in-year admissions (Sept 2024 – July 2025) please contact the school office on 01323 730255 and office@sjm.academy
If your application has been unsuccessful, you have the right to appeal against a decision on school allocation.
See Considering making a school appeal? for helpful advice, information and deadlines.
Your case will be heard by an Independent Appeal Panel. Appeal requests must be made by completing and submitting an online Appeal Form to the School Appeals Service at East Sussex County Council.
In Year Applications
Parents who are interested in a place for their child during a school year should contact the school office to check the availability of places. If places are available in any class, parents must make an online application with the local authority before a place is considered or offered by the Governing Body. Places are allocated according to the strict guidelines of the Admission Arrangements and Policy of the school.
In Year application via the Synergy portal on the local authority website: https://new.eastsussex.gov.uk/education-learning/schools/admissions/apply-in-year
Deadline for Appeals for In Year Places: Within 25 days of being told your application was unsuccessful. The Appeal will be within 30 days of the school receiving the appeal form.
Starting school
Most children start school full-time in the September after their fourth birthday. This means they’ll turn 5 during their first school year.
For example, if your child’s fourth birthday is between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025 they will usually start school in September 2025.
School Appeals
St John’s Meads Church of England Primary School is an academy within the Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust.
The School’s Local Governing Body is the admissions authority responsible for the admission arrangements and its implementation. An independent panel will hear appeals. To find out more about the Appeals Procedure, please follow the link below.
Appeals for infant classes
You need to go through the same process if you’re appealing a decision about an infant class. In reception, year 1 and year 2, the class size is limited to 30.
Your application can be turned down if all the classes already have 30 children.
Your appeal could be successful if:
- giving your child a place will not increase the class size above the limit
- the admission arrangements have not been properly followed
- the admission criteria do not comply with the school admissions code
Appealing a school’s decision
| Appeal Deadline | ||
|---|---|---|
| In Year Appeals | Within 25 school days of being told your application was unsuccessful | All applications that are not part of the main primary, junior or secondary intake in September. This could be any year group at any time of year. |
You’ll be sent a letter with the decision about your child’s school from the local authority. If your child is refused a place, you can appeal against the decision. The letter will tell you how to lodge an appeal. You can only appeal once against a rejection.
Preparing your appeal
The admission authority for the school must allow you at least 20 school days to appeal from when they send the decision letter.
The admission authority will set a deadline for submitting information and evidence to support your appeal.
If you submit anything after the deadline, it might not be considered and may result in delays to your hearing.
office@sjm.academy or 01323 730255
An Independent Panel will hear Appeals. The Governing Board coordinates with the local authority
https://apps.eastsussex.gov.uk/educationandlearning/schools/findingaschool/appeals/form/
Waiting Lists – General Information
Parents may ask for their child to be placed on waiting lists where it has been necessary to restrict entry to a particular year group.
Children can be placed on more than one waiting list but only for schools which were named on the school application form. An application must be completed with the local authority before a child can be placed on the waiting list.
How Waiting Lists Work
Waiting lists must follow the School Admission Arrangements/Policy criteria for entry.
It can be expected therefore that a child’s position on any waiting list can change as other pupils join or leave the list whilst it is running.
Applying to join the Waiting List
Contact the Headteacher, Mrs Shevlyn Byroo by emailing the school office in the first instance office@sjm.academy
Waiting lists will run until the end of the *2nd term in which the application is processed. You will need to inform the school if you wish to extend this time.
Parents can ask at any time where their child features on a waiting list.
*2 terms 1st September to 31st December: 1st January to 30th April: 1st May to 31st August:
If a place becomes available, parents will be notified in writing and given 14 days to decide to accept or decline the place.
If the child stays at his or her current school, he or she will be removed from the waiting list and the vacancy offered to the next child.