Going to school in Lincolnshire guide

Schools have different oversubscription criteria. Some may need additional information to consider your application correctly. They will usually have a supplementary information form (SIF) if they need to collect more information.

Looked after and previously looked after children

All schools prioritise looked after or previously looked after children. If your child is looked after or previously looked after by the local authority, you must indicate this on your application form. We may need further evidence. This criterion does include those adopted from state care outside of England.

Medical and social reasons

Some schools consider medical or social reasons to attend a school. If you wish to apply under these grounds, you must state this on your application. Please see the school’s full admissions policy or contact the relevant school for further information. You may need to complete a supplementary form.

Siblings

The majority of schools choose to give priority to children who have a sibling connection with their school. A sibling is usually a brother or sister; however, schools have their own definition. A school's admission policy will define if this means full, half, or step-siblings.

A school will also state if the sibling:

• must be attending the school when the child is due to start, or
• only needs to be attending at the time you apply

Some schools also give priority to children who previously had siblings attending their school.

If you are applying because your child has a sibling attending a school, you need to indicate this. Include the name of the sibling on the application form.

Religion

Some schools give priority in their oversubscription criteria based on faith. If they do, it is stated in their oversubscription criteria. When applying to a school on faith grounds, you must say this on your application. You may need to complete an additional form, which you must obtain from the school.

Distance

Most schools have an element of distance within their oversubscription criteria. If you have non-traditional living arrangements, you may wish to contact us for advice before making your application. We may need evidence that your child lives at a particular address or how residency is split if the child resides between two or more homes.

To calculate distance, we use an electronic measuring system. We measure in most cases from the post office address point of your home to the post office address point of the school. These are not the same as postcodes and are individual to each property. Distance is measured in a straight line for most schools and calculated to three decimal places, for example, 1.256 miles.

The oversubscription criteria of a school’s admissions policy will state what measurements they use. Gainsborough Queen Elizabeth High School in Lincolnshire is the only school to use an alternative method to measure distance.

Designated transport area

Lincolnshire has been divided into designated transport areas (DTA). Some schools choose to give priority in their oversubscription criteria to children who live within their DTA. To find your DTA school, contact us on 01522 782020 or email schooltransportapplications@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Nearest school

Some schools prioritise children where a school is the closest to their home address. You do not need to send supporting evidence of this. To find which school is closest to your home address, you can use the search tool find my nearest school or contact us.

Other reasons

If you have other supporting reasons, email us or send a supporting letter. For example, the child is of a staff member and the school's policy takes this into account.

Linked infant and junior schools

Some junior schools prioritise children with a sibling at a linked infant school. This will be stated in the oversubscription criteria in the school's admissions policy.

For a sibling to be taken into account when considering the application, you must name the sibling on your application.

Children usually transfer to these junior schools when they attend a particular infant school. Transfer is not automatic; you must still apply.