Admissions
If you’re a parent or carer with a child starting school for the first time, or moving to their next school (junior, middle, secondary or upper school) from September 2024, you can apply from 1 September 2024.
Downloads
CAT Schools Combined Admissions Policy 2024/25
CAT Schools Combined Admissions Policy 2025/26
CAT Schools Combined Admissions Policy 2026/27
All our admissions are through Dorset Admissions
Admission at the end of year 4
Children transfer to middle school at the end of year 4. If your child is already in a Dorset school, information will be sent via your child’s school during the Autumn term before your child transfers. Parents will need to make an application using the required application form online at School Admissions
If you are joining from outside of Dorset visit School Admissions
Admission Appeals Timetable – Entry in September 2025
If your child has been refused a place to start in September 2025 at your preferred school and you wish to appeal, please be aware of the following:
School Admission Appeals are organised for the majority of schools in Dorset by the Clerk to the Independent Appeals Panel within the Council’s Democratic Services Team.
| Primary School Age places – Year R, Year 3 and Middle school – September 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Offer letters posted to parents/carers on National Offer Day by Local Authority | 16 April 2025 |
| Deadline for acceptance of offer by parent/carer | 6 May 2025 |
| Deadline for lodging an on-time admission appeal | 20 May 2025 |
| Appeal Hearing Dates | Between 9 June and 15 July 2025 |
General:
- Appeals lodged after these dates will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal deadline or 30 school days of being lodged, whichever is the later date.
- You will receive at least 10 school days’ notice of your appeal hearing date. School days do not include school holidays, inset days, bank holidays or weekends.
- Appeals are heard during the daytime on weekdays and are not normally heard during school holidays. Where there are multiple appeals for places at the same school, the hearings may go over a number of days.
- The school’s case will be made available to parents and Panel members at least 5 school days before the start of the appeal hearing.
- Additional evidence may be submitted up to 5 working days before the hearing.
- Any additional evidence received after this date might not be considered at the appeal hearing. The Appeal Panel must decide whether it should be considered taking into account its significance and the effect of a possible need to adjourn the hearing
- Following the hearing, decision letters will be sent, where possible, within 5 school days of the end of the hearing. During busy periods, such as main entry, full decision letters may take longer than this, so the Clerk will send a brief decision summary email in the interim.
- Appeal hearings for in-year places will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.
Late appeals and in-year appeals will be heard in line with the deadlines set out in the School Admission Appeals Code.
Please click here for details of how to appeal a school place refusal: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/appeal-a-school-admission-decision-1
In-year applications
In-year Applications are when you wish to move your child from one school to another part way through their time at a school.
We welcome admissions throughout the year for all year groups.
If you are considering a place for your child or children at Ferndown Middle School, the first step is to contact the school on 01202 876556 or via the school email office@fernmid.dorset.sch.uk, to make an appointment to tour with the Headteacher. If, after the visit you decide that Ferndown Middle School is the best school for your child, then you will need to apply via the website. The school is also willing and able to help with application.
Together with other schools in Dorset, and in accordance with statutory requirements, Ferndown Middle School has agreed to join the Local Authority’s co-ordinated admissions scheme for the entry admission and transfer process. Therefore, the in-year application and allocation process will be handled by the Local Authority.
Full details of the application process and the application form, can be found on the Dorset website on the link below.
Details of the application process for appeals can be found on the Dorset Council website on the link below:
Appeals against in-year applications
| Appeal | Time Frame |
|---|---|
| For a parent to submit an appeal to the Local Authority | At least 20 schools days from the parent receiving notice of the refusal of a school place |
| Notice of the appeal hearing | At least 10 school days before the appeal hearing |
| Appellants (usually the parents) to submit evidence | 8 school days before the appeal hearing |
| Admissions Authority (the school) to submit their evidence | 8 school days before the appeal hearing |
| The clerk (person organising the appeal) sends appeal papers to the parents, the panel and the school | 5 school days before the appeal hearing |
| Additional evidence from the appellants: sometimes the appellants want to provide additional information after seeing all the papers | 5 school days before the appeal hearing |
| Decision letters sent to the appellants: this is the letter that tells the appellant if their appeal has been upheld or refused | Within 5 school days of the hearing (wherever possible) |
If we can help in any way contact the school office
T: 01202 876556
E: office@fernmid.dorset.sch.uk
