Do you have any questions about your child joining Valley Primary Academy?
If you have any questions about admissions, you can contact Daniel Pope, Academy Support Manager, by calling 01603 742969 or emailing office@valleyprimary.org.uk.
You can also contact Norfolk County Council directly via their contact form.
We are delighted that you are considering Valley Primary Academy for your child’s education.
Choosing a school is an important decision. We warmly welcome prospective parents and carers to visit, meet our staff and discover what our school has to offer.
To arrange a tour of our school, please contact the school office:
Telephone: 01603 742969
Email: office@valleyprimary.org.uk
Our Admission Arrangements
Unity Schools Partnership is the admission authority for Valley Primary Academy. Norfolk County Council coordinates Reception applications and processes in-year applications through its admissions arrangements.
Our determined admission arrangements explain how applications are considered, including:
- The Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception.
- The oversubscription criteria used to prioritise applications when there are more applicants than available places.
- Arrangements for in-year admissions, waiting lists and appeals.
Please read the arrangements for the academic year in which your child would join the school:
Determined Admission Arrangements 2026/27
Determined Admission Arrangements 2027/28
Starting Reception in September 2027
Children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023 are due to start Reception in September 2027.
How to Apply
If you live in Norfolk, you should apply through Norfolk County Council’s online admissions system. If you live outside Norfolk, please apply through your home local authority, even if you would like your child to attend Valley Primary Academy.
You must submit a Reception application even if your child attends our nursery. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place or give your application additional priority.
Please submit your application by 15 January 2027.
Read Norfolk’s Reception Admissions Guidance
If your child already has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), please see the separate section below before applying.
Important Dates for September 2027 Entry
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 23 September 2026 |
| Applications close | 15 January 2027 |
| National Offer Day | 16 April 2027 |
| Mini admission round begins | 20 May 2027 |
| Appeals closing date | 26 May 2027 |
| Appeal hearings | June / July 2027 |
| Waiting lists maintained until | 31 December 2027 |
Please refer to Norfolk County Council’s admissions guidance and your offer or refusal notification for further details and any updates.
Deferring Entry or Attending Part-Time
Most children start Reception full-time in September following their fourth birthday.
Parents and carers may request that their child attends part-time until they reach compulsory school age, or defer their start until later in the school year. A deferred start must be no later than the point at which the child reaches compulsory school age and must fall within the school year for which the place was offered.
You should still apply within the normal admissions round. Once a place has been offered, please contact the school to discuss your child’s start.
Requests for admission outside a child’s normal age group, including requests for summer-born children to start Reception the following September, are considered separately. Please contact the school for guidance and refer to our published admission arrangements.
School Starting Age and Deferred Entry Guidance
School Tours
A school tour provides an opportunity to:
- Meet our staff.
- Explore our Reception classroom and learning environments.
- Learn about our curriculum and school values.
- Ask questions about starting school.
Please contact the school office to arrange a visit:
Telephone: 01603 742969
Email: office@valleyprimary.org.uk
In-Year Admissions
An in-year admission is an application for a school place outside the usual Reception admissions round, for example when a family moves into the area or wishes to change schools.
In-year applications for Valley Primary Academy are processed through Norfolk County Council’s in-year admissions arrangements. Unity Schools Partnership remains the admission authority and is responsible for admission decisions in accordance with the school’s published admission arrangements.
How to Apply
Please complete Norfolk County Council’s in-year application form. The council will liaise with the school about your application and the availability of a place in the relevant year group.
You will be notified of the outcome. If a place is offered, the school will work with you to agree your child’s start date.
Apply for an In-Year School Place
Read Norfolk’s In-Year Admissions Guidance
If your child already has an EHCP, please follow the process outlined below rather than submitting a standard in-year application.
Visiting Before You Apply
We encourage families to arrange a visit before applying. This is an opportunity to see the school in action, meet our staff and discuss your child’s needs.
A visit is optional and does not affect how your application is considered.
If a Place Is Not Available
If your application is refused, you will receive the reason for the decision and information about your right to appeal.
Please contact the school office for information about waiting lists. Any waiting list will be managed in accordance with the relevant published admission arrangements and oversubscription criteria.
Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
School placements for children who already have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are considered through the local authority’s EHCP consultation and placement process, rather than the standard Reception or in-year admissions process.
If your child has an EHCP and you would like them to attend Valley Primary Academy, please contact Eileen Maceachern, our SENCo, through the school office. You should also speak to your child’s EHCP coordinator, who can advise you about requesting a placement and arranging a formal consultation with the school.
The placement decision is made through the EHCP process. An initial discussion or visit to the school does not replace formal consultation or confirm a place.
Contact Eileen Maceachern:
Telephone: 01603 742969
Email: office@valleyprimary.org.uk
Please mark your email “For the attention of Eileen Maceachern – EHCP Admissions Enquiry”.
Norfolk EHCP School Placement and Consultation Guidance
Admission Appeals
If your child is refused a place at Valley Primary Academy, you have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel.
Unity Schools Partnership remains the admission authority. Norfolk County Council’s appeals service administers admission appeals on its behalf.
Your refusal notification will explain how to appeal and the deadline for submitting your appeal. Please read this information carefully.
For September 2027 Reception entry, the published appeals closing date is 26 May 2027, with hearings scheduled for June and July 2027. Please check the relevant appeals timetable for full details.
Admission Appeals: Guidance and How to Appeal
For help finding the appropriate information, please contact the school office.
Appeals relating to the school named in an EHCP follow a separate SEND appeal process. Please speak to your child’s EHCP coordinator for guidance.
Admissions Consultation 2028/29
Proposed Admission Arrangements – Public Consultation
Valley Primary Academy, part of Unity Schools Partnership, is consulting on its proposed admission arrangements for the 2028/29 academic year.
We invite parents, carers and other interested parties to review the proposed arrangements and share their views before Unity Schools Partnership formally determines them.
We welcome responses from our school community, prospective families, parents of children aged 2–18, local schools and anyone in the wider community with an interest in school admissions.
Consultation Period
The consultation will run for six weeks:
Opening date: Monday 19 October 2026
Closing date: Sunday 29 November 2026
All responses must be received by the closing date.
View the Proposed Arrangements
Proposed Admission Arrangements 2028/29
These arrangements are proposed and subject to consultation. They do not replace the determined admission arrangements for 2026/27 or 2027/28.
How to Respond
Please email your comments to:
Use the subject line “Admissions Consultation 2028/29”.
Responses must be received by Sunday 29 November 2026. The school will forward all responses to Unity Schools Partnership for consideration.
What Happens Next?
Following the consultation, Unity Schools Partnership will consider the responses before formally determining the admission arrangements for 2028/29.
The final determined arrangements will then be published on the school website.
Thank you for taking the time to share your views.