Admissions
In-year admissions September 2023- August 2024
Our Lady & St. Gerard’s is a Voluntary Aided, Roman Catholic School. It serves the Parish of Our Lady and St Gerard's in the Diocese of Salford and is maintained by the Lancashire Local Authority as a Voluntary Aided School. The school’s Governing Body, appointed by the Diocese of Salford, is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions. For the school year commencing September 2023 the Governing Body has set its planned admissions number at 50.
Applying for place at our school during the school year (In-Year Admissions)
In-Year Admissions are admissions to school that take place outside the normal admissions rounds in September. In-year admissions may need to take place for a variety of reasons.
If you are new to the area and require a school place or if you already reside in the area and you want to move your child from their current local school to our school, your application should be made directly to our school and the child will be admitted where there are available places.
To apply for a place, you can call in to the school office to collect and complete our 'In-Year Admissions form'. If you would prefer to fill this in and email it to us, it can be returned to bursar@ourlady-st-gerard.lancs.sch.uk If you would like your application to be considered under our faith criteria, in addition to the In Year Admissions form, please also complete a supplementary faith form. Copies of both forms are available in the Admissions section of our website or from the school office. If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions, please contact us either by email at bursar@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk or by phone on 01772 335025.
Upon receipt of an in-year application, we aim to notify the parents of the outcome of their application in writing within 10 - 15 school days. Where places are available, but we have more applications than places, the published over subscription criteria will be applied, to ensure the correct child/children are offered the places. If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list and you have the right to appeal.
Appeals
The school's admission appeals are supported by Lancashire County Council. If the Governing body cannot offer a school place, parents have the right to make an appeal.
The appeal provides you with an opportunity to explain why you wish to register your child at our school.
Appeals should be submitted by the parent using the link below within twenty days of refusal of admission. The link has the appeal forms and advice on how to complete them:
Lancashire County Council will contact the parent in respect of the appeal application and inform them of the arrangements. They will be notified of the outcome of the appeal in writing.
Further information for parents on how to apply for a local school can be found on the Lancashire County Council website: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/schools/apply-for-a-school-place/changing-schools-during-the-school-year/
Admission Timetable
Visits to School
If you are looking for a place for your child please ring the school office on 01772 335025 and we will arrange a visit. We offer individual visits because we believe each child is unique and this allows parents to ask questions relevant to their child. It also provides us with an opportunity to get to know each parent before your child starts school. We look forward to showing you around our wonderful school.