All Church of England schools in the Dioceses of Portsmouth and Winchester have Admission Policies that explain how admissions are managed. Most Church of England schools were set up to serve all the community around the school without reference to the faith of the parents or child. They were and are schools for anyone in the community.
Voluntary Controlled Church of England Schools
If the Church of England school is Voluntary Controlled (a Church School controlled by the Local Authority), admissions are the responsibility of the Local Authority. Parents who are regular church members may wish to use their attendance at church to support their application. The school will then ask parents to provide a declaration of their Christian commitment usually through regular attendance at worship in a Church of England church.
This evidence is often on a form where you declare your attendance and have that attendance validated by a priest or minister of the church you attend. The form is called a Supplementary Information Form. Please check with the individual school if they use Christian commitment in their admissions policy and how you can complete any necessary paperwork.
Voluntary Aided Church of England Schools
If the Church of England school is Voluntary Aided (a Church School aided by the Local Authority) admissions are the responsibility of the Governing Body of the school. Each Voluntary Aided school has its own individual Admissions Policy designed to meet the needs of the local community including Christians, non Christians and those of no faith.
Most Voluntary Aided schools use Christian commitment in their admissions criteria so that Christian parents can have their regular attendance at worship taken into account. The school will then ask parents to provide a declaration of their Christian commitment usually by regular attendance at worship in a Christian church.
This evidence is often on a form where you declare your attendance and have that validated by a priest or minister of the church you attend. The form is called a Supplementary Information Form. Please check with the individual school if they use Christian commitment in their admissions policy and how you can complete any necessary paperwork.
Admission Policy Documents for School Entry September 2025
Please find below a template for an Aided School Admissions policy for Governing Bodies to adapt to their local needs, along with other supporting documents:
- Model Admission Policy 2026-2027
- Admissions Policy Guidance Notes
- Supplementary Information Form
- Consultation Guidance Notes
Admissions Appeals – Information for Hampshire Voluntary Aided Schools
If you are a Hampshire VA school, then HCC provide a free support service for Admission Appeals. Please contact Hampshire Appeals Service directly to arrange this.
HCC Appeal Service will:
- Set up an independent panel for the hearing
- Organise a date and venue for the hearing
- Organise all the paperwork that is required.
The school will:
- Need to provide a person to attend on the day – ideally the Headteacher, Senior Leader or Chair of governors. This needs to be someone who can confidently answer questions about the school.
- Provide a ‘Statement of Case’ at least 2 weeks prior to the appeal hearing.
A model Statement of Case along with some guidance notes have been added below. The Statement of case provides all the necessary information required for the hearing . Please note that there are different version’s for Year R and Year 3 appeals. There is also a separate version for in year appeals.
Admissions Appeal Timetable – 2024
Model Statement of Case – Year R Appeal
Guidance Notes – Year R Appeal
Model Statement of Case – Year 3 Appeal
Guidance Notes – Year 3 Appeal
Model Statement of Case – In year Appeal
Guidance Notes – In year Appeal
