Admissions
The Academy has an agreed Admission Policy which complies with the law on admissions. Admissions to Old Trafford Community Academy are managed by Trafford Local Authority. Details of the application process can be found at www.trafford.gov.uk – follow the links to school admissions.
OTCA Admissions Policy 2026- 2027OTCA Admissions Policy 2025 - 2026
OTCA Admissions Policy 2024 - 2025
Over-subscription criteria
Where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the following over-subscription criteria will apply:
1. A ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).
2. Children who have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation, or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.
3.Children who live in the catchment area of the academy who will have a sibling attending the academy at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission. (This includes half/step/adopted/foster brothers or sisters, and any other children who are living at the same address as part of the same family unit).
4.Children who live in the catchment area of the academy.
5.Children who live outside the catchment area of the academy, with a sibling attending the academy at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission. (This includes half/step/adopted/foster brothers or sisters, and any other children who are living at the same address as part of the same family unit).
6.Children who live nearest to the academy, calculated in a direct straight line from the child’s permanent place of residence to the school, using property co-ordinates provided through a combination of the Trafford Local Land and Property Gazatteer (BS7666) and Royal Mail Postal Address Information. In the case of a child living in a block of flats, the distance will be measured in the same way.
Admissions appeals, September 2025
Old Trafford Community Academy Admissions Appeals Timetable
Overview
What is an appeal?
If you applied for a place at the school and were not offered one, you have the right to appeal against this decision. Please note however that appeals must be submitted in writing and are only upheld in very specific circumstances. For full information about school admissions appeals, please refer to the DfE Advice for parents and guardians on school admissions appeals.
Why was my child not offered a place?
If we could not offer your child a place, this means that the children who were offered a place had greater priority, as set out in the oversubscription criteria in our Admissions Policy. For example, they may have a sibling at the school, or live closer. The letter you received confirming that you were not offered a place should include information on why.
If you have made an in-year application and this has been refused, it will be because the year group to which you have applied is full, therefore no spaces are available.
Find out more…
It is the local authority’s responsibility to ensure that every child has a school place, and we strongly advise you to contact your local authority to enquire about vacancies at other schools.
How appeals work
Appeals for children refused admission will be heard according to the regulations in the School Admission Appeals Code (October 2022).
All appeals must be submitted in writing.
Your appeal will be heard by an independent panel of three people who will consider two main questions:
- Was the school’s decision made properly according to admissions law and its own policy?
- Are your child’s individual circumstances so exceptional that it would be worse for them not to have a place at a specific school than it would for that school to accept an additional child? This is called the balance of prejudice test.
How to submit an appeal
Your appeal is made in writing by contacting the school directly. An independent clerk will then manage the case and will write to you with further information about how the process will work. Appeal hearings may take place in person or via video conferencing.
Appeals Timetable
Main round appeals
Primary Offer Date: 16th April 2025
Deadline for submitting appeal: 20th May 2025
Appeal panel hearings will take place within 40 school days of the deadline date for submitting an appeal. The independent appeal panel clerk will notify parents/carers of the date of their appeal at least 10 school days prior to the hearing date and will include whether the hearing will be held in person or virtually.
Appeals for late applications will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline date for appeals, where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being submitted.
In year appeals
Appeals for an in-year admission, for example to year groups other than Reception, must be submitted within 20 school days of notification that a place has not been offered.
Appeals for children refused an in-year admission will be heard within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal. Parents/carers will be notified of their appeal hearing date by an independent appeal panel clerk.
Admission to the reception class in September 2025
Children born between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021 will start reception in September 2024. Applications must be made to the local authority in which the child is usually resident. Applications can be submitted from 12/9/23. The closing date for applications for 2025 is 15th January 2025. Applications received after the closing deadline of 15/1/25 will only be considered after all other applications received on time have been processed.
Decisions regarding the allocation of places for September 2025 will be published online and/or posted to parents on 16th April 2025. The closing date for acceptance of offers is 30/4/25.
Further information from Trafford Council’s school admissions team can be found here.
If your child is resident in another Local Authority you can still apply for Trafford schools, but you must apply to your own home Local Authority, that is the authority where you pay Council Tax.
Further information from Manchester Council’s school admissions team can be found here.
In-Year admissions
Applications may be made direct to the academy, or to Trafford local authority. Applications can be made at any time. Admissions will be determined using the over-subscription criteria listed above.
Nursery admissions
Applications must be made direct to the academy. Please contact us for an application form. Please note that allocation of a nursery place does not give a child any additional priority when applying for a place in the reception class of the academy.