Arrangements for admitting pupils in-year

In-Year Admissions

Portsmouth local authority will co-ordinate admissions for in-year applications and for applications for year groups other than the normal point(s) of entry. This will not affect the Academy’s right to determine which applicants have priority for admission.

Should Ark Dickens Primary Academy have more than a 10% space availability within a year group then we are able to co-ordinate the admission.

Subject to any provisions in the LA’s co-ordinated admission arrangements relating to applications submitted for years other than the normal year of entry, Ark Dickens Primary Academy will consider all such applications and if the year group applied for has a place then they will be admitted.

Parents/carers will be informed of the outcome of their application within 15 school days. If a place is refused the child will be added to the waiting list, the position on the waiting list will be determined according to the oversubscription criteria in the School’s Admissions Policy.

If you wish to apply for a place, please contact Portsmouth City Council School Admissions on 0239 9268 8008.

If refused a place, the parent/carer has the right to appeal the decision. 

In-Year Application .pdf

In Year Admissions.pdf

Ark Dickens Admissions Policy 2021-22 addon

Ark Dickens Admissions Policy 2022-223 FINAL.pdf

Ark Dickens Admissions Policy 2023-24 FINAL.pdf

This policy was amended with the authorisation of the Education Funding Agency to clarify that applicants within the catchment area would be prioritised by straight line distance from the school.

Ark Network Appeals Timetable

Appeals for children refused admission at a preferred school for entry into Reception, Year 7 or Yr 12 in September 2022 will be heard according to the regulations in the School Admission Appeals Code (2012).

The independent appeal panel clerk will notify parents/carers of the date of their appeal; appeal hearings will take place during May/June/July 2022.

If you wish to appeal for a place in Reception, Year 7 or Year 12, please click here for the appeal form

Before submitting a Primary appeal, please make sure you read this guidance about infant class size appeals.

Please contact the academy if you need a paper form.

Information on appeals can be found on Portsmouth City Council's website.

‘On-time’ appeals will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals. 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.

Mid-year appeals must be heard within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal.

Parents/carers will be notified of their appeal date by an external agency engaged by the Ark network.

Any additional evidence parents/carers wish to submit in support of their appeal must be sent to the external agency at least five working days before the hearing. Any evidence not submitted by this deadline may not be considered by the independent appeal panel.

Appeals process

Download our Guidance on Infant Class Size Appeals here