Phoenix Community Primary School proudly serves the Bockhanger, Bybrook and Kennington areas of Ashford and beyond. Children begin school at the start of the academic year (September to July) of the year in which they will turn five years old and it is really important that you choose a school that is right for your child and that you know they will be happy at. We encourage all prospective parents to visit the school and bring your child along with you. We are always really keen to give parents and children a tour of our school so you can see our facilities, see our pupils learning and have the opportunity to ask any questions. 

We like to build positive relationships with our families and that begins at the start making sure that Phoenix Community Primary School is the right school for your child. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. Tours can be booked by contacting our Office Manager, Diane Davis on 01233 622510. We look forward to welcoming you to Phoenix Community Primary School. 

The school is usually oversubscribed, therefore all pupils will be considered against the school’s oversubscription criteria which can be found in the Admissions Policy. Our admission number is 30 pupils per year group.

Key Dates for September Entry to Primary School

Applying to a new school in-year

Appeals

Summary of how to apply

[Seperate information on Secondary School Applications and Kent Grammar School Test]

Information for Starting School in September 2022

Key Dates for Primary Transition

Friday 5th November 2021	School applications open - complete via Kent Schools Admissions
November 2021 - January 2022	Individual school tours
Monday 17th January 2022	School applications close
Tuesday 19th April 2022	National Offer Day
Wednesday 4th May 2022	Places must be accepted/refused*
Tuesday 17th May 2022	Appeal Submission Deadline
June 2022 (TBC)	Transition into School Parent Meeting
Monday 5th September 2022	Home visits to all children this week
Monday 12th September 2022	Year R children start (half-days): half of class in morning and half in the afternoon
Monday 19th September 2022	Half of class in morning and half in the afternoon (other way round)
Monday 26th September 2022	All children in for the morning and stay at school to experience a school lunch.
Monday 3rd October 2022	Year R children start full-time

* When you have accepted your place at Phoenix Community Primary School (by 4th May 2022), you will need to come into school with proof of address of the only or main residence of your child. This will need to be one of the following:

• A child tax and working tax credit letter (TC602)
• The child’s medical card or letter from a medical centre, hospital or GP to confirm the child’s residence
• A letter from the child’s nursery or playgroup
• A bank statement of a savings account in the child’s name AND a utility bill OR a bank or credit card statement

These documents should not be more than three months old and preferably should show that the child was resident at the address at the time of the closing date of 17th January 2022.

We will need to see these documents for every child admitted (even if they have siblings at the school already). If you are unable to provide the above documents, to prove your child’s only or main residence, the Local Authority has the right to take your child’s place away. 

If you have any queries about the admissions process, please ring the school. You can also contact the Kent Admissions Team on 01622 686565 or visit their website. 

Changing schools in-year 

If you are interested in your child joining Phoenix Community Primary School at any other time other than starting school, for example because you are moving home, you should contact the school on 01233 622510. We currently have some classes with spaces and some with waiting lists. It would also be helpful if you could inform the Headteacher of your child’s present school.  

If you wish to apply for a place at our school for your child in-year, you would need to complete the IYCAF and return to the school.  We will then write to you and advise if we have a space available, and if not we will offer you the opportunity to join our waiting list. 

Appealing  

If your child is due to start primary school in September 2022, you can appeal if you are refused a place at one of your preferred schools on National Offer Day (Tuesday 19 April 2022).

You must submit your appeal before Tuesday 17 May 2022 for it to be considered by Tuesday 19 July 2022. Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

For late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

Statutory limits on class size mean that, apart from some very limited exceptions, infant classes of 5, 6 and 7 year olds may not contain more than 30 pupils with a single teacher.

Where the published admissions number of a school allows for classes of 30 pupils, then the Admission Authority will have refused admission on the grounds that to admit one more child would breach the infant class size limit.

Although you have a legal right to appeal under this criteria, there are very limited circumstances in which a Panel can direct a child to be admitted to a school. 

Summary of how to apply

Reception Places for September 2022 entry: through the Kent County Council Website – KCC Admissions. Deadline for application 17th January.

‘In-Year Applications’: complete the IYCAF form – IYCAF FORM – and return it to the school either by hand, post or email. 

Applying for Secondary School: see our separate page for PESE (Procedure for Entry into Secondary Education) - this includes information about entering your child into the Kent Test (11+) for grammar school entry and the Secondary application process

Click to read our Admissions Policy (for September 2022 entry into Year R)

Clcik here for our current Admissions Policy for 'In Year Admissions' prior to this time.