Martins Wood Primary School is part of Ivy Learning Trust but follows the admission rules for Hertfordshire schools. If you would like your child to attend our school, please see full details of our admission arrangements below. 

Admissions Consultation

Martins Wood Primary School is consulting on the proposed admissions arrangements for the school year 2025/26 and is seeking responses from parent/carers, schools and community groups.

The proposed change is:

1. to include an oversubscription criteria for children of staff

The document is available here.

The consultation period runs from 30 October– 11 December 2023. Please send your comments regarding the proposals to the Trust direct at governance@ivylearningtrust.org

Hertfordshire County Council is also running a consultation on the proposed admissions arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for the school year 2025/26 and is seeking responses from parent/carers, schools and community groups.

HCC’s proposed changes are:

If the proposal to close Hexton Primary School is approved, to amend the admission arrangements for Pirton Primary School to give increased priority to children from the parish of Hexton.

Amend the schemes of coordination to clarify The funding agreement process for new or proposed free schools, the process for informing the home LA of a school’s decision to increase their PAN and to reduce the timescale for responding to allocations from 14 days to 7. This will allow more time for effective processing of responses prior to the next allocation round.

Retain the remainder of the county council’s existing admission arrangements for 2025/26, including PANs, Relevant Areas and schemes of coordination.

The consultation period runs until 11 December 2023. Please visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions2025 for more information and to respond online.

Starting School

Compulsory school age for all children is from the start of the term after their fifth birthday. The admission rules apply to children of school age. Different rules apply for our pre-school and our nursery as these are not a part of compulsory schooling. 

Nursery admissions

Most children start Nursery at the start of the school year in which they have their fourth birthday. All children will be offered 15 hours free provision and some families will qualify for a further free 15 hours childcare. 

Nursery places are allocated as we receive applications. In the event of over-subscription children will be prioritised using the following criteria:

• Children with a Statement of Special Educational which names the school will be allocated a place in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996
• Children with an EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plan that names the school
• Children looked after and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order)
• Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to attend the nursery class at Martins Wood
• Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application
• Children who live closest to the school

Soon after you complete the expression of interest form we will confirm our offer of a place in our nursery or let you know that you have been added to our continued interest list. Later, we will write to you asking if you would prefer a morning or afternoon session and confirming if you require a 15 or 30 hour place.

For more information about Nursery, along with our application form, please see this page.

Saplings Pre-School

We are delighted to have our own school-operated, pre-school. Children can join our pre-school from the age of two and priority is given to children who qualify for a free place. Many children join at the time that the 15 hours provision becomes free (the term after their third birthday) but it is possible to pay for the hours that you require before then. 

Pre-school is not compulsory. Places are allocated upon application.

For more information see our Saplings brochure and  this page.

Local Authority Admissions Page 

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/schools-directory/school.aspx?school=Martins+Wood+Primary+School&schoolcode=155

Appeals Process

For reception admissions and appeals please apply online here.

Submit your appeal by 4pm on 16th May 2023.

DfE Guidance on the admission of summer born children

Please use this link to access the most up to date DfE Guidance on the admission of summer born children