Admissions - Reception & In Year
Choosing the right school for your child is a very important decision, and we are delighted to help anyone considering becoming part of the St Mary's Catholic Primary School community to gather the right information to make the best decision for their family.
We look forward to speaking to you, answering your questions and showing you the opportunities open to every pupil at St Mary's.
As a small school we don't have 'open' days. Anyone who is considering St Mary's would be advise to ring the school office on 01519244447 and book an individual look around the school. These tours are given by the Headteacher or Assistant Head. They are normally booked after 9:30am and before 2pm Wednesday - Friday. We look forward to showing you around our beautiful school.
Please see our information below and let us know if you need any help at all.
Sefton Admissions Guide 2026.pdf
If you would like your child to attend our school, please see full details of our admission arrangements below.
Reception children are admitted in the September after a child’s 4th birthday. Our published admission number is 15.
Applications for entry into Reception for September 2026 are open until 15th January 2026.
The application details are on the Sefton website.
Click on the internal link below for guidance and forms.
Applications can be made online at www.sefton.gov.uk/admissions. If you do not have access to the internet, you can contact Sefton Admissions Team to request a paper application form. If you complete a paper application, you must return the form to your first preferred primary school as soon as possible. You must also obtain a receipt from the school when submitting the form.
PARENTS MUST COMPLETE THE LOCAL AUTHORITY COMMON APPLICATION FORM.
Please read our Admissions Criteria.
If you have a baptismal certificate, then please complete the Supplementary Faith Form and return it to school along with a copy of the original baptismal certificate and birth certificate.
If you do not have a baptismal certificate, you will also need to complete the Archdiocesan Supplementary Faith Form and return it to school.
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Arrangements for Admission to Reception - September 2026
Please note that all parents are expected to apply for a primary school place online via the ‘Citizen Portal’ which is available on the Sefton website. The Citizen Portal is easily accessible on all devices including mobile phones.
Parents MUST apply to the Local Authority in the area where they live for a place in Reception, even if the preferred school is in another authority area. This is a requirement of the School Admissions Code 2021.
Parents can also view/download detailed admissions guides online, including ‘Parent’s Guide – applying for a school place’ and ‘Sefton Schools Admissions Information Guide’. These guides set out important information regarding the admissions process including deadlines and the admissions criteria for all Sefton schools.
The Citizen Portal online application is available via www.sefton.gov.uk/starting school from 1 September 2025 until 15 January 2026.
Paper copies of the application form and admissions guides can be provided to parents, upon request, if parents do not have access to the internet.
I would like to draw your attention to the following points relating to the transfer procedure.
- Please supply a Supplementary Information Form with each leaflet.
- If parents apply online, they still need to complete a SIF for each VA school they have listed.
- Please ensure that Baptismal Certificates are seen when the supplementary forms are handed to school.
- A full list of all children applying for places at your school for September 2024 will be available on the Schools Portal.
Closing Date
There is a national closing date for receipt of forms of 15 January 2026. Should you receive any paper applications after that date you should date stamp them and forward them to us as soon as possible.
Offers
We will notify all parents who are Sefton residents which primary school they have been allocated on 16 April 2026 by email if they have applied online and requested this type of notification, otherwise by letter.
Late Applications
We are unable to process/consider late applications or changes to applications (e.g. preferences or addresses) that are received after 23 February 2026 until after national offer day on 16 April 2026. However, you should continue to send us any forms that you receive as soon as possible.
New to the Area
If you are new to the area or wish to transfer your child, please click on the link below
Y6 Secondary Admissions
parent carer letter y6 pupils.pdf
In Year Admissions
The revised In Year Admissions Policy, which includes both the Fair Access & School Transfer Protocols, has now been finalised & published on the Sefton website. The policy can be viewed/downloaded from the link below.
Sefton Council In Year Admissions
All the information parents need to make an application, including detailed guidance notes & timescales are available on the website, which is regularly updated. Only if parents cannot find the information needed online should they email or telephone the team for further help. The telephone number for parents is 0151 934 3590 (multiple lines available).
This information is included on page 11 of the policy.
Key Documents
Admissions_Policy_2024-25Supplementary Information Form 2024-25
Admissions_Policy_2025-26Supplementary Information Form 2025-26
Admissions_Policy_2026-27