Admissions

Admissions

Admissions Authority

Cerne Abbas CE VC First School is a maintained school that is part of Dorset Council. Dorset Council is the admissions authority for the school.

Admissions Policy

Below is the school's admissions policy for this academic year as well as the admissions policy for 2024 - 2025

Each admissions policy states our oversubscription policy.

Dorset School Admission Arrangements:

Dorset are running the annual consultation on the School Admission Arrangements for 2027/2028 with effect from Monday 3^rd November 2025 to Sunday 14^th December 2025.

Alongside, we are also running consultations regarding the reductions in PAN at the following schools:

• William Barnes Primary School: from 30 to 20

• Wyke Regis Junior School: from 90 to 60

Details of the consultations will be available to view at https://consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/c-e/admission-arrangements

Please note, there are no substantive changes to any of the policies.

Responses must be submitted either in writing to School Admissions Team, Dorset Council, County Hall, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ or by email to schoolorganisation@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by Sunday 14^th December.

Upon the conclusion of the consultation period all responses will be considered carefully and a report will be presented to Dorset Council’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 27^th January 2026.

We ask that schools and early years providers make reference to the consultations on their websites. They should also inform their parents about the consultations via newsletter and/or other appropriate social media outlets such as Facebook so they are given an opportunity to comment, if they wish to do so.

The key dates for the annual school arrangements consultation are set out below:

Dorset Council Admissions Policies

In Year Applications

All in year applications should be made through Dorset Admissions.

We encourage you to contact the school if you are interested in viewing the school. We will then arrange for the Headteacher to show you around the school and answer any questions that you may have. We can also give you any relevant documentation.

The following Dorset Council guidance also has further information in in year applications.

We are always happy to help you and answer any questions. 

Appeals

The Local Authority will act on behalf of the school for all appeals regarding admissions.

For more information, including an online appeals form and an appeals timetables of dates, please see Dorset School Admission Appeals page on Dorset for You.

Dorset Council School Admission Appeals

School Catchment Area

You can find an interactive map of the school catchment area through Dorset for You:

Dorset for you Catchment map

More Information

You can find more information about admissions through the Dorset Council Schools and Learning page including

• How to apply,
• admissions policies,
• in-year admissions arrangements,
• appeal guidance and timetables, 
• information on any feeder schools and
• contact details for the Dorset Admissions Team.

Please follow the link below:

Schools and Learning - Dorset Council

Parents Guide to School admissions 2023 -2024