Admissions

Priory's Admissions Officer is Mrs Francis.

Policies available to download

For students who will join Priory in Year 7 at the start of September 2024: 

Admissions Policy: Main Round 2024-25

For any students joining Priory during the school year (i.e. not transferring directly from Year 6) between September 2023 and July 2024:

Admissions Policy: In Year 2023-24

About the admissions process

Main round applications must be made via your Home Authority, whilst in-year applications are made via the Local Authority, East Sussex County Council. The ESCC on-line application form can be accessed by clicking here. Alternatively, a paper form can be requested from them. For further information about the admissions process including admissions booklets please see their website.

East Sussex County Council Admissions Consultation

East Sussex County Council is consulting on the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools in the county for the 2026-27 school year. There are no proposed changes except to the Published Admission Numbers of three schools. There are also a number of own admission authority schools consulting on their admission arrangements at the same time. The link to East Sussex’s consultation can be found here. The consultation closes on 15 January 2025.

Waiting lists

Priory School is responsible for operating a waiting list for each year group where there are more applicants than places available. The waiting list is ordered, using our published oversubscription criteria. Details of these can be found in our Determination documents :

Priory School Determination Policy 2025-2026Priory School Determination Policy 2024-2025

Priory School Determination Policy 2023-2024

Lewes Priory Community Area Map

If you have received a letter from us denying your child a place you can apply to go onto the waiting list by contacting us directly either by phone, letter or email admissions@priory.e-sussex.sch.uk Further details can be found here. If a place becomes available and you are top of the waiting list we will contact you inviting your child to take up the place. Please note that our waiting lists are automatically cleared after Christmas, Easter and the Summer term. You will need to contact the school in order to stay on the list.

Appeals

About the appeal process

If you have been refused a place at Priory School you have the right to have your case considered by an independent appeal panel. Please fill in the ESCC on-line form here or alternatively you can request a form by contacting the address below and then send in your appeal with supporting documentation to:

East Sussex School Appeals Service
East Sussex County Council
West E, County Hall
St Anne’s Crescent
Lewes BN7 1UE

Deadline for submitting appeals and supporting documentation

Main Round Appeals (entry into Year 7 September 2025): Monday, 31 March 2025
In-Year Appeals: You have 25 school days to submit an appeal from the date of the refusal of a school place.

Timing of appeal hearings

Main Round Appeals (entry into Year 7 September 2025): Final date appeals will be heard by Wednesday, 18 June 2025.
In-Year Appeals: Within 30 school days of receipt.

Notification of date, time and venue for appeal hearings

A letter will be sent giving details of when your appeal will be heard by an independent appeal panel. You will be given 10 days’ notice unless you have agreed to a shorter notice period.

Deadline for additional evidence to be submitted

All your evidence supporting your case should be sent when making the appeal. However it is possible to send extra evidence up to 7 working days before the hearing (please send this directly to the School Appeals Manager at the ESCC address above). Additional evidence received after this deadline, or brought to the appeal panel on the day will be considered only at the discretion of the independent appeal panel. Submitting extra evidence late can sometimes lead to the hearing being adjourned, or even to it being postponed to another day.

Decision letters

A decision letter will normally be sent within 5 school days of the appeal hearing and will set out the reasons for the panel’s decision. Please note that it can take longer at busy times.