HC Academy Trust

​Admissions into HCAT Trust schools are processed by the Local Authority through the coordinated admissions scheme – the co-ordinated scheme for admission to primary and secondary school is a
mechanism that will enable the Authority to determine between potential offers of a school place at more than one school, which is the single offer of a school place that will be offered to a Barnsley resident.

The year before your child becomes of school age, the Admissions Department of the Local Authority will send out an application form and advice booklet to you in the post. Children are admitted to the mainstream classes at the start of the school years in which they are 5 years old.  Visits are organised for the children to ease transition from home, playgroup or nursery to the mainstream school. 

Application forms for admission to school can be found in the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Handbook which is distributed from school. Please see this advice booklet for instructions on how to complete the form and what to do next. An electronic copy is attached below, along with a link to the admissions site for further information:

School admission arrangements (barnsley.gov.uk)

Primary school places (barnsley.gov.uk)

Secondary school places (barnsley.gov.uk)

Academy Trusts are the admission authorities for academies. Details of our individual admission arrangements can be found on below.

HCAT Admission Arrangements 2025-2025

Please click the link here for information in relation to delayed primary admissions and arrangements for Summer Born Children.

Appeals and Complaints
Parents who are refused a place at a school for which they have applied have the statutory right of appeal to an independent admission appeal panel.

As the purpose of an appeal is to determine whether a child should be admitted to a particular school parents do NOT have a right of appeal if they have been offered a place but it is not in the year group they would like.