School to prioritise youngsters as younger as 4 who often go to church in new admissions coverage

A Greater Manchester primary school has announced plans to prioritise churchgoing youngsters in its new admissions policy.

St Chad’s Church of England Primary School in Uppermill, Oldham, revealed the sweeping measures for children starting school in 2027 as part of an online consultation launched last month.

The proposals are being brought in by the Forward As One Trust, and will apply if the school receives more applications than the 30 spaces it has to offer.

Children who are currently or have previously been in care will be allocated places first, followed by siblings of children already at the school.

Spaces will then be allocated to children – most of whom will be just four years old – who have fulfilled strict church attendance quotas.

Parents will be asked to provide proof from a ‘relevant church official’ that their child has attended services for them to be prioritised under this measure.

Those who have attended worship at least 24 times over the past two years will be allocated spaces at St Chad’s first, followed by those who have been at 12 services in the past 12 months.

If there are any remaining spaces after the faith-based measure has been used, these will be given to children with ‘exceptional’ medical needs that can only be catered to at St Chad’s.

St Chad’s Church of England Primary School in Uppermill, Oldham, revealed the sweeping measures for children starting school in 2027 as part of an online consultation launched last month

Only after all these criteria have been fulfilled will other local children be given the remaining spaces based on how far they live from the school site.

The school states in its consultation that it is ‘welcome to all’, regardless of faith, and that applying under the faith-based priority is entirely optional.

The policy at St Chad’s has sparked debate in the local community, with some expressing concern that local children may be forced to travel long distances to alternative schools as a result. 

One local resident said that as Uppermill only has one school, it should be ‘open to everyone regardless of faith’, as families did not have a nearby option to send their children to a state school that is not affiliated with any religion.

‘Parents should be able to take their children to the nearest primary school not have to drive them to the next village. A 4 year old can’t be expected to walk to Diggle or Greenfield from Uppermill to get to primary school when there is a good school in their own village,’ they said.

Another described the policy as ‘ludicrous’. 

But others disagreed, arguing many families have the capacity to take their children to schools that are further away, and that there are many schools of different faiths available around the country. 

The trust is appealing for views and feedback on its admissions policy from local families and residents until January 28.

Parents will be asked to provide proof from a ‘relevant church official’ that their child has attended services (File image)

Other schools under the trust are holding consultations with similar measures prioritising churchgoing families, including St Peter’s Smithalls Dean CE Primary in Bolton, St Paul’s CE Primary in Bury and St Anne’s CE Primary in Lydgate.

In total, some 16 schools’ policies are open for feedback from parents.

Applications for school places open on September 1 and will close on January 15, 2027.

Karen Bramwell, CEO of Forward As One, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: ‘The proposed admissions arrangements for 2027–28 are still under consultation, and no decision has been made. We want to reassure families and our community that we are listening to all feedback to ensure any policy reflects our Christian ethos and serves the whole community.

‘We welcome families of all faiths and none, and we are committed to being inclusive of all children, including those with an Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), Special Educational Needs, and those with English as an Additional Language.

‘All comments will be considered carefully by the admissions authority before a final determination is made by 28th February 2026, in line with the Admissions Code.’