Academy Admissions

Welcome to the Harris Primary Academy Shortlands Admissions Information Page. Our full policy, with details of our admissions criteria can be downloaded below.

Join our School - In-Year Transfer

If you would like your child to join our school, in any year, we would love to hear from you. 

Please complete this form to express your interest, and we will be in touch with you shortly!

You will also need to apply through the Local Authority- the link to do so can be found in the form above.

Reception Applications 2025

The Academy had an admission number of 60 in Reception for September 2025-26.

Please apply for an in-year transfer using the form above. 

Reception Admissions 2026-27

The Academy has an admission number of 60 in Reception for September 2026-2027. 

The Key dates for this process are below: 

For Parents/Carers who Wish to Appeal 

Parents wishing to appeal against the Academy’s decision on admissions, for any year group, should complete an Appeal Form (see below) stating the reason for the appeal, based on the published Admissions Criteria.  You can attach to your appeals form any relevant documents and or a letter with information and evidence that you feel supports your case. 

All appeals must be made in writing to the Clerk to the Appeal Panel at Harris Primary Academy Shortlands, Kingswood Road, Shortlands, Bromley, BR2 0HG or at info@harrisprimaryshortlands.org.uk using the appeals form by the 15^th May 2026.  All appeals will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals.   

Applicants will be sent notification of their appeal hearing at least 14 clear school days in advance of the hearing. 

Applicants will be sent a copy of the school's case at least seven clear working days in advance of the hearing. 

The appeals will be heard, in private, by an Independent appeal Panel. The Clerk to the Appeal Panel will make an appointment within a reasonable time, Appeals may be made in English or the Parents’/Carers’ first language. 

• Only one appeal per application is allowed. 
• Appeals are conducted in person*, and you may bring a friend. 

Deferred/Delayed Entry

To defer a Reception place in the London Borough of Bromley, you must first accept the offered place and then arrange the deferral with the school's head teacher, or if seeking a delayed start to the next academic year (for summer-born children), follow a specific application process with the Council. 

Option 1: Deferring Entry Within the Same Academic Year

You have a legal right to defer your child's start date until later in the same school year, without losing the offered place, as long as they start by the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday. 

1. Accept the place: You must first accept the offered school place by the deadline specified in your offer notification via the eAdmissions website.
2. Contact the Head Teacher: You must notify the head teacher of the allocated school in writing (email or letter) about your intention to defer entry. They can discuss the arrangements with you to ensure the deferral is in your child's best interest.
3. Confirm the start date: Agree on a start date within the current academic year. The school must hold the place for your child. 

Option 2: Requesting a Delayed Entry to the Following Academic Year (For Summer-Born Children)

For children born between 1 April and 31 August (summer-born), you can request to delay their entry so they start Reception a full year later, in the September following their fifth birthday. 

• This is not an automatic right; requests are considered on a case-by-case basis by the school's admission authority.
• A place cannot be held: If this request is approved, any place you may have already been offered for the current Reception year will be withdrawn. You will have to re-apply for a place in the following academic year's Reception intake as part of the normal application process.
• If the request is declined: If the request is refused and you still choose to defer, your child will likely have to enter Year 1 the following year as an in-year admission, potentially missing the Reception year completely. 

To make this request:

1. Submit an on-time application: Apply for a school place for your child's chronological year group by the national closing date.
2. Submit a formal request: At the same time you apply, send a written request for delayed entry to the Bromley Council Admissions Team via email at primary.admissions@bromley.gov.uk.
3. Provide supporting evidence: Include all relevant reasons why starting a year later is in your child's best interest. This can include professional reports (medical, social, etc.).
4. Await the decision: Bromley Council and the school's admission authority will consider the request and inform you of the outcome. There is no formal right of appeal if the request for delayed entry to the following academic year is denied. 

For further guidance, it is recommended to contact the Bromley Admissions Team directly:

• Email: primary.admissions@bromley.gov.uk
• Phone: 020 8313 4044 (call between 12-3pm)

Prospectus