Applying to Year 7

Welcome to the Harris Academy Chafford Hundred Admissions information page.  This page tells you about how to apply to the Academy, how to appeal if you are unsuccessful and where to find further information.

Our full admissions policy, with details of our admissions criteria, can be downloaded from the bottom of the page. 

Parents are also advised to read the advice given by Thurrock Local Authority which includes how and when to apply, what to do if you wish to appeal and how to apply late or make 'in year' applications. The advice also includes catchment area information by address. All this guidance can be accessed here.

Admissions Contact Details

Telephone: 01375 484580
Email: admissions@harrischaffordhundred.org.uk
Address: Harris Academy Chafford Hundred, Mayflower Road, Chafford Hundred, Essex RM16 6SA

Year 7 Applications (including key dates)

Applications for places will be made in accordance with Local Authority admission arrangements and will be made on the authority's application form. Advice from Thurrock Local Authority and the application form can be accessed here.

The Academy will work to the common admissions timetable agreed by Thurrock Local Authority which for September 2025 admissions required applications to be made by 31st October 2025. The admissions policy for 2026-27 can be downloaded from the bottom of the page.

The Harris Academy Chafford Hundred intends to admit 180 students each year. When considering applications, children with a statement of Special Educational Needs that names the Academy or those with Educational Healthcare (EHC) Plans will be admitted first and under different regulations before the oversubscription criteria is applied.

In the event of there being more applications for places at the Academy than there are places available, after the admission of those with an SEN statement or EHC plan, places will be allocated in the following oversubscription order of priority:

• Looked after children and previously looked after children
• The children of Employees of Harris Academy Chafford Hundred.
• Pupils resident in the priority admissions area (catchment area) of Harris Academy Chafford Hundred in the following order of priority: 1) Pupils who have brothers or sisters attending the academy at the date of admission (in year groups 7 – 10) and who will continue to do so; 2) Pupils resident within the priority catchment area
• Pupils resident outside the priority admissions area of Harris Academy Chafford Hundred in the following priority: 1) Pupils who have brothers or sisters attending the school at the date of admission (In Years 7 – 10) and who will continue to do so; 2) Pupils living closest to the academy

Note: Harris Academy Chafford Hundred is the designated Additional Resource Provision (ARP) base for Children, Education and Families for speech and language children. Places allocated under this will cover children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and all pupils in this category will have a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHC plan. These children are not included in the school’s published admission limit. ARP are allocated through a multi-disciplinary Local Authority admissions panel, in consultation with Thurrock Council’s Special Educational Needs Department and the Academy’s Principal and Achievement Director of SLCN Resource Base.

Admission of Children Outside their Normal Age Group

Parents may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age range, for instance where the child is gifted or talented or where a child has suffered from particular social or medical issues impacting his or her schooling. All such requests will be considered on their merits and either agreed or refused, on that basis. If a request is refused, the child will still be considered for admission to their normal age group.

The process for requesting such an admission is as follows:

With the application, parents should request that the child is admitted to another year group (state which one), and the reasons for that request. Parents will submit any evidence in support of their case with the application, for instance from a medical practitioner, headteacher etc. Some of the evidence a parent might submit could include:

• information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development, including their prior learning if recently admitted to the country from abroad;
• where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional;
• whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group; and
• whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely.

The school will consider each case on its merits, taking into account the individual circumstances of the request and the child’s best interests. We will also ensure the parent is aware of whether the request for admission out of age group has been agreed before final offers are made, and the reason for any refusal.

Requests for admission out of the normal year group will be considered alongside other applications made at the same time. An application from a child who would ‘normally’ be a year 8 child for a year 7 place will be considered alongside applications for year 7.

This applies to all admissions whether made in the normal admissions round through the CAF or in-year admissions. In the case of students joining in-year who have recently entered the country we will counsel parents on when it is in the best interest of the child to make an application for admission outside the normal age group.