Admissions for 2025
The headteacher and staff at Katherine Semar look forward to welcoming you to our school. The most important people at our school are our children. Watch their welcome video here.
Admissions September 2025
We invite parents and carers of children that are due to start school in September 2025 (children born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021) to visit and experience our outstanding school in action. Please phone the school office (01799 521120) to make an appointment or email Kate, our office manager.
admin-inf@katherinesemar.net
We would love to meet you on one of our open morning tours to see what a vibrant and engaging school we have here. The tours will be held on Friday 15th November. Although the tours are aimed at parents, you are welcome to bring your pre-school children with you. We will have a carpeted area with toys. We look forward to meeting you.
All admissions for children to join Early Years (Infant School) or Year 3 (Junior School) in September 2025 are co-ordinated through the Local Authority. You can apply for one of these places between 4th November 2024 and 14th January 2025 via the link below.
You will be informed of the outcome of your application by Essex in April 2025.
Mid-year admissions
If your child already has a place in a different school and you would like to apply to Katherine Semar you will need to complete a mid-year application.
All mid-year applications should be made directly to Katherine Semar Schools, using the mid-year application form available on our website below. Applications should be emailed to admin-inf@katherinesemar.net
If you do not have online access, a paper copy is available from the school office. Mid-year applications (sometimes called in-year applications) are any application for a school place made to any year group, apart from September admissions to Reception (Infant School) and Year 3 (Junior School).
For applications into existing year groups, a place will be offered when the number of pupils in the relevant year group is below the admission number for that year group. The Published Admission Number (PAN) for our school is 60 children in a year group.
Please note: if a mid-year application is received during a school holiday period, we will respond as soon as possible when the school reopens.
Applications should be submitted no sooner than half a term before the planned start date. We will endeavour to reply to your application within no more than three school days. Where a place is not available to your child, they will automatically be added to a waiting list which is held in accordance with the school’s admissions criteria which can be found in the Admissions Policies below.
If your child remains without a school place, within a reasonable distance from your home address you will need to refer your application to the Fair Access Panel for consideration. The school admissions code requires that Essex must have Fair Access Protocols and provide your child with a school place. They can be contacted on 0345 603 2200 or email admissions@essex.gov.uk
Appeals are co-ordinated via Essex County Council and further information can be found at Essex Appeals
key information
We hope that whether you are a prospective parent, pupil or already part of our school community, this information will help to give you an idea about the vibrant life of Katherine Semar schools. We are extremely proud of our schools which are continually evolving, providing a rich, inclusive and creative learning experience for all.
Welcome to our School
Our school has two classes in each year group starting with our youngest children in Early Years through to Year Six. This makes us large enough to have the capacity to provide amazing opportunities for our children as well as lots of new friends but small enough to know what is special and unique about every one of the children in our school.
Our Outstanding School
We are extremely proud that we have been judged outstanding in our infant and junior schools. It is the highest judgement given by Ofsted.
“Children make outstanding progress in English and Mathematics but also in other subjects like French and (Physical Education) PE.”
“The most able pupils reach the highest levels of which they are capable and achieve very well.”
“Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are motivated, excited and engaged by their teachers. They thoroughly enjoy school and feel safe” (taken from our outstanding Ofsted report)
Every year we consistently achieve results of the highest standard for our children because every member of the school community ensures that every child is able to reach their true potential.
our inspiring curriculum
Our INSPIRE Curriculum
Our highly skilled and effective staff have written a bespoke curriculum for our children, which develops children’s skills and understanding far beyond the National Curriculum. Our curriculum is full of enjoyment and challenge for our children and is both relevant to today’s world and designed to equip them for the future. Our curriculum ensures a well-rounded educational balance that helps develop inquisitive, responsible children who become lifelong learners.
Educational Visits
Children learn best from first-hand experiences and as a result school trips are highly valued. Across the year, each class makes a number of trips and visits to enhance and support their classroom learning and bring topics to life. Recent trips have included visiting the Southend Aquarium, Colchester Zoo, Boulogne-Sur-Mer in France, Duxford Imperial Air Museum and Walton-on-the-Naze. We also run two residential trips each year. The events page on our website gives a flavour of the experiences our pupils gain through our educational visits.
Forest School
We believe outdoor learning is important which is why we have two wildlife areas with hens and an amazing outdoor area for Early Years. We also run a weekly Forest School in woodland behind our school, which is kindly designated as a Forest School Area by UDC. Forest School is an engaging and motivating woodland-based approach to learning, designed to inspire individuals through a range of positive experiences. Through activities based in the woodland, children will develop personal, social and emotional skills. These will include independence, self-esteem, confidence, communication skills and self-discovery. We have three members of staff trained as Forest School Leaders.
Talented Teachers
We employ teachers of the highest quality who continually research innovative and leading teaching strategies. Many of them work with higher education institutes and our local teaching school to train other teachers.
Extra-curricular Clubs
Across the infant and junior schools we offer over sixty before and after school clubs across the year ranging from netball, tag-rugby and swimming gala to art, science and Philosophy for Children. We also have eight peripatetic music teachers offering individual music lessons each week, including brass, guitar and drums. Alongside these, our professional music director leads our choir and orchestra who have recently performed at Saffron Hall and the O2 Arena. Additionally, we employ two full-time specialist sports coaches, who not only work with local nurseries, but also deliver high quality PE lessons as well as offering opportunities before and after school for competitive sports and general fitness training. Their superb teaching means we enjoy much sporting success often culminating in us becoming Essex champions for a variety of different sports. With such a variety on offer, we are certain there truly is something for everyone.
ACE Kids Club
ACE Kids Club is an established childcare facility run by Katherine Semar School on the school site with school staff. This has expanded and improved consistently over the years. When the School had its OFSTED in September 2013, ACE Kids Club were recognised as ‘OUTSTANDING’. We offer three types of childcare club – Breakfast Club which provides care before school from 7.45am, After School Club which provides care after school until 6.00pm and Holiday Club. ACE Kids Club aims to provide a fun, safe and inclusive environment that covers the needs of both parents and children.
School Meals
All of our school lunches are cooked on site by our own catering team with an emphasis on nutrition and everything is made fresh from carefully sourced ingredients. Every child in the Infant School receives a free school meal each day, in addition to a healthy fruit snack.
Our school charter
Our School Values
Our vision and values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens.
At Katherine Semar, we value you as your child’s first and most enduring educator. We offer lots of opportunities for you to be part of your child’s learning journey. Parents tell us that they love feeling part of our school family and regularly having the opportunity to come and join their children in school to see what they are doing.
