Bracknell Forest Council Proposes Catchment Area Changes

Bracknell Forest Council has launched a consultation on changes to school admissions for community and voluntary controlled schools from September 2028. The biggest proposal would remove designated catchment areas from the oversubscription criteria.

At the moment, living in a schools designated area can give priority when places are limited. Under the plans, that priority would go, with places decided by the remaining criteria, including distance.

The proposals have already worried some parents. In a Crowthorne community group one parent asked whether families in large new housing developments could get priority over existing residents who currently benefit from catchments.

The council says the changes would make admissions "clearer, more transparent, and easier for families to understand". Consultation documents add that designated areas can create uncertainty and may no longer serve a meaningful purpose given Bracknell Forests size and number of schools.

The move follows a review by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator into Crowthorne CE Primarys designated area, which found the boundary lacked a clear rationale and should be reviewed as part of the 2028/29 arrangements. Council officers say that prompted a wider review.

The consultation also proposes adding Service Pupil Premium eligibility as a new oversubscription criterion, giving children from armed forces families extra priority to reflect the challenges of frequent moves.

The proposals apply only to community and voluntary controlled schools for which Bracknell Forest Council is the admissions authority; some schools, including academies, set their own rules.

The consultation runs until 2 December. View the proposals and take part at School Admissions Consultation 2028-29.

Katie French, Local Democracy Reporter