A parents’ guide to Secondary School Admissions 2019-20

This booklet describes Dudley Council’s arrangements for admitting children to secondary schools in September 2019

If you would like this document on audiotape, in large type, or a translation into your own community language please contact The School Admissions Service.

One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

A guide for parents

This booklet provides details of the admission arrangements that will operate at secondary schools in the Dudley borough for admissions in September 2019.

We have also included general information which you may find useful.

If you would like further information about a particular school, a more detailed booklet (‘the School Prospectus’) may be obtained direct from the individual secondary school concerned. Other documents available direct from the school or online include the School Profile and inspection reports by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The Dudley Secondary School Performance Tables relating to the 2017 examination and test results are currently available from the People Directorate and public libraries. The results for 2018 will not be available until December 2018.

Please pay particular attention to the timetable set out on Page 4, especially the closing date for applications, and the specific detail given about each school’s admission arrangements from Page 18 onwards.

Local authorities (LAs) are required to liaise with each other in relation to the transfer of children from primary to secondary school for all schools, whether the schools are in Dudley or in other boroughs. This will mean that each child will only receive one offer of a school place, which will be sent to them by the LA where they live.

We do our very best to find places for all children at a secondary school of your first preference, but we cannot always do this. Overall this year the borough was able to meet 97% of one of the preferences expressed. Most disappointments generally are caused when parents select popular schools at some distance from their home address. However, whichever school your child attends in Dudley, you may be confident that the LA and the school work closely to ensure your child will be educated to the highest standard.

Martin Samuels Strategic Director - People People Services Directorate The Council House, Priory Road, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 1HF

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

A PARENTS’ GUIDE TO SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS TYPES OF ADMISSION AUTHORITIES OPERATING IN DUDLEY ...... 2 TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL PROCESS ...... 3 MAKING A PREFERENCE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL - ONLINE APPLICATIONS ...... 5 ADMISSIONS POLICY FOR COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DUDLEY ...... 8 EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT PREFERENCE RANKINGS ...... 11 SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS FLOWCHART ...... 12 CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS SCHEME ...... 13 YOUR RIGHTS IF THE APPLICATION IS UNSUCCESSFUL ...... 13 WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE EXPRESSING YOUR PREFERENCES ...... 14 DETAILS ON INDIVIDUAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITHIN DUDLEY BOROUGH ...... 16 SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY CATEGORY AS AT JULY 2018 ...... 17 ADMISSION POLICIES FOR FOUNDATION, VOLUNTARY AIDED AND ACADEMY SECONDARY SCHOOLS ...... 18 SECONDARY SCHOOL OPEN DAYS AND EVENINGS 2018 ...... 92 PRIVACY NOTICE: SCHOOL ADMISSIONS ...... 94 SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS OF PUPILS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OR DISABILITY ...... 97 ADDRESSES OF NEIGHBOURING LOCAL AUTHORITIES ...... 100 USEFUL CONTACTS ...... 101

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Types of admission authorities operating in Dudley

Community schools Dudley Local Authority (LA) is the admissions authority i.e. it has responsibility for deciding the arrangements for admitting pupils to community schools including the admissions criteria. The admissions policy for community schools has been confirmed following consultation with the governing bodies and Headteachers of all schools in the borough, as well as a number of other agencies. Catchment areas do not exist in Dudley borough. See Page 8 for full details of the admissions policy adopted for community secondary schools. See Page 17 for a list of community schools.

Voluntary aided schools The governing body is the admissions authority i.e. it has responsibility for deciding the arrangements for admitting pupils including their own admissions criteria. The individual school governing body is responsible for determining admission and appeal arrangements for foundation and voluntary aided schools. You will find details of the various admissions policies adopted on Page 18.

See Page 17 for the list of academy and voluntary aided schools.

Academy schools Academies are public funded independent schools free from local authority and national government control. They have the responsibility of setting their own admission arrangements and criteria. The school’s governing body is responsible for determining the admission and appeal arrangements for the academy.

See Page 17 for the list of academy schools.

All schools in Dudley will consider applicants on an equal basis and will not give priority to first preferred applicants. If a child meets the admissions criteria for two or more schools included on the application form, the School Admissions Service will allocate the school that the parent ranked highest on their form.

Please note that academies, and voluntary aided schools in Dudley borough have separate admission policies.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Transfer to secondary school process General information It is important that you thoroughly read and understand the parents’ guide to secondary school admissions before completing any application form. Please note if there are persons with parental responsibility for the child, who are not living at your home address, you have a duty to ensure that you notify/consult those persons regarding this application.

Number of preferences You are able to state up to six preferences on your application and these should include all your preferred schools either in the Dudley borough or a school in a neighbouring Local Authority. You are strongly advised not to make only one school preference since it will not give you any advantage in the schools admission process.

Please note that places are not allocated on a first come, first served basis. You are therefore advised to attend open days and evenings at schools as well as assessing the likelihood of your preferences being agreed under the schools admissions policy before stating your preferences. You should not assume that your child will get a place at a new school without you having to apply (even if you have an older child attending the school already). Also, if a school is very popular there is no guarantee that your child will be allocated a place.

Will I get priority for my first preferred school? All schools will consider applicants on an equal basis and will not give priority to first preference applicants. If a child meets the criteria for two or more schools included on the application form, the School Admissions Service will allocate the school that the parent ranked highest.

Will I get priority for a school within my home LA? Under current legislation we are unable to give priority to pupils who live within Dudley borough. All applications will be considered against the admissions policy of the school concerned, regardless of which borough the child resides in.

I don’t live in Dudley borough. How do I apply for a Dudley secondary school? You must include the school on the form provided by your own LA. Please note there may be different closing dates and admissions policies in operation (see list on Page 100 for contact numbers of neighbouring LAs).

I live in Dudley. How do I apply for a secondary school outside of Dudley borough? You must include the school on the form provided by Dudley LA where you will be able to express up to six preferences for schools inside or outside of the Dudley borough. If you want to apply for a school outside the borough you must obtain the information booklet from the relevant LA, (see list on Page 100 for contact numbers of neighbouring LAs) to ensure that you understand the admissions policy for the school concerned. If you are successful in gaining a place at a school which is not maintained by Dudley LA, the council will not assist you financially to enable your child to attend the school concerned.

What happens if I do not return my application on time? If you do not complete and return an application, your child will not be allocated a school place until all those who did have been offered places. It is then possible that your preferred schools will be too full to admit your child.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

How can I get information about schools online? The School Admissions Service web Page gives links to school web sites and other web Pages giving information about schools (such as the Ofsted site www.ofsted.gov.uk). It will also include a copy of this information booklet.

How to apply From 1 September 2018 if you live in the Dudley borough, you should either apply online at www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions or complete a paper application, which is available on request from the School Admissions Service. You should state all of your school preferences up to a maximum of six in rank order.

Can I choose which school I send my child to? You do not have the right to choose which school your child attends. Under current legislation you have the right to express a preference. This preference must be met unless to do so would be prejudicial to effective education and/or prejudicial to the efficient use of resources at the preferred school. i.e. the admission of further pupils will be detrimental to the teaching and learning experiences of other students.

How can I assess the likelihood of being allocated my preferred school? Statistical and historical information, relating to admission at each school can be found on individual school pages.

Important dates – Please note these dates may vary in other LAs

Online application available 1 September 2018

Information to parents & school open evenings Autumn Term 2018

Return date of paper application form 31 October 2018 by 5pm (Failure to return your form by this date may affect the outcome of your application.)

Return date of online applications Midnight 31 October 2018

Decision emails to parents After 2pm on 1 March 2019

Decision letters to parents (Posted 2nd class on) 1 March 2019

Appeals to be heard Late Spring Term 2019 & Early Summer Term 2019

What is the co-ordinated admissions scheme? Local authorities (LAs) are required to co-ordinate secondary transfer admissions for all maintained (non fee paying) schools.

Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Staffordshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire LAs have agreed to co-ordinate the admissions process for admission to secondary schools.

For details of Dudley’s scheme please contact the School Admissions Service on 0300 555 2345 or go to www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Making a preference for secondary school - Online applications From 1 September 2018 you can apply for a school place online at www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions. The following information is intended to answer some questions you may have about Dudley’s online service.

Why should I apply online? Some of the benefits of applying online are: • It is quick and easy to use • You can apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • There is no risk that your application will be lost in the post • You will receive an email confirmation that your application has been received • You can change your application up to the closing date by contacting the School Admissions Service • It is safe and secure • You will be notified of the outcome of your online application after 2pm on 1 March 2019

When can I use the online system? The online system will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from 1 September 2018 until the closing date 31 October 2018.

Will my application be secure? Yes. The system has a series of security features that prevents others from seeing your details.

Who makes the application? The person who has parental responsibility should submit the application for the child’s school place. If there are other persons with parental responsibility, it is the responsibility of the applicant to notify them of the application.

If you need further advice about who should apply for your child’s school place please contact the School Admissions Service at [email protected]

What details will be requested? You will not be asked to give any more information than you would need to if you were making a paper application.

How can I get information about schools online? The admissions arrangements for schools are included in this guide for advice. For further information on a school please either phone the school or go to the school’s own website.

If I can’t finish the application, may I go back to it later? Yes. You have until the closing date to complete your application.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Having made an electronic application, can I change my preferences or submit other information? You can make changes to your application right up to the closing date. In order to do this you would need to contact the School Admissions Service at [email protected] .

How will I know that the changes have been logged? Every time you make or change your online application you will receive an email confirming the status of your application. You can also check the status of your application when you log in to the system and select your existing record.

Should I send a paper copy as well? No. If you do submit an online application and a paper form the last one received will supersede the first one and the school allocation will be made using the data on the last received form.

Will I be told the result of my application electronically? Yes. After 2pm on 1 March 2019.

What do I need to do to apply online? All you need to apply online is access to a computer. The council offers free computer access at its libraries and Dudley Council Plus offices in Castle Street, Dudley.

Some schools will also provide computer access. You should check with your local school to find out whether they provide this service.

Paper applications Even though it may be quicker and easier to apply online, paper applications are still available. Please write to the School Admissions Service, The Council House, Priory Road, Dudley, DY1 1HF or phone 0300 555 2345 to request a paper application form.

You are advised to return your form either by hand, asking for a receipt, or return it by recorded delivery. The council will not accept responsibility for lost forms unless it has been sent by recorded delivery or you have a valid receipt.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

What additional information should I provide to support my application? It is very important that you check if supportive information is required for each school you are interested in by reading the information published by the relevant LA.

You must complete a supplementary form for Old Swinford Hospital School, Bishop Milner Catholic College (if applying as a Baptised Catholic), Ellowes Hall Sports College (if applying under the sporting aptitude criteria) and Crestwood School (if applying under the sporting aptitude or performing arts criterion) which are available direct from the schools concerned. You must also ensure that you list the schools on your LA application form or your preference will not be valid.

Late applications Preferences that are received after the closing date (31 October 2018) will only be considered after the applications that were received within the deadline have been dealt with.

There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. Where the exceptional circumstances are such that the parent could not have reasonably submitted the application within the deadline the applicant will be considered alongside all other applicants.

In each circumstance supportive evidence must be provided by the parent/carer at the time of application.

Please note that some schools may have a different policy for dealing with late applications and you should check with the relevant LA or school in each case.

Can I change my preferences and/or the order of my preferences after the closing date has passed? There will be exceptional circumstances in which this will be allowed to take place. e.g. where a child moves house within Dudley Borough and as a result needs to make new preferences for schools within the new area. If there are no exceptional circumstances and you change your preferences, your application will be considered late.

When will I know the outcome of my application? Dudley parents/carers will be informed of the decisions relating to their application in writing, posted 2nd class on Thursday 1 March 2019. If you apply online you will be notified by email after 2pm on 1 March 2019.

Can the admissions authority withdraw the offer of a school place once it has been made? An admissions authority can withdraw the offer of a school place where a parent has obtained the place by providing either their primary school or the admissions authority with fraudulent or intentionally misleading information. (See also Page 14 of this booklet.)

This power has been used several times in previous years in Dudley where parents have provided false information.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

How can I contact the School Admissions Service? Telephone 0300 555 2345 [email protected] www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions Information is also available at the above website

Admissions policy for community secondary schools in Dudley Please note that this section refers to community schools only. See Page 17 for a list of community schools.

Dudley Council has an Inclusive Education Policy and the admissions policy aims to maximise the opportunity to meet parental preferences and to meet the individual needs of children at their local school wherever possible. The council does not support the use of a selective admissions policies based on aptitude or academic achievement. The admission arrangements set by the Council ensures that the process is fair and equitable to all.

Children will not be discriminated against, as laid down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010.

How will applications for community schools be decided? The following criteria will be used to allocate the available places at those community schools that are oversubscribed i.e. receive more applications than spaces available.

All preferences for community secondary schools within Dudley Borough will be assessed against the following priorities, regardless of ranking. Wherever possible we will seek to allocate a place at the school of the parents’ highest ranking, (if the child meets the admissions criteria for more than one school listed as a preference.) Priority is not given to first preference applicants. a) First priority shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after become subject to an adoption, child arrangement order or special guardianship order. See notes below. b) Second priority shall be given to children with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where the preferred community school is the most appropriate school to meet the condition. (Parents/carers must provide supportive information from their child’s hospital consultant at the time of application in order to be considered under this criteria. This supportive information should include information about the needs of the child and should detail the difficulties the pupil would experience if they had to attend another school. Parents/carers should indicate why the preferred school is the most appropriate to meet their child’s medical condition rather than any other school. The Council will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers.) c) Third priority shall be given to children who have a brother/sister, half-brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), or step-brother/step sister, living at the same address and who will still be attending the preferred school in the academic year 2019/20.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

d) Any places that remain available once the above applicants have been admitted will be filled according to those children who live closest to the school, determined by a straight-line measurement in metres, from the home address to the main entrance of the preferred school.

Notes  Relevant looked after children means children who are looked after by a local authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. This includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption orders) and children who were adopted under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders).  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Child arrangements orders replace residence orders and any residence order in force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements order.  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  In accordance with legislation, a child with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a place at the school named in the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet the child’s individual needs, this may reduce the amount of places available for children who do not have an EHCP.  Any Dudley child not obtaining a school at any of their preferred secondary schools will be allocated a place at the next nearest school with a place available and advised about the independent appeals process.  Definition of brother or sister also relates to adopted or fostered children living at the same home address.  The home address is considered the child’s (along with their parents’) genuine principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is resident with friends or relatives (for reasons other than guardianship), the friends or relatives address will not be considered for allocation purposes.  Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week. Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes. At least one item of proof must demonstrate where the child lives. It is expected that parents will agree on school places before an application is made, and it may be necessary to request evidence from the parents to confirm that this is the case. The Council is not in a position to intervene in disputes between parents over school applications and will request that these are resolved privately.  Special conditions will apply in the event that one child from a set of twins or triplets does not gain admission to the preferred school through the admissions criteria. The Council will exceed the admission number for the school concerned to prevent separation of twins / triplets.  Random allocation will be used as a tie-break in category d above to decide who has the highest priority for admission if the distance between two children’s homes and the school is the same.

Admission of children outside of their normal age group.

Parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. Parents should make their application to The Council setting out the reasons why they believe their child should be taught outside of their chronological age group.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Educational Opportunties Year 10

Children who are due to move to year 10 in September 2019 may wish to consider other educational opportunities available in the local area. This does not mean that you are required to move your child from their existing school if this is still the best option for them.

University Technical Colleges (UTCs) are set up by universities and businesses and specialise in one or two technical subjects. At GCSE they offer a similar curriculum to a typical 11-18 secondary school, including the basics of English and Maths, as well as their specialist subject.

To find information out about UTC’s in the area please visit www.utcolleges.org.

Studio Schools are similar to UTCs in that they have employer involvement in the curriculum and focus on developing the skills needed for employment, involving personal coaching and work experience, alongside a similar curriculum to a typical 11-18 secondary.

If you decide that you would like to apply for a place at any of the schools available, you will need to complete an application form. Please contact the school direct for further information.

 Aston University Engineering Academy, Birmingham. B7 4AG (0121 380 0572) www.auea.co.uk  Health Futures UTC, West Bromwich. B70 8DJ (0121 794 2888) www.healthfuturesutc.co.uk  West Midlands Construction UTC, Wolverhampton. WV10 0JR (01902 872180) www.westmidlandscontructionutc.co.uk  Walsall Studio School, Walsall. WS1 1RL (01922 621951) www.walsallstudioschool.co.uk  Waverley Studio College, Birmingham. B9 5SX (0121 566 6622) www.waverleystudiocollege.co.uk  Birmingham Ormiston Academy, Grosvenor Street, Birmingham. B4 7QD (0121 359 9300) www.boa-academy.co.uk

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Examples of different preference rankings Katie Katie lives near School D which is a community school. Her parents would like her to go to School B, a foundation school slightly further away or School C a Catholic School voluntary aided. They also want her to sit tests for grammar schools. Their preferences are:

1 School A (grammar) 2 School B (foundation) 3 School C (Catholic voluntary aided) 4 School D (community) 5 School E (grammar) 6 School F (community) Katie did not pass school A test. She could not be offered school B as she lived too far away. She did not meet school C’s criteria because she is not a Catholic. She met the admission criteria for school D and school F because she lives nearer to both. She also passed the test for school E. She was allocated school D because it was a higher ranked preference than schools E and F

James James lives 500 metres from school G, a foundation school and also his local school. His parents do not want him to go there. They want their son to sit the grammar school tests. The other schools they have expressed preferences for, with the exception of school B, are a considerable distance from the home address. Their preferences are:

1 School A (grammar) 2 School B (Catholic voluntary aided) 3 School C (grammar) 4 School D (voluntary aided) 5 School E (foundation) 6 School F (community) James lives close to school B but is not a Catholic so does not qualify for a place. He has failed all the grammar school tests. He lives too far from his parents’ other preferences to qualify for a place.

As none of his parents’ preferences could be met, he was offered a place at school H which is the nearest school to his home with available places. The closer school, school G, had filled its places with children whose parents ranked it as one of their preferences.

Alice Alice lives in Stourbridge, close to the border with a neighbouring LA. Her parents want her to go to school ‘A’ outside Dudley LA. They have obtained the admissions information booklet from the neighbouring LA and feel that Alice will meet the admission criteria because she is Catholic. Their preferences are:

1 School A (Catholic voluntary aided) 2 School B (community) 3 School C (community) Alice met the admission criteria for all schools but was offered school A as this was ranked highest.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Secondary school admissions flowchart September 2019/20

September 2018 - Year 6 pupils issued with information relating to admission

September/October 2018 – School open days/evenings

31 October 2018 – Closing date for application forms to be returned

Under-subscribed Over-subscribed Dudley schools Dudley schools

1 March 2019 1 March 2019

Offer letters posted to Offer/refusal letters posted to parents 2nd class parents 2nd class

Email decisions sent after 2pm for Email decisions sent after 2pm for online applicants online applicants

Offer Refusal Summer Term 2019

Further contact received directly Parents may request to be placed from school concerning induction on waiting list and will be provided with information on the appeals process

Please note other LAs may have Spring/Summer Term 2019 different dates and processes Appeals held

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Co-ordinated admissions scheme The Local Authority is required to co-ordinate admissions to secondary schools for all maintained (non fee paying) secondary schools within the Dudley Borough. Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Staffordshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire local authorities have also agreed to co-ordinate the admissions process for schools in these areas. Parents/carers are able to express up to six school preferences in ranked order via the home local authority of the child. This includes preferences for schools outside of the home local authority. A scheme has been agreed with schools and the other local authorities that sets out the process and timetable for the exchange of information. For a full copy of the scheme please contact the School Admissions Service on 0300 555 2345 or visit www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Your rights if the application is unsuccessful General If your child is refused admission to any school you have a right of appeal to an independent appeals panel. Please note that you may lodge appeals for admission to as many schools as you originally requested. Being offered or accepting a place at an alternative school will not affect the outcome of your appeal.

What happens if places become available between the point of allocation and the start of term? Places will be allocated from the waiting list. Please see further details below.

Appeals for Dudley community schools If you choose to exercise your right of appeal, arrangements will be made for you to attend the appeal hearing. Please note that the independent appeal panel’s decision is binding on both parents and the local authority. It is not the council’s policy to consider repeat appeals in the same academic year unless there has been a significant material change in circumstances.

Waiting lists for Dudley community schools If a school is oversubscribed and children have been refused admission because other children have a higher priority for admission under the published admissions criteria, then those applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list.

Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the published admissions criteria and the list will operate from the point of allocation until the 31st August 2020. After this point the waiting list will no longer be in operation and places that become available will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If more than one application is received at the same time, the oversubscription criteria, as detailed on page 8, will be used to determine which applicant will have the place.

Inclusion on a school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available there.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down the list.

Places that become available between the point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be offered to children according to their ranking on this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first.

Repeat applications It is not the Local Authority’s Policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in the circumstances of the applicant.

What to consider before expressing your preferences Please think very carefully before making your preferences and assess the likelihood of your application being agreed.

You will be able to assess whether a school is usually oversubscribed by the number of applications received for a school against the published admission number or the number of appeals held in previous years. This information is given from Page 18 onwards. Other local authorities can provide you with similar information.

Parents can also obtain information, advice and guidance from the School Admissions Service regarding the admissions process. You can contact any member of the team by phone on 0300 555 2345 between 9am and 5pm or the team will be present at the open evenings of some of the secondary schools as detailed on Page 92. Please remember that you do not have the right to choose which school your child attends. Under current legislation you have the right to express a preference.

Medical applications Only applications that are supported by the child’s hospital consultant will be considered. Please see oversubscription criteria for more information. After the closing date for applications, a panel will be convened to consider the request and supportive information. The panel will consist of a number of professionals from services within The People Services Directorate.

Whose address may I use on the application? The child’s address is considered to be the child’s (along with their parents’) genuine principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places (1 March 2019) i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is resident with friends or relatives for reasons other than guardianship the friend’s or relatives’ address will not be considered.

Due to problems in previous years it may be necessary for the School Admissions Service to carry out checks to confirm that information given in relation to a child’s home address is genuine. Parents may be asked to produce documentary evidence of the address given within 48 hours. This evidence would need to demonstrate where the child lives as well as the parent. You will be asked to provide your council tax statement, your child benefit book/tax credit statement, and at least one utility bill together with a driving licence and bank statement clearly showing names and addresses.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Any permanent change of address should be notified to your child’s primary school and the School Admissions Service immediately.

Please note if your child’s permanent residence changes at any point from 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2019 it is the parent’s responsibility to notify the local authority. You must do this even if you have notified your child’s school.

If you fail to do so, this may result in any offer of a school place being withdrawn. This has occurred previously.

The School Admissions Service checks the information provided on the form is correct. Please also see Page 94.

What happens if I move house after I have completed an application form? You will need to provide documentary evidence to confirm this. A change of address will be considered up to the 19 February 2019. After that date it may not be possible for the new address to be considered for allocation purposes. Please see previous page regarding address. Failure to notify the School Admissions Service of a change of address after the submission of your application form may result in the offer of a school place being withdrawn.

What do I need to do before I return the completed application form? • Ensure you have read and understood this guide and any relevant guides for other LAs for schools you have listed. • Check that you have completed all relevant sections of the form. • Ensure you have provided any supportive evidence required. • Check that you have completed any additional forms where necessary (please check the admissions arrangements to each school to which you are applying).

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Details on individual secondary schools within Dudley borough This section contains important admissions details about each secondary school in the Dudley borough.

If you would like further information about a particular school, a more detailed booklet (the school prospectus) may be obtained direct from the individual secondary school concerned. Other documents available direct from the school or the internet include the School Profile, and inspection reports by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) www.ofsted.gov.uk. The exam results for 2018 will not be available until December 2018. The information relating to admissions in September 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 has been included in order to help you make a meaningful preference. (There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019.) The table of information, on each school page, gives a breakdown of the number of places allocated in each category in accordance with the admission criteria.

Number on Roll (NOR): Total number of pupils on roll at the school in May 2018 census. Published Admissions Number (PAN): i.e. maximum number of pupils being admitted in September 2019.

Distance - Home to school measurement Distances are calculated on the basis of a straight line measurement between the applicants’ home address and the school’s main entrance. The LA uses a computerised system from Servelec Synergy which calculates all distances in metres. The co-ordinates of the applicant’s home address are taken from the Ordnance Survey’s Address Base™ digital data product. The co-ordinates of the school are those of the ‘main entrance point’ nominated by a senior member of school staff, marked and digitised with reference to Ordnance Survey MasterMap™ digital data product. If you would like further information in respect of this please contact the School Admissions Service on 0300 555 2345.

Last measurement The distance measured in metres of the last applicant admitted under the distance criteria. Please note that this measurement will vary from year to year dependent on the addresses of the applicants and the number of brothers and sisters applying for places. On request, the School Admissions Service will undertake individual measurements for parents before places are allocated. Where the distance column indicates ‘-’ all pupils requesting admission were admitted regardless of where they lived.

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Secondary schools by category as at July 2018

Academy schools Community schools Voluntary aided schools

Beacon Hill Academy Pedmore High The Dormston School Old Swinford Hospital School (from 1st School Bishop Milner Catholic September 2018) The Summerhill School - College A Specialist Language College Crestwood School Pegasus Academy The Wordsley School Earls High School Redhill School Business & Enterprise and Music College Ellowes Hall Ridgewood High Sports College School

The Kingswinford St James Academy School Thorns Collegiate Leasowes High Academy School Windsor High School The Link Academy and Sixth Form

All schools will consider applications against their admissions criteria regardless of ranking. Priority will not be given to first preference applicants.

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Admission Policies for foundation, voluntary aided and academy secondary schools be discriminated against as laid down by the The Beacon Hill Academy Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race A Converter Academy – a member of the Dudley Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Race Academy Trust Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Educational Principal: Mrs J Bull Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 Type of school: Academy and The Equality Act 2010. Age range: 11 - 16 In accordance with legislation, a child with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan will be Number on Roll: 1171 offered a place if the school named in the Plan Published Admission Number 2019: 242 is the most appropriate to meet the child’s individual needs. This may reduce the amount of Admissions authority: Advisory Committee places available for children who do not have an DfE No: 332 5403 EHC Plan. The Beacon Hill Academy Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria High Arcal Drive will be applied, in the order set out below, to Sedgley decide which children to admit. Dudley DY3 1BP a) First priority for admission shall be given to Tel: 08451 550411 relevant Looked After Children or children Email: [email protected] who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became Website: www.higharcal.co.uk subject to an adoption, child arrangement order, or special guardianship order. See Dates of open evenings/days notes below. 3 October 2018 6.30pm - 8.30pm b) Second priority for admission shall be given 4 and 5 October 2018 9.15am - 2.45pm to children with a “serious and ongoing Tours at 9.15am, 10.00am, medical condition” where The Beacon Hill Academy is the most appropriate school to 11.30am and 2.00pm meet the condition. or any day by arrangement with the Headteacher. (Parents must provide supportive information from their child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application in order How to apply for a place in Year 7 for to be considered under this criteria. This September 2019: supportive information should include information about the needs of the child and  Complete the application form which should detail the difficulties the pupil would is available from your home LA experience if they had to attend another school. Parents should also indicate why Admissions policy The Beacon Hill Academy is the most appropriate to meet their child’s medical Pupils will be admitted at age 11 without condition rather than any other school. The reference to ability or aptitude. Children will not Local Advisory Committee will not seek to 18 | P a g e

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obtain medical evidence on behalf of • Definition of brother or sister also relates to parents.) adopted or fostered children living at the same home address. c) Third priority for admission shall be given to children who have a brother/sister, half- • The home address is considered to be the brother/sister (where the children share one child’s (along with their parents’) genuine common parent), or step-brother/step-sister, principal place of residence at the time of living at the same address and who will still be the allocation of places i.e. where they are attending the academy in September 2019. normally and regularly living. If a child is resident with friends or relatives (for reasons d) Any places that remain available once the other than guardianship), the friends or above applicants have been admitted will be relatives address will not be considered for filled according to those children who live allocation purposes. closest to the academy, determined by a straight-line measurement in metres, from • Where parents have shared responsibility the home address to the main entrance of for a child, and the child lives with both The Beacon Hill Academy School. parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the

address where the child lives for the majority Notes of the school week (i.e. 3 out of the 5 days). Parents will be required to provide  Relevant looked after children means documentary evidence to support the children who are looked after by a local address they wish to be considered for authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of allocation purposes. At least one item of the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care proof must demonstrate where the child of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided lives. with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions • Special conditions will apply in the event (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the that one child from a set of twins or triplets Children Act 1989) at the time of making an does not gain admission through the application to a school. This includes admissions criteria. The Local Advisory children who were adopted under the Committee will exceed the admission Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption number for the academy to prevent orders) and children who were adopted separation of twins /triplets. under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see • Random allocation will be used as a tie- section 46 adoption orders). break in category d above to decide who

has the highest priority for admission if the  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 distance between two children’s homes and of the Children Act 1989, as amended by the academy is the same. s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Child arrangements orders replace • Any child not obtaining a place will be residence orders and any residence order in advised about the independent appeals force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be process. a child arrangements order.

 Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines Admission of children outside their normal a special guardianship order as an order age group appointing one or more individuals to be a Parents may seek a place for their child outside child’s special guardian (or special of their normal age group, for example, if the guardians). child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. The decision to admit a child in these circumstances will be 19 | P a g e

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made on the basis of the circumstances of each that were received within the deadline have case and in the best interests of the child been dealt with. concerned. This will include taking account of the parent’s views; information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development; There will, however, be exceptional where relevant, their medical history and the circumstances in which a late application will be views of a medical professional; whether they considered alongside those applications that have previously been educated out of their were made within the deadline. In each normal age group; and whether they may circumstance supportive documentary evidence naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it must be provided by the parent/carer at the time were not for being born prematurely. When of application. informing a parent of the Local Advisory Committee decision on the year group the child should be admitted to, the reasons for the Waiting lists decision will be set out clearly and take into If the academy is oversubscribed and children account the views of the Headteacher. have been refused admission because other Where the academy agrees to a parent’s children have a higher priority for admission request for their child to be admitted out of their under the published admissions criteria, then normal age group and, as a consequence of that those applicants who are unsuccessful may decision, the child will be admitted to a relevant request to be placed on a waiting list held by the age group (i.e. the age group to which pupils are academy. normally admitted to the academy) the local Children on the waiting list will be ranked in authority and The Beacon Hill Academy will accordance with the academy’s published process the application as part of the main admissions criteria. admissions round, unless the parental request is made too late for this to be possible, and on the Inclusion on the academy’s waiting list does not basis of their determined admission mean that a place will eventually become arrangements only, including the application of available there. A child’s position on a waiting oversubscription criteria where applicable. They list is not fixed and is subject to change during will not give the application lower priority on the the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. basis that the child is being admitted out of their normal age group. Parents have a statutory right to appeal against the refusal of a place at a Repeat applications school for which they place at the academy but it It is not the Local Advisory Committee’s Policy to is not in their preferred age group. consider repeat applications in the same academic year unless there has been significant and material change in the circumstances of the Application process applicant. All applications will be co-ordinated via the home Local Authority of the applicant. Further details and timescales are set out in the Local Authority’s Co-ordinated Scheme which is available from The Dudley School Admissions Service.

Late applications Preferences that are received after the closing date will only be considered after applications 20 | P a g e

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year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Plan

2018 242 415 107 191 0 6 0 56 129 - -

2017 242 492 156 230 2 2 0 69 157 - -

2016 242 494 145 240 0 4 0 72 164 - -

2015 242 437 173 210 1 6 0 73 130 - -

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A Supplementary Information Form (SIF) must Bishop Milner also be completed and returned directly to the college by the same date (see Note 2). Catholic College All applications which are submitted on time will be Principal: Mr R May considered at the same time, after the closing date. No priority is given to preference ranking. Type of School: Academy If the application is submitted using the online Age Range: 11-18 electronic system you will be advised of the outcome st Number on Roll: 858 of your application on 1 March 2019, or the next working day, by the local authority on behalf of the Published Admission Number 2019: 140 college. If you do not apply on line, the local authority will post a letter advising you of the Admissions Authority: Board of Directors school/college that your child has been offered by st DfE No: 332 4800 second class post on 1 March 2019, or on the next working day. Bishop Milner Catholic College Please note that throughout this policy, the term Burton Road parent means all natural parents, any person who is Dudley DY1 3BY not a parent but has parental responsibility for a child and any person who has care of a child. Tel: 01384 889422 The ethos of this academy is Catholic. The academy Email: [email protected] was founded by the Catholic Church to provide Website: www.bmilner.dudley.sch.uk education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed Dates of open evenings/days below. The college is conducted by its Board of An open evening for prospective parents and Directors as part of the Catholic Church in students is held on the 20 September 2018 from accordance with its Articles of Association and seeks 6pm – 8pm for all parents and their children who at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ. wish to visit the college. As a Catholic college, we aim to provide a Catholic A sixth form open evening takes place on the 8 education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, November 2018 from 6pm – 8pm Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the college’s activity. It is essential that the This academy is part of the St John Bosco Catholic Catholic character of the college’s education be fully Academy MAC. The admissions authority for the supported by all families in the college. We therefore college is the Board of Directors of the St John Bosco hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved Catholic Academy MAC who has responsibility for and positive support for the aims and ethos of the the admissions to this college. The Board of Directors college. This does not affect the right of an applicant has delegated responsibility for the administration of who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a the admissions process to the Academy Committee place at the college in accordance with the admission of Bishop Milner Catholic College. arrangements.

The admissions process for Bishop Milner Catholic The Board of Directors has set its admission number College is part of the Dudley Local Authority co- at 140 pupils to be admitted to Year 7 in the college ordinated admissions scheme. To apply for a place year which begins in September 2019. (See Note 1 at Bishop Milner Catholic College in the normal below) admissions round, an application must be made Where there are more applications for places than using the college admission application process of the number of places available, places will be offered the local authority in which you live naming Bishop according to the following order of priority. If there is Milner Catholic College on the application form. st oversubscription within a category, the Board of Applications need to be made by 31 October 2018. Directors will give priority firstly to children who will 22 | P a g e

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have a brother or sister (see Note 4 below) attending children would cause the legal limit to be exceeded, Bishop Milner Catholic College at the time of the local authority will use a computerised system to admission and then secondly to children living randomly select the child to be offered the final place. closest to the college determined by the shortest As an exception, the Board of Directors will give distance (see Note 6 below) careful consideration to offering places above the Admission Number to applications from children 1. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below) whose twin or sibling from a multiple birth is admitted who are looked after or previously looked after even when there are no other vacant places. (See Note 3 below) Note 1 2. Baptised Catholic children who have a brother or sister attending Bishop Milner Catholic College Children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) at the time of admission (see Note 2 and 4 Plan that names the college MUST be admitted. This below) will reduce the number of places available to applicants. This is not an oversubscription criteria 3. Baptised Catholic children who attend one of our recognised feeder primary schools. (see Note 5 Note 2 below) In all categories, for a child to be considered as 4. Other Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 Catholic, evidence of Catholic Baptism or Reception below) into the Church will be required. For a definition of a Baptised Catholic, see the Appendix. Those who 5. Non-Catholic children who are looked after or face difficulties in producing written evidence of previously looked after (See Note 3 below) Catholic Baptism or Reception into the Church 6. Non-Catholic children who have a brother or should contact their Parish Priest. sister attending Bishop Milner Catholic College Parents making an application for a Catholic child at the time of admission (see Note 4 below) should also complete a Supplementary Information 7. Non-Catholic children who attend one of our Form (SIF) which should be returned directly to the recognised feeder primary schools. (see Note 5 college. If you do not provide the information below) required in the Supplementary Information Form and return it by the closing date, together with all 8. Non-Catholic children supporting documentation, this is likely to affect the criteria that your child is placed into, and likely to affect your child’s chance of being offered a place at OVER-SUBSCRIPTION this college. If there is over-subscription within the category, the Note 3 Board of Directors will give priority to children living closest to the academy determined by shortest A “looked after child” has the same meaning as in distance. Distances are calculated on the basis of a section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, and means straight-line measurement between the applicant’s any child who is (a) in the care of the local authority home address and the main entrance of the or (b) being provided with accommodation by them in academy. The local authority uses a computerised the exercise of their social services functions (e.g. system, which measures all distances in metres. children with foster parents) at the time of making the Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are application to the college. A “previously looked after used to plot an applicant’s home address within this child” is a child who immediately moved on from that system (See Note 6). status after becoming subject to an adoption, child arrangement order or special guardianship order. In a very small number of cases it may not be able to decide between the applicants of those pupils who Note 4 are the final qualifiers for a place, when applying the For all applicants the definition of a brother or sister published admission criteria. is: For example, this may occur when children in the  A brother or sister sharing the same parents same year group live at the same address, or if the distance between the home and academy is exactly  A half-brother or half-sister, where two children the same, for example, blocks of flats. If there is no share one common parent other way of separating the application according to the admissions criteria and to admit both or all of the 23 | P a g e

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 A step-brother or step-sister, where two children  Owned by the child’s parent(s); are related by a parents’ marriage or where they are unrelated but their parents are living as  Leased to or rented by the child’s parent(s) partners. under lease or written rental agreement of not less than twelve months duration.  Adopted or fostered children Evidence of ownership or rental agreement may be The children must be living permanently in the same required, plus proof of permanent residence at the household. property concerned. Note 5 Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives with both parents for part of the The named feeder schools for Bishop Milner Catholic week, then the main residence will be determined as College are: the address where the child lives for the majority of St Chad’s Catholic Primary School, Sedgley; St the week. Parents may be requested to supply Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Dudley; St Mary’s documentary evidence to satisfy the Board of Catholic Primary School, Brierley Hill; Holy Trinity Directors that the child lives at the address put Catholic Primary School, Bilston; Our Lady of Fatima forward by the parents. RC, Birmingham; St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary If a place in the school is offered on the basis of an School, Oldbury; St Gregory’s Catholic Primary address that is subsequently found to be different School, Smethwick; St Hubert’s Catholic Primary from a child’s normal and permanent home address, School, Oldbury; St Philip’s, Smethwick. then that place is liable to be withdrawn. Note 6

Distances are calculated on the basis of a straight- APPLICATIONS FOR CHILDREN TO BE line measurement between the child’s home address ADMITTED INTO A CLASS OUTSIDE OF THEIR and the main entrance of the school. The Local NORMAL AGE GROUP Authority uses a computerised system, which measures all distances in metres. Ordnance Survey Parents have the right to request, but not insist, that supplies the co-ordinates that are used to plot a their child be considered for admission to a class child’s home address and the address of the school. outside of their normal age group. This could be the case, for example, if a child is gifted and talented, In a very small number of cases, where the school is has experienced problems such as ill health, or is oversubscribed, it may not be possible to decide already being educated in a class outside of their between the applications of those pupils who are the normal age group at their current Primary school. final qualifiers for a place when applying the Parents who wish for their child to be considered for published admission criteria. admission to a class outside of their normal age For example, this may occur when children in the group must make an application for the normal age same year group live at the same address, or if the group in the first instance. Parents must then submit distance between the home and the school is exactly a formal request to the Board of Directors for the the same, for example, blocks of flats. If there is no child to be considered for a different age group class other way of separating the application according to instead. This request should be in the form of a the admissions criteria and to admit both, or all, of written letter of application outlining the reasons why the children would cause the Published Admission they wish for their child to be considered to be Number for the child’s year group to be exceeded, admitted into a class outside of their normal age the Local Authority, on behalf of the Board of group and enclosing any supportive evidence and Directors, will randomly select the child to be offered documentation that they wish to be taken into the final place. account as part of that request. The Board of Directors will, where possible, admit The Board of Directors will consider requests twins and all siblings from multiple births where one submitted for a child to be admitted into a class of the children is the last child ranked within the outside of their normal age group and advise parents school’s published admission number. of the outcome of that request before national offer day, having taken into account the information A child’s home address is considered to be a provided by the parents, the child’s best interests and residential property that is the child’s only or main the views of the Head Teacher. permanent residence and is either:

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If the request is refused, the original application for of Directors has accepted a second application from the normal age group class will progress through the the parent because of a significant and material Local Authority coordinated admissions scheme, be change in the circumstances of the parent, child or considered by the Board of Directors and the parents school, but have still refused admission. advised of the outcome.

If the request is agreed and the year group for which LATE APPLICATIONS the parents have requested a place is a current year group in the school, then the application will be Late applications will be dealt with in accordance with considered by the Board of Directors and the parents the Local Authority’s coordinated admissions advised of the outcome. scheme. This states that applications that are received after the closing date deadline of 31st If the request is agreed and the year group for which October 2018 will only be considered after the parents have requested a place is for a future applications that were received within the deadline year group, i.e. Year 7 in September 2020, then the have been dealt with. There will, however, be original application is withdrawn and the parents exceptional circumstances in which a late application must submit a fresh application for Year 7 2020 when will be considered alongside those applications that applications open in the autumn term of 2019. were made within the deadline. Where the Please note that parents only have the right to re- exceptional circumstances are such that the parent apply for a place. Where the Board of Directors could not have reasonably submitted the application agrees to consider an application for Year 7 the within the deadline, it will be considered along with all following year, that application is considered other applicants. In each circumstance, supporting alongside all other applications received and parents documentary evidence must be provided by the will be advised of the outcome of that application on parent at the time of application. national offer day. No place is reserved or held for the child in advance. You are encouraged to ensure that your application is received on time. If parents are considering submitting an application for their child to be admitted into a class outside of their normal age group, it is strongly recommended CHANGE IN PREFERENCE that they also read the DFE guidance which can be found at: Once parents have submitted their preference, they https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer will not be allowed to change them without an -born-children-school-admission exceptional change in their circumstances, for example, if the family has recently moved address or an older sibling has changed schools. All requests to change preferences should be made in writing to the APPEALS Local Authority to whom the parents submitted the Parents who wish to appeal against the decision of original application. Where a change of preference is the Board of Directors to refuse their child a place in submitted for an oversubscribed school, without an the school should make that appeal request in writing exceptional change in circumstances, then the to the Board of Directors at the school address. application will be refused. Appeals will be heard by an independent panel.

Please note that parents do not have the right to WAITING LIST appeal if their request for their child to be admitted to a class outside of their normal year group has been In addition to their right to appeal, children who have refused, but the Board of Directors have offered a not been offered a place at Bishop Milner Catholic place in the normal age group instead. College can request that their name be added to a waiting list. The waiting list will be maintained until

31 August 2020 and will then be discarded REPEAT APPLICATIONS A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed. When Any parent can apply for a place for their child at any a new child joins the waiting list, all applicants on that time outside of the normal admissions round. waiting list will be re-ranked to ensure that the list is Parents do not have the right to a second appeal in always maintained in oversubscription criteria order. respect of the same school for the same academic This means that a child’s position on the waiting list year unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Board could go up or down during the time that it is on the 25 | P a g e

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list. Any late applications accepted will be added to 60 of the college’s existing pupils transfer into Year the waiting list in accordance with the 12, additional external pupils will be admitted until oversubscription criteria. Year 12 meets its capacity of 100. Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that a Applications for the Sixth Form should be made place will eventually become available. It may be directly to the college using the application form that those already offered places may accept them, available from the college [email protected] thereby filling all available places. or from the college’s website. Completed application forms must be returned to the college by Friday 20 Children who are the subject of a direction by the December 2018. Local Authority to admit or who are allocated to a school in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol Both internal and external pupils wishing to enter the take precedence over those on a waiting list. sixth form will be expected to have met the same minimum academic entry requirements for the sixth

form. These are: IN YEAR FAIR ACCESS PROTOCOL 5 grade 4 - 9 GCSE (or equivalent) subject passes The Board of Directors of Bishop Milner Catholic with higher passes required for specific courses. College is committed to taking its fair share of In addition to the Sixth Form’s minimum academic children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as entry requirements pupils will need to satisfy set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, minimum entrance requirements to the courses for outside the normal admission round the Board of which they are applying. If either internal or external Directors is empowered to give absolute priority to a applicants fail to meet the minimum course child where admission is requested under any locally requirements they will be given the opportunity of agreed protocol. pursuing any alternative courses for which they do meet the minimum academic requirements. APPLICATIONS OTHER THAN THE NORMAL When Year 12 is undersubscribed all applicants INTAKE TO YEAR 7 (IN-YEAR ADMISSIONS) meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will be admitted or permitted to progress. An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the normal admission round and the When there are more external applicants that satisfy child will be admitted where there are places any academic entry requirements priority will be available. Applications should be made to the school given in accordance with the oversubscription criteria by contacting Dudley Admissions Authority and all set out below. families approaching the school will be given an Where there is space in Year 13, i.e. where there are application form. Where there are places available fewer than 100 pupils in the year group, the college but more applications than places, the published will admit additional pupils up to this number using oversubscription criteria, as set out for the normal the oversubscription criteria set out below. round of admissions, will be applied. Where there are more applications for places than If there are no places available, the child will be the number of places available, places will be offered added to the waiting list (see above). according to the following order of priority. If there is Parents will be advised of the outcome of their oversubscription within a category, the Board of application in writing and, where the Board of Directors will give priority firstly to children who will Director’s decision is to refuse their child a place, have a brother or sister (see Note 4 above) attending have the right to appeal to an independent appeal Bishop Milner Catholic College at the time of panel. admission and then secondly to children living closest to the college determined by the shortest There is no charge or cost related to the admission of distance (see Note 6 above) a child to this school. Please note that Children with an Education, Health

and Care (EHC) Plan that names the academy YEAR 12 ADMISSIONS POLICY MUST be admitted. This will reduce the number of places available to applicants. This is not an The college operates a Sixth Form for a total of 200 oversubscription criteria. pupils. 100 places overall will be available in Year 12. Whilst the admission number is 40, if fewer than 26 | P a g e

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OVER-SUBSCRIPTION Catholic Church by the Rites of Baptism of one of the various ritual Churches in communion with the See of If the number of applications exceeds the admission Rome. Written evidence of this baptism can be number, the Board of Directors will give priority to obtained by recourse to the Baptismal Registers of applications in accordance with the criteria listed, the church in which the baptism took place (Cf. Code provided that the Board of Directors are made aware of Canon Law, 877 & 878). of that application before decisions on admissions are made: Or 1. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 above)  Has been validly baptised in a separated who are looked after or previously looked after ecclesial community and subsequently received (see Note 3 above) into full communion with the Catholic Church by the Rite of Reception of Baptised Christians into 2. Other Catholic children (see Note 2 above) the Full Communion of the Catholic Church. 3. Non-Catholic children who are looked after or Written evidence of their baptism and reception previously looked after (see Note 3 above) into full communion with the Catholic Church can be obtained by recourse to the Register of 4. Other non-Catholic children Receptions, or in some cases, a sub-section of If there is over-subscription within the category, the the Baptismal Registers of the church in which Board of Directors will give priority to children living the Rite of Reception took place (Cf. Rite of closest to the academy determined by shortest Christian Initiation, 399). distance. Distances are calculated on the basis of a straight-line measurement between the applicant’s home address and the main entrance of the WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF BAPTISM academy. The local authority uses a computerised The Governing bodies of Catholic schools and system, which measures all distances in metres. Boards of Directors of Catholic Academies will Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are require written evidence in the form of a Certificate of used to plot an applicant’s home address within this Baptism or Certificate of Reception before system (See Note 5). applications for school places can be considered for In a very small number of cases it may not be able to categories of “Baptised Catholics”. A Certificate of decide between the applicants of those pupils who Baptism or Reception is to include: the full name, are the final qualifiers for a place, when applying the date of birth, date of Baptism or Reception, and published admission criteria. parent(s) name(s). The certificate must also show that it is copied from the records kept by the place of For example, this may occur when children in the Baptism or Reception. same year group live at the same address, or if the distance between the home and academy is exactly the same, for example, blocks of flats. If there is no Those who would have difficulty obtaining written other way of separating the application according to evidence of Catholic Baptism/Reception for a good the admissions criteria and to admit both or all of the reason, may still be considered as Baptised Catholics children would cause the legal limit to be exceeded, but only after they have been referred to their parish the local authority will use a computerised system to priest who, after consulting the Vicar General, will randomly select the child to be offered the final place. decide how the question of Baptism/Reception is to As an exception, the Board of Directors will give be resolved and how written evidence is to be careful consideration to offering places above the produced in accordance with the law of the Church. Admission Number to applications from children whose twin or sibling from a multiple birth is admitted Those who would be considered to have good even when there are no other vacant places. reason for not obtaining written evidence would include those who cannot contact the place of

Baptism/Reception due to persecution or fear, the APPENDIX destruction of the church and the original records, or where Baptism/Reception was administered validly DEFINITION OF A “BAPTISED CATHOLIC” but not in the Parish church where records are kept A “Baptised Catholic” is one who: Governors and Boards of Directors may request extra supporting evidence when the written Has been baptised into full communion (Cf. documents that are produced do not clarify the fact Catechism of the Catholic Church, 837) with the 27 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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that a person was baptised or received into the name of the Church does not state whether it is a Catholic Church, (i.e. where the name and address of Catholic Church or not.) the Church is not on the certificate or where the

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Faith feeder primary attend Non Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

-

Catholic who who Catholic

Children

2018 140 601 217 **150 4 1 53 24 32 36 702 30/2

2017 135 631 221 *150 3 4 71 12 34 26 363 20/4

2016 135 566 230 139 2 2 70 15 37 9 272 37/5

2015 130 521 192 136 1 6 37 12 43 31 616 27/6 *The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. ** The Governing Body agreed to admit additional pupils after allocation date

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admission in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Crestwood School Principles: The School has an Inclusive Education Policy which aims to maximise the opportunity to meet Headteacher: Mrs C Sutton parental preference and to meet the individual Type of School: Academy needs of children at their preferred school wherever possible. Age Range: 11 - 18 The admission arrangements set by the Number on Roll: 743 Governing Body ensure that the process is fair Published Admission Number 2019: 150 and equitable for all. Admissions Authority: Invictus Academy Trust DfE No: 332 4000 Legal Context:  The School Admissions (Admissions Crestwood School Arrangements and Co-Ordination of Bromley Lane Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012 Kingswinford  The Education (Admission of Looked After DY6 8QG Children)(England)Regulations 2005 Tel: 01384 686850  School Admissions Code 2014 Email: [email protected] Website: www.crestwoodschool.co.uk School Admissions Policy for Normal Age of Entry in September 2019 Dates of open evenings/tours Children will not be discriminated against as laid 19 September 2018 down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Open evening 6.00pm - 8.30pm Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The 20 September 2018 Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Tours of the school 9.15am - 11am Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. 21 September 2018 Tours of the school 9.15am - 11am The following criteria will be used to allocate the available places at Crestwood School when 24 September 2018 oversubscribed i.e. receive more applications Tours of the school 9.15am - 11am than spaces available. All preferences for Crestwood School will be How to apply for a place in year 7 for assessed against the following priorities, September 2019 regardless of ranking.

 By completing the application form which is a) First priority for admission shall be given available from your home local authority. to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked  Please note if applying under the sporting after but immediately after being looked aptitude or performing arts criteria, you after became subject to an adoption, need to complete a supplementary form which you can obtain from the school or child arrangement order, or special guardianship order. See notes below. online. This will need to be completed together with the local authority form. b) Second priority for admission shall be given to children with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where the 29 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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preferred community school is the most address to the main entrance of appropriate school to meet the condition. Crestwood School. (Parents must provide supportive Note: Random allocation will be used as information from their child’s Hospital a tie break, to decide who has the Consultant at the time of application in highest priority for admission if the order to be considered under this criteria. distance between two children’s homes This supportive information should and the school is the same. include information about the needs of Notes the child and should detail the difficulties the student would experience if they had  Relevant looked after children means to attend another school. Parents should children who are looked after by a local also indicate why the preferred school is authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of the most appropriate to meet their child’s the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care medical condition rather than any other of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided school. The Governing Body will not with accommodation by a Local Authority in seek to obtain medical evidence on the exercise of their social services functions behalf of parents.) (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an c) Third priority for admission shall be given application to a school. This includes to children who have a brother/sister, children who were adopted under the half-brother/sister (where the children Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption share one common parent), or step- orders) and children who were adopted brother/step-sister, living at the same under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see address and who will still be attending section 46 adoption orders). the preferred school in September 2019. d) Admission shall be given to five percent  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 (5%) of the PAN (150 cohort) who can of the Children Act 1989, as amended by demonstrate a significant sporting s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. aptitude. This will be determined by a Child arrangements orders replace selection test based on sporting skills residence orders and any residence order in and athleticism. force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements order. e) Admission shall be given to five percent (5%) of the PAN (150 cohort) who can  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines demonstrate a significant performing arts a special guardianship order as an order aptitude. This will be determined by a appointing one or more individuals to be a selection test based on an aptitude test child’s special guardian (or special for their chosen Performing Art. guardians). If it is subsequently found that any of the  In accordance with legislation, a child with a above would have been admitted by Health and Care Plan (EHCP), will be proximity, then they will be admitted by offered a place at the school named in the proximity and a place on Sporting EHCP as the most appropriate to meet the Aptitude/Performing Arts Aptitude will be child’s individual needs, this may reduce the made available. amount of places available for children who do not have an EHCP. f) Any places that remain available once the above applicants have been admitted  Definition of brother or sister also relates to will be filled according to those children adopted or fostered children living at the who live closest to the school, same home address. determined by a straight line measurement in metres, from the home 30 | P a g e

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 The home address is considered to be the Waiting Lists child’s (along with their parent(s)) genuine If the School is oversubscribed and children principal place of residence at the time of the have been refused admission because other allocation of places i.e. where they are children have a higher priority for admission normally and regularly living. If a child is under the published admissions criteria, then resident with friends or relatives (for reasons those applicants who are unsuccessful will be other than guardianship), the friend or asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. relative’s address will not be considered for allocation purposes. Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the School’s published  Where parents have shared responsibility for admissions criteria and the list will operate from a child, and the child lives with both parents the point of allocation of places until 31 August for part of the school week, then the home 2020. address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the Inclusion on the School’s waiting list does not school week. Parents will be required to mean that a place will eventually become provide documentary evidence to support available there. A child’s position on a waiting the address they wish to be considered for list is not fixed and is subject to change during allocation purposes. At least one item of the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. proof must demonstrate where the child If a parent requests that their child’s name be lives. added to the waiting list of a school that was  Special conditions will apply in the event that ranked lower on the preference form than the one child from a set of twins or triplets does school allocated, the child’s name will be placed not gain admission to the preferred school on the waiting list in accordance with the through the admissions criteria. The published admissions criteria. Governing Body will exceed the admission Places that become available (below the number to prevent separation of published admissions number or any number twins/triplets. that the School agree they can admit) between  Random allocation will be used as a tie- the point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will break in category d above to decide who has be offered to children according to their ranking the highest priority for admission if the on this list i.e. those ranked highest will be distance between two children’s homes and offered first. the school is the same. Application Process Late Applications For admissions at the normal point of entry the Preferences that are received after the closing Local Authority will co-ordinate all applications date will only be considered after applications for all schools in Dudley. that were received within the deadline have In year admission applications will be been dealt with. coordinated by the Local Authority. There will, however, be exceptional You must also complete a supplementary circumstances in which a late application will be information form. This can be obtained and considered alongside those applications that needs to be returned to the school. were made within the deadline.

In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent/carer Repeat Applications at the time of application. It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year 31 | P a g e

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unless there have been significant and material These parents will need to make an application changes in the circumstances of the applicant. alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best Admission of Children Outside of their interest to be admitted outside of their normal Normal Age Group age which may include information such as Parents may seek a place for their child outside professional evidence as to why this is the case of their normal age group, for example, if the and why an exception should be made in the child is gifted and talented or has experienced case of the child. A decision as to whether this is problems such as ill health. Parents should an appropriate course of action will be made by make their application to the Governing Body the Local Authority who will take into account the setting out the reasons why they believe their circumstances of the case. Parents do not have child should be taught outside of their the right to insist that their child is admitted to a chronological age group. particular year group.

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Care Education Medical Siblings Distance Aptitude Sporting under Admitted Number Total (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Plan

,

Health & Health

2018 150 442 195 *193 3 2 0 54 134 0 - - 2017 150 386 157 *172 3 1 0 45 123 - - - 2016 150 339 128 *156 5 5 0 29 117 - - -

2015 150 326 112 *196 0 4 1 36 155 - 3307 -

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Dormston School Dates of open evenings/days 18 October 2018 7pm - 9pm

Headteacher: Mr S Dixon Tours of the school every morning at 9.00am Type of School: Community and 11.15am week commencing 22 October Age Range: 11 - 16 2018. Contact the School Office for an appointment. Number on Roll: 1108 Published Admission Number 2019: 224 How to apply for a place in year 7 for September 2019 Admissions Authority: Dudley LA • By completing the application form which is DfE No: 332 4023 available from your home LA. Dormston School Admissions policy Mill Bank, Sedgley See Page 8 Dudley DY3 1SN Tel: 01384 816395 Email: [email protected] Website: www.dormston.dudley.sch.uk

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

2018 224 593 305 228 4 2 2 66 150 1646 37/4 2017 224 559 250 226 1 1 0 65 159 2050 11/2

2016 224 522 262 *254 5 3 0 61 184 2914 9/1 2015 224 397 140 169 1 0 0 48 120 - - *The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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The Earls High School Legal Context: School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as amended by the Education Act 2002 Headteacher: Mr P Loveday The Education (Co-ordination of Admission Type of school: Academy Arrangements) (Primary Schools) (England) Age range: 11 - 16 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 Number on Roll: 1189 The Education (Admission of Looked After Children) (England) Regulations 2005 Published Admission Number 2019: 240 School Admissions Code 2014 Admissions authority: The Local Governing Body Children will not be discriminated against as laid DfE No: 332 4106 down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the The Earls High School Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Furnace Lane Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Halesowen B63 3SL Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. Tel: 01384 816105 All preferences, regardless of ranking, will be Email: [email protected] assessed against the following criteria to Website: www.earlshighschool.org allocate the available places where more applications are received than can be accommodated. Dates of open evenings/days a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children 25 September 2018 6pm - 8.30pm who were previously looked after but 26 September 2018 9.10am* immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child 27 September 2018 9.10am* arrangement order or special guardianship 27 September 2018 6pm - 8.30pm order. See notes below. 28 September 2018 9.10am* b) Second priority for admission shall be given to children with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where The * Welcome by Headteacher at 9.10am Earls High School is the most appropriate Tours start at 9.25am school to meet the condition.

The Earls High School has an Inclusive (Parents must provide supportive Education Policy which aims to maximise the information from their child’s Hospital opportunity to meet parental preference and to Consultant at the time of application in meet the individual needs of children wherever order to be considered under this criteria. possible. This supportive information should include information about the needs of the child The Earls High School does not support the use and should detail the difficulties the child of selective admissions policies based on would experience if they attended another aptitude or academic achievement. school. Parents should also indicate why The admission arrangements set by the Local The Earls High School is the most Governing Body ensures that the process is fair appropriate to meet their child’s medical and equitable for all. condition rather than any other school. The Local Governing Body will not seek to

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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obtain medical evidence on behalf of • In accordance with legislation, a child with parents.) an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), will be offered a place if the c) Third priority for admission shall be given school is named in the EHCP as the most to children who have a brother/sister, half- appropriate to meet the child’s individual brother/sister (where the children share needs, this may reduce the amount of one common parent), or step-brother / places available for children who do not step-sister, living at the same address and have an EHCP. who will still be attending The Earls High School in the academic year 2019/2020. • Any Dudley child not obtaining a place will be advised about the independent appeals d) Any places that remain available once the process. above applicants have been admitted, will be filled according to those children who • Definition of brother or sister also relates live closest to the school, determined by a to adopted or fostered children living at the straight-line measurement in metres, from same home address. the home address to the main entrance of • The home address is considered to be the The Earls High School. child’s (along with their parents’) genuine Notes principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are  Relevant looked after children means normally and regularly living. If a child is children who are looked after by a local resident with friends or relatives (for authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of reasons other than guardianship), the the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care friends or relatives address will not be of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided considered for allocation purposes. with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions • Where parents have shared responsibility (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the for a child, and the child lives with both Children Act 1989) at the time of making an parents for part of the school week, then application to a school. This includes the home address will be determined as children who were adopted under the the address where the child lives for the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption majority of the school week. Parents will orders) and children who were adopted be required to provide documentary under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see evidence to support the address they wish section 46 adoption orders). to be considered for allocation purposes. At least one item of proof must  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 demonstrate where the child lives. It is of the Children Act 1989, as amended by expected that parents will agree on school s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. places before an application is made, and Child arrangements orders replace it may be necessary to request evidence residence orders and any residence order in from you to confirm that this is the case. force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be The School is not in a position to intervene a child arrangements order. in disputes between parents over school applications and will request that these are  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines resolved privately. a special guardianship order as an order • Special conditions will apply in the event appointing one or more individuals to be a that one child from a set of twins or triplets child’s special guardian (or special does not gain admission to the preferred guardians). school through the admissions criteria. The Local Governing Body will exceed the

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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admission number to prevent separation of There will, however, be exceptional twins / triplets. circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications • Random allocation will be used as a tie- that were made within the deadline. break in category d above to decide who has the highest priority for admission if the In each circumstance supportive documentary distance between two children’s homes evidence must be provided by the parent / carer and the school is the same. at the time of application. Admission of children outside of their normal age group Waiting Lists Parents may seek a place for their child If a school is oversubscribed and children have outside of their normal age group, for been refused admission because other children example, if the child is gifted and talented or have a higher priority for admission under the has experienced problems such as ill health. published admissions criteria, then those Parents should make their application to the applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if Local Authority setting out the reasons why they wish to be placed on a waiting list. they believe their child should be taught outside of their chronological age group. Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the school’s published These parents will need to make an admissions criteria and the list will operate from application alongside children applying at the the point of allocation of places until 31st August normal age which should explain why it is in 2020. After this point the waiting list will no the child’s best interest to be admitted longer be in operation and places that become outside of their normal age which may available will be allocated on a first come, first include information such as professional served basis. If more than one application is evidence as to why this is the case and why received at the same time, the over-subscription an exception should be made in the case of criteria, as detailed on previous page, will be the child. A decision as to whether this is an used to determine which applicant will have the appropriate course of action will be made by place. the School who will take into account the circumstances of the case. Parents do not Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that have the right to insist that their child is a place will eventually become available. admitted to a particular year group. A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. Application Process Places that become available between the point For admissions at the normal point of entry of allocation and 31st August 2020 will be Dudley Local Authority will co-ordinate all offered to children according to their ranking on applications for the School. this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered In-year admission applications will be co- first. ordinated by Dudley Local Authority.

Repeat Applications Late Applications It is not the Local Governing Body’s Policy to Preferences that are received after the consider repeat applications in the same closing date for receipt of applications will academic year unless there have been only be considered after applications that significant and material changes in the were received within the deadline have been circumstances of the applicant. dealt with.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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year Academic Number Ad Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

mission mission

2018 240 891 338 *250 3 1 1 82 161 2253 24/2 2017 240 831 240 *248 4 2 0 73 169 3493 7/1

2016 240 780 286 240 0 2 1 94 143 2553 23/1 2015 240 828 283 242 2 4 0 72 164 2449 23/2 *The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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exercise of their social services functions (see Ellowes Hall the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making an application to Sports College school.

Headteacher: Mr A F Jasper This includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption Type of school: Academy orders) and children who were adopted under Age range: 11 - 18 the Adoption and Children’s Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). Number on Roll: 1100 Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of Published Admission Number 2019: 180 the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Child Admissions authority: Invictus Academy Trust arrangement orders replace residence orders DfE No: 332 5401 and any residence order in force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements Ellowes Hall Sports College order. Stickley Lane Second Priority Dudley DY3 2JH For admission shall be given to children with a Tel: 01384 686600 ‘serious ongoing medical condition’ where Email: [email protected] Ellowes Hall Sports College is the most appropriate school to meet the condition. Website: www.elloweshall.co.uk Note: Parents must provide supportive information from their child’s Hospital Consultant Dates of open evenings/days at the time of application in order to be Thursday 4 October 2018 6.00pm - 8.30pm considered under this criteria. This, supportive information, should include information about Sixth Form open evening the needs of the child and should detail the Thursday 1 November 2018 6.30pm – 8.30pm difficulties the child would experience if they had to attend another school. Parents should also Parents are welcome to view the school in action the week indicate why Ellowes Hall Sports College is the following the open evening. Please contact the school to most appropriate school to meet their child’s make an appointment. medical conditions rather than any other school. Where applications for admission exceed the Ellowes Hall Sports College Governing Body will number of places available, the following criteria not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of will be applied, in the order set out below, to parents. decide which children to admit. In accordance with legislation a child with an First Priority Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a place at the school named in the For admission shall be given to relevant looked EHCP as the most appropriate to meet the after children or children who were previously child’s individual needs, this may reduce the looked after but immediately after being looked amount of places available for children who do after became subject to an adoption, child not have an EHCP. arrangement order or special guardianship order. Third Priority A ‘looked after child’ is a child who is a) in the For admission shall be given to children who care of the local authority, or b) being provided have a brother/sister, half-brother/sister (where with accommodation by a local authority in the the children share one common parent), or step- brother/sister, living at the same address and 38 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions who will still be attending Ellowes Hall in measurement in metres, from the home address September 2019. to the main entrance of Ellowes Hall Sports College. Note: Definition of brother or sister also relates to adopted or fostered children living at the Note: Random allocation will be used as a tie same home address. The home address is break, to decide who has the highest priority for considered to be the child’s (along with their admission if the distance between two children’s parents’) genuine principal place of residence at homes and the school is the same. the time of the allocation of places, i.e. where Application Process they are normally and regularly living. If a child is resident with friends or relatives (for reasons Applications for Admission will be coordinated other than guardianship), the friends or relatives via the Dudley LA Admissions Service on behalf address will not be considered for allocation of Ellowes Hall Sports College Governing Body. purposes. Further detail and timescales are set out in the Local Authority’s Co-ordinated Scheme which is Where parents have a shared responsibility for a available from the School Admissions Service. child and the child lives with both parents for the part of the school week, then the home address Late Applications will be determined as the address where the Preferences received after the closing date will child lives for the majority of the school week. only be considered after applications that were Parents will be required to provide documentary received within the deadline have been dealt evidence to support the address they wish to be with. There will, however, be exceptional considered for allocation purposes. At least one circumstances in which a late application will be item of evidence must demonstrate where the considered alongside those applications that child lives. were made within the deadline. In each Special conditions will apply in the event that circumstance supportive documentary evidence one child from a set of twins or triplets does not must be provided by the parent/carer at the time gain admission to the preferred school through of application. the admissions criteria. Ellowes Hall Sports Waiting Lists College Governing Body will exceed the admission number for the school concerned to If Ellowes Hall Sports College is oversubscribed prevent separation of twins/triplets. and children have been refused admission because other children have a higher priority for Fourth Priority admission under the published admissions For admission shall be given to ten percent criteria, then those applicants who are (10%) of the PAN who can demonstrate a unsuccessful will be asked if they wish to be significant sporting aptitude. This will be placed on a waiting list. determined by a selection test based on sporting Children on the waiting list will be ranked in skills and athleticism. We wish to preserve the accordance with Ellowes Hall Sports College gender balance of our year groups so the published admissions criteria and the list will intention is that the 10% students admitted in operate from the point of allocation of places this way be made up of 5% boys and 5% girls. until 31 August 2020. After this point the waiting If it is subsequently found that any of the above list will no longer be in operation and places will would have been admitted by proximity then be allocated on a first come first served basis. they will be admitted by proximity and a place on Inclusion on Ellowes Hall Sports College waiting Sporting Aptitude will be made available. list does not mean that a place will eventually Any places that remain available once the above become available. A child’s position on a waiting applicants have been admitted will be filled list is not fixed and is subject to change during according to those children who live closest to the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. the school, determined by a straight line 39 | P a g e

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Places that become available (below the admission, the Governing Body will ensure that published admission number or any number that it responds direct to the parents, advises of the the school agree they can admit) between the statutory right of appeal where applicable and point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be copies the correspondence to Dudley Local offered to children according to their ranking on Authority. this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. Sixth Form Entry

Entry to the Sixth Form at age 16 will be based Repeat Applications on student’s suitability for Further Education. It is not Ellowes Hall Sports College Governing Please see Prospectus for details. The number Body’s Policy to consider repeat applications in of intended admissions for the year commencing the same academic year, unless there have 1st September 2019 will be limited to 100. For been significant and material change in the more information regarding the admission circumstances of the applicant. process and a Sixth Form Application Form please contact Mr Jamie Horton Head of 6th

Form Tel 01384 686 561 Mid-year Admissions

Admission of children outside of their normal age group Appeals Parents may seek a place for their child outside Appeals regarding admission should be made to of their normal age group, for example, if the Democratic Services, Council House, Dudley child is gifted and talented or has experienced DY1 1HF. Please note the Appeals Panel will problems such as ill health. Parents should be Independent of Ellowes Hall Sports College make their application to the Local Authority Governing Body. setting out the reasons why they believe their child should be taught outside of their chronological age group. These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is an appropriate course of action will be made by the School who will take into account the circumstances of the case. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group. Applications received for places in year groups other than at the normal age of entry to secondary school will be treated as mid-year admissions. These applications should typically be made on a School to School Transfer Form which is available from the Local Authority Admission Services. In the event of direct applications to Ellowes regarding a mid-year 40 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Total Applications Preference 1st Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance Aptitude Sporting under Admitted Number Total (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Applications

2018 180 487 226 ***225 5 2 0 65 132 20 - -

2017 180 545 244 *231 0 2 0 65 144 20 **1494 -

2016 180 581 283 *204 7 1 1 87 84 20 1137 18/4

2015 180 489 270 *202 0 4 1 73 104 20 1410 28/2

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. ** The furthest distance offered at the 1st March 2017, before the governors then agreed to take additional children. *** The Governing Body offered additional places after offer day.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Students will not be discriminated against as laid The Kingswinford down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the School (Academy) Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Headteacher: Mr T Macdonald Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Type of school: Academy in Windsor Trust (MAT) Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. Age range: 11 - 16 Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria Number on Roll: 914 will then be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which student to admit: Published Admission Number 2019: 180 1. First priority for admission shall be given to Admissions authority: Windsor Academy Trust Board all looked after children or children who DfE No: 332 5402 were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to The Kingswinford School an adoption, child arrangement order, or Water Street special guardianship order. See notes below. Kingswinford 2. To students who have a brother/sister, half- DY6 7AD brother/half-sister, (where the children share Tel: 01384 296596 one common parent) or step-brother/step- sister, living at the same home address Email: already at the school at the time of [email protected] admission. This also applies to adopted or Website: fostered children living at the same home www.kingswinford.windsoracademytrust.org.uk address. 3. On the basis of proximity. This is determined Dates of open evenings/days 2018 by a straight-line measurement in metres, from the home address to the main entrance Wednesday 26 September 5pm - 8pm of the school. Tours and talks A ‘looked after child’ is a child who is (a) in the Tuesday 25 September 9.15am – 10.30am care of a local authority, or (b) being provided Wednesday 26 September 9.15am – 10.30am with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see Thursday 27 September 9.15am – 10.30am the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. Admission arrangements September 2019 This includes children who were adopted under Students will be admitted at age 11 without the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption reference to ability or aptitude. orders) and children who were adopted under The Kingswinford School has an Inclusive the Adoption and Childrens Act 2002 (see Education Policy and the admissions policy aims section 46 adoption orders). Child arrangements to maximise the opportunity to meet parental orders are defined in s.8 of the Children Act preferences and to meet the individual needs of 1989, as amended by s.12 of the Children and students wherever possible. The School does Families Act 2014. Child arrangements orders not use a selective policy based on aptitude or replace residence orders and any residence academic achievement. order in force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements order. See Section 14A 42 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions of the Children Act 1989 which defines a ‘special has experienced problems such as ill health. guardianship order’ as an order appointing one These parents will need to make an application or more individuals to be a child’s special alongside children applying at the normal age guardian (or special guardians). which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal In accordance with legislation, a child with an age. Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a place if the school is named in the A decision as to whether this is an appropriate EHCP as the most appropriate to meet the course of action will be made by the Governing child’s individual needs, this may reduce the Body who will take into account the amount of places available for children who do circumstances of the case and the Headteacher. not have an EHCP. Parents and carers do not have the right to insist their child is admitted to a particular Year Group. The home address is considered to be the students (along with their parents’) genuine principal place of residence at the time of the Late applications allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a student is resident with Preferences that are received after the closing friends or relatives (for reasons other than date will only be considered after applications guardianship), the friends or relatives address that were received within the deadline have will not be considered for allocation purposes. been dealt with. Where parents have shared responsibility for a There will, however, be exceptional student, and the student lives with both parents circumstances in which a late application will be for part of the school week, then the home considered alongside those applications that address will be determined as the address were made within the deadline. where the child lives for the majority of the In each circumstance supportive documentary school week. Parents will be required to provide evidence must be provided by the parent / carer documentary evidence to support the address at the time of application. they wish to be considered for allocation purposes. At least one item of proof must demonstrate where the student lives. Waiting lists Special conditions will apply in the event that If a school is oversubscribed and the student one child from a set of twins or triplets does not has been refused admission because other gain admission to the preferred school through students have a higher priority for admission the admissions criteria. The Local Authority will under the published admissions criteria, then exceed the admission number for the school those applicants who are unsuccessful will be concerned to prevent separation of twins / asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. triplets. Students on the waiting list will be ranked in Random allocation will be used as a tie-break in accordance with the school’s published category 3 above to decide who has the highest admissions criteria and the list will operate from priority for admission if the distance between two the point of allocation of places until 31 August children’s homes and the school is the same. 2020. After this point the waiting list will no longer be in operation and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Admission of students outside their normal age group Inclusion on a school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become Parents may seek to apply for their child’s available there. A student’s position on a waiting admission to The Kingswinford School Academy list is not fixed and is subject to change during outside of their normal age group. For example, the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. if their child is exceptionally gifted or talented or 43 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Places that become available (below the How to apply for a place in Year 7 for published admission number or any number that September 2019: the school agree they can admit) between the Parents must complete the Application Form point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be which is provided by your home Local Authority. offered to a student according to their ranking on this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered The timetable for the process of admissions will first. follow the same timetable as the LA (Admissions Service) who will apply the criteria of this policy

on behalf of the Governors of The Kingswinford Appeals School. If you are not offered a place at the school, you Note: These arrangements refer to the school have the right to appeal to an independent year commencing 1 September 2019. Whilst the panel. The Local Authority will administer this information contained herein is correct at the process on behalf of The Trust, the relevant time of publication, it should not be assumed form and guidance notes can be obtained from that there will be no change in the arrangements The School Admissions Service. or matters described before 1 September 2018 or in relation to subsequent school years.

Repeat applications It is not the Trust’s Policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in the circumstances of the applicant.

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

2018 180 595 133 172 4 3 63 102 - -

2017 180 656 169 *188 2 1 55 130 7168 -

2016 180 591 138 *190 2 2 51 145 6169 -

2015 180 672 202 *190 1 5 45 139 2380 24/1

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Leasowes High School Legal Context: School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as amended by the Education Act 2002 Headteacher: Mr M Mynott Type of school: Academy The Education (Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (Primary Schools) (England) Age range: 11 - 18 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 Number on Roll: 792 The Education (Admission of Looked After Published Admission Number 2019: 150 Children) (England) Regulations 2005 Admissions authority: Invictus Academy Trust School Admissions Code 2014 DfE No: 332 4110 Children will not be discriminated against as laid Leasowes High School down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Kent Road Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Halesowen B62 8PJ Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Tel: 01384 686606 Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. Email: [email protected] All preferences, regardless of ranking, will be Website: www.leasowes.dudley.sch.uk assessed against the following criteria to allocate the available places where more applications are received than can be Date of open evenings/days accommodated. 18 September 2018 6.30pm - 8.30pm Open evening a) First priority for admission shall be given to 19 September 2018 9.00am - 11.00am Open morning relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but 20 September 2018 6.30pm - 8.30pm Open evening immediately after being looked after 21 September 2018 9.00am - 11.00am Open morning became subject to an adoption, child arrangements order or special guardianship 25 September 2018 9.00am - 11.00am Open morning order. See notes below. 27 September 2018 9.00am - 11.00am Open morning b) Second priority for admission shall be given No appointments are necessary for Open Evenings. to children with a “serious and ongoing Please contact the school to confirm attendance at medical condition” where Leasowes High any of our morning tours. School is the most appropriate school to meet the condition. Principles: (Parents must provide supportive Leasowes High School has an Inclusive information from their child’s Hospital Education Policy which aims to maximise the Consultant at the time of application in order opportunity to meet parental preference and to to be considered under this criteria. This meet the individual needs of children wherever supportive information should include possible. information about the needs of the child and Leasowes High School does not support the use should detail the difficulties the child would of selective admissions policies based on experience if they attended another school. aptitude or academic achievement. Parents should also indicate why Leasowes High School is the most appropriate to meet The admission arrangements set by the their child’s medical condition rather than governing body ensures that the process is fair any other school. The Governing Body will and equitable for all.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

not seek to obtain medical evidence on • In accordance with legislation, a child with behalf of parents.) an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a place if the school is named in c) Third priority for admission shall be given to the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet children who have a brother/sister, half- the child’s individual needs, this may reduce brother/sister (where the children share one the amount of places available for children common parent), or step-brother / step- who do not have an EHCP. sister, living at the same address and who will still be attending Leasowes High School • Any child not obtaining a place will be in the academic year 2019/2020. advised about the independent appeals process. d) Any places that remain available once the above applicants have been admitted, will • Definition of brother or sister also relates to be filled according to those children who live adopted or fostered children living at the closest to the school, determined by a same home address. straight-line measurement in metres, from • The home address is considered to be the the home address to the main entrance of child’s (along with their parents’) genuine the school. principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is Notes resident with friends or relatives (for  Relevant looked after children means reasons other than guardianship), the children who are looked after by a local friends or relatives address will not be authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of considered for allocation purposes. the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care • Where parents have shared responsibility of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided for a child, and the child lives with both with accommodation by a Local Authority in parents for part of the school week, then the the exercise of their social services functions home address will be determined as the (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the address where the child lives for the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an majority of the school week. Parents will be application to a school. This includes required to provide documentary evidence children who were adopted under the to support the address they wish to be Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption considered for allocation purposes. At least orders) and children who were adopted one item of proof must demonstrate where under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see the child lives. It is expected that parents section 46 adoption orders). will agree on school places before an

application is made, and it may be  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 necessary to request evidence from you to of the Children Act 1989, as amended by confirm that this is the case. The School is s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. not in a position to intervene in disputes Child arrangements orders replace between parents over school applications residence orders and any residence order in and will request that these are resolved force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be privately. a child arrangements order. • Special conditions will apply in the event  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines that one child from a set of twins or triplets a special guardianship order as an order does not gain admission to the preferred appointing one or more individuals to be a school through the admissions criteria. The child’s special guardian (or special Governing Body will exceed the admission guardians). number to prevent separation of twins / triplets. 46 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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• Random allocation will be used as a tie- be allocated on a first come first basis. If more break in category d above to decide who than one application is received at the same has the highest priority for admission if the time, the oversubscription criteria, as detailed on distance between two children’s homes and previous page, will be used to determine which the school is the same. applicant will have the place. Inclusion the waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. Admission of children outside of their normal age group. A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can Parents may seek a place for their child outside go up or down the list. of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced Places that become available between the point problems such as ill health. Parents should of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be offered make their application to the school setting out to children according to their ranking on this list the reasons why they believe their child should i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. be taught outside of their chronological age group. Repeat Applications

It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year Late Applications unless there have been significant and material Preferences that are received after the closing changes in the circumstances of the applicant. date for receipt of applications will only be considered after applications that were received within the deadline have been dealt with. There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent / carer at the time of application.

Waiting Lists If the school is oversubscribed and children have been refused admission because other children have a higher priority for admission under the published admissions criteria, then those applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the published admissions criteria and the list will operate from the point of allocation until the 31st August 2020. After this point the waiting list will no longer be in operation and places that become available will 47 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest /H Appeals of Number

eard and Allowed and eard

2018 150 551 175 *190 1 3 0 49 137 3539 5/1

2017 150 498 153 *195 1 2 0 39 153 - -

2016 150 431 139 *172 1 3 0 43 125 - -

2015 150 350 101 150 2 3 0 33 112 - -

*The Governing Board agreed to admit additional children on allocation date

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

The Link Academy Legal Context: School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as amended by the Education Act 2002 Principal: Mrs A Garratt The Education (Co-ordination of Admission Type of school: Academy Arrangements) (Primary Schools) (England) Age range: 11 - 16 (Amendment) Regulations 2012 The Education (Admission of Looked After Number on Roll: 987 Children) (England) Regulations 2005 Published Admission Number 2019: 210 School Admissions Code 2014 Admissions authority: Advisory Committee Children will not be discriminated against as laid DfE No: 332 4117 down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the The Link Academy Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Simms Lane Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Netherton Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. Dudley DY2 0PB All preferences, regardless of ranking, will be Tel: 01384 816500 assessed against the following criteria to allocate the available places where more Email: [email protected] applications are received than can be Website: www.hillcrest.dudley.sch.uk accommodated. Dates of open evenings/days a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children 20 September 2018 5.45pm - 8.30pm who were previously looked after but Principal’s speech at 6pm and 7pm immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child 21 September 2018* 9.15am - 11am arrangement order or special guardianship * Tours by appointment only order. See notes below. How to apply for a place in year 7 for b) Second priority for admission shall be September 2019 given to children with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where The • By completing the application form which is Link Academy is the most appropriate available from your home LA. school to meet the condition. The Link Academy has an Inclusive Education (Parents must provide supportive Policy which aims to maximise the opportunity to information from their child’s Hospital meet parental preference and to meet the Consultant at the time of application in individual needs of children wherever possible. order to be considered under this criteria. The Link Academy does not support the use of This supportive information should include selective admissions policies based on aptitude information about the needs of the child or academic achievement. and should detail the difficulties the child would experience if they attended another The admission arrangements set by the school. Parents should also indicate why governing body ensures that the process is fair The Link Academy is the most appropriate and equitable for all. to meet their child’s medical condition

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

rather than any other school. The child’s special guardian (or special Governing Body will not seek to obtain guardians). medical evidence on behalf of parents.)  In accordance with legislation, a child with c) Third priority for admission shall be given an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will to children who have a brother/sister, half- be offered a place if the school is named in brother/sister (where the children share the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet one common parent), or step-brother / the child’s individual needs, this may reduce step-sister, living at the same address and the amount of places available for children who will still be attending The Link who do not have an EHCP. Academy in the academic year 2019/2020.  Any child not obtaining a place will be d) Any places that remain available once the advised about the independent appeals above applicants have been admitted, will process. be filled according to those children who live closest to the school, determined by a  Definition of brother or sister also relates to straight-line measurement in metres, from adopted or fostered children living at the the home address to the main entrance of same home address. the school.  The home address is considered to be the child’s (along with their parents’) genuine principal place of residence at the time of Notes the allocation of places i.e. where they are  Relevant looked after children means normally and regularly living. If a child is children who are looked after by a local resident with friends or relatives (for authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of reasons other than guardianship), the the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care friends or relatives address will not be of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided considered for allocation purposes. with accommodation by a Local Authority in  Where parents have shared responsibility the exercise of their social services functions for a child, and the child lives with both (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the parents for part of the school week, then the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an home address will be determined as the application to a school. This includes address where the child lives for the children who were adopted under the majority of the school week. Parents will be Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption required to provide documentary evidence orders) and children who were adopted to support the address they wish to be under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see considered for allocation purposes. At least section 46 adoption orders). one item of proof must demonstrate where  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 the child lives. It is expected that parents of the Children Act 1989, as amended by will agree on school places before an s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. application is made, and it may be Child arrangements orders replace necessary to request evidence from you to residence orders and any residence order in confirm that this is the case. The school is force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be not in a position to intervene in disputes a child arrangements order. between parents over school applications and will request that these are resolved  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines privately. a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a  Special conditions will apply in the event that one child from a set of twins or triplets

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

does not gain admission to the school Children on the waiting list will be ranked in through the admissions criteria. The accordance with the published admissions Governing Body will exceed the admission criteria and the list will operate from the point of number prevent separation of twins / allocation until the 31st August 2020. triplets. After this point the waiting list will no longer be  Random allocation will be used as a tie- in operation and places that become available break in category d above to decide who will be allocated on a first come first basis. If has the highest priority for admission if the more than one application is received at the distance between two children’s homes and same time, the oversubscription criteria, as the school is the same. detailed on previous page, will be used to determine which applicant will have the place.

Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that Admission of children outside of their a place will eventually become available. normal age group. A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and Parents may seek a place for their child outside is subject to change during the year i.e. they can of their normal age group, for example, if the go up or down the list. child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. Parents should Places that become available between the point make their application to The Trust setting out of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be offered the reasons why they believe their child should to children according to their ranking on this list be taught outside of their chronological age i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. group. Repeat Applications Late Applications It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider Preferences that are received after the closing repeat applications in the same academic year date for receipt of applications will only be unless there have been significant and material considered after applications that were received changes in the circumstances of the applicant. within the deadline have been dealt with. There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent / carer at the time of application.

Waiting Lists If the school is oversubscribed and children have been refused admission because other children have a higher priority for admission under the published admissions criteria, then those applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

2018 210 332 138 162 0 0 0 57 105 - -

2017 210 337 181 190 3 1 0 61 125 - -

2016 210 430 232 210 4 3 1 89 113 1888 11/0

2015 210 392 227 210 2 5 0 78 125 2000 6/0

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

information you are looking for in our online Old Swinford 'Frequently Asked Questions Document' which although not a part of this policy provides Hospital School general guidance for the admissions process and you can find this on www.oshsch.com under Headteacher: Mr P Kilbride ‘Admissions’. An admissions timeline is also on Type of school: Voluntary aided our website. Age range: 11 - 18 The policy has twelve sections: Number On Roll: 587 Section 1 Introduction Published Admission Number 2019 Section 2 Admissions Numbers for the See below Academic Year 2019-2020 Admissions authority: Governing Body Section 3 Boarding Places DfE No: 332 5400 Section 4 Day Places Old Swinford Hospital Section 5 Admissions Criteria for Boarding Heath Lane Places Stourbridge DY8 1QX Section 6 Additional Admissions Criteria for Tel: 01384 817325 Year 7 (11+) Flexi-Boarder Places Email: [email protected] Section 7 Admission Criteria for Year 7 (11+) Website: www.oshsch.com Day Places Section 8 Admissions Criteria for Year 12 Date of open evenings/days (16+) Day Places 15 September 2018 (all year groups) 9am - 11am Section 9 Oversubscription Criteria 13 October 2018 (Sixth Form) 9am - 11am Section 10 Waiting Lists 18 October 2018 5.30pm - 7pm (Experience what it is like to be a boarder) Section 11 Other Admissions Information Section 12 Grade Requirements for Sixth Form Courses 2019-2020 Admissions policy for admissions in September 2019 This policy sets out how places are allocated to 1. Introduction children who apply to Old Swinford Hospital as 1.1. Old Swinford Hospital1 is a boarding and boarders (Years 7, 9 &12) and day pupils (Years day school for boys aged 11-18 and a day 7 & 12). school for girls in the Sixth Form. The We recommend that any questions you may majority of places are boarding places for have about this policy are taken in the first place boys. There are a limited number of day to our Registrar Michelle Stanley whose contact places for boys aged 11-18 and a details are [email protected] or 01384 comparatively small number of girls may 817325. You may also be able to find the

1 Old Swinford Hospital is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and has in place an appropriate and current Safeguarding Policy.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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be admitted into the Sixth Form as day 1.8. It is important that children who come here pupils2 to board are able to engage with boarding life. We will not admit any child as a 1.2. The School does not have a catchment boarder unless he has satisfied the School area. To be admitted to the School, pupils that he is suitable to board (see section must have full United Kingdom or other 5).4 EU/EEA nationality, Swiss, Norwegian or Icelandic nationality or have other 1.9. We reserve the right to withdraw the offer approved residential status in the United of a place where it has been offered in Kingdom. error or parents/carers have not responded within the time stated in the 1.3. We are a school established in the offer letter or it is found that the offer was traditions of the Church of England and obtained through a fraudulent or Christian witness lies at the heart of school intentionally misleading application. We life. However, students and staff of all also reserve the right to withdraw a place faiths and none, and of all backgrounds, after a pupil has started at the School are welcomed as part of our community for where that place was fraudulently we believe that strength is best derived obtained. from diversity. 1.10. The principal years for admissions are 1.4. We consider that it is a natural extension Years 7, 9 and 12. For enquiries about of an education in a Church of England vacancies in Years other than the principle primary school for some children to admission years please contact the continue their education at secondary level Registrar. in another church school and so the School has three feeder schools for Year 7 1.11. The School is partially selective in Year 7 day entry, all designated Church of (see section 6) where: England schools, and all located less than 1.11.1. Twenty four flexi-boarder places 1.5 miles from us (see section 9). are awarded on academic ability; 1.5. All parents/carers must complete the and School's own application form which can 1.11.2. Eight flexi-boarder places are be obtained from the Registrar or awarded on aptitude in music or downloaded from our website sport. 1.6. Parents/carers of pupils from England will 1.12. For entry to the Sixth Form (see section 7): also need to complete their Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) where 1.12.1. There is a minimum grades their application is for a place in Year 7. requirement with further grades They will also need to submit the School’s criteria for specific courses details of application form to the Registrar by the which may be found in section 12. same date as required for the CAF. Grades requirements are the same for internal and external pupils. 1.7. The Admissions Authority is the Governing Body.3 1.12.2. Six day places in the Sixth Form will be awarded on aptitude in music or

2 The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012, Schools) (England) Regulations 2013, Schedule 2, section 1(2). and the School Admissions Code. 3 Admissions are regulated by The School Standards and Framework 4 By doing so they are acting in accordance with their responsibilities Act 1998, The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations under the Children Act 1989 (as amended). 2006, The School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Co-

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sport. Places awarded on aptitude all Year 11 pupils qualify for a place in are also subject to the general and Year 12 the School may admit a further 13 subject specific grade requirements boarders in the Sixth Form and 47 day for Sixth Form entry. pupils. However, not all existing pupils continue their education into the Sixth 1.13. Any query or enquiry about admissions, or Form so in reality more spaces may be the availability of places in any year, available. should in the first instance be directed to the Registrar at the School. 3. Boarding Places 2. Admission Numbers for the Academic 3.1. The majority of places available are Year 2019- 2020 boarding places in that the School provides pupils with overnight board and 2.1. The formal admission numbers for each lodging. category for each year of entry presume that, once entered onto the School role, all 3.2. There are different categories of boarders: pupils remain enrolled until the end of termly boarders, weekly boarders and Year 13; so the admission numbers are flexi-boarders although the admissions formally as follows: procedure is the same for all categories excepting Year 7 flexi-boarders. Year of Boarding Day Pupils Entry Places 3.2.1. Termly boarders reside at the School each and every day and night of 7 77 13 each term, except over half-term. 9 30 0 They may go home on exeat weekends, usually after sport on a 12 13 47 Saturday, returning after supper the 2.2. Year 7 (11+) following day. They may go home more frequently if their This is the principal year of entry. The parents/carers so chose. School has a boarding house especially for Year 7 boys and presently it may admit 3.2.2. Weekly boarders do everything that up to 77 boarders. It may admit up to 45 termly boarders do except stay boarders who board on a termly or weekly overnight at the School on basis. The number of flexi-boarders is weekends. They reside at the School limited to 32. Section 3 explains termly, each and every day and night, weekly and flexi-boarder. There are 13 Monday to Friday, of each term, day places for boys. except over half-term. They may go home more frequently if their 2.3. Year 9 (13+) parents/carers so chose. In Year 9 the School may accommodate 3.2.3. Flexi-boarders do everything that up to 108 boarders, made up of 75 termly boarders do except routinely boarders who board on a termly or weekly stay overnight; their arrangement is basis and 32 flexi-boarders. Assuming all more flexible to suit their, and their Year 8 pupils stay and go into Year 9, the families, needs. They are required to School may admit up to 30 new boarders stay over 3-4 times per term. On other who board on a termly or weekly basis. occasions they may arrive for 2.4. Year 12 (16+) breakfast and may depart after the end of prep. They are full members of Many pupils at the School continue their a boarding house with access to all of education into the Sixth Form. Assuming its facilities. They are provided with

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accommodation in the form of their suitability for boarding. This assessment own workstation and storage areas includes the following: and a bed. 5.1.1. An interview; 3.3. Parents/carers of boarders will be 5.1.2. A reference from the boy’s present expected to pay boarding fees once their school and/or a previous school son is admitted into the School and full where the boy is not currently at details of these boarding fees can be school or has recently changed found on our website under Admissions.5 school; 3.4. Eligible families may be able to reclaim at 5.1.3. Consideration of any other least part of the boarding fee as a Working information that the parents/carers Tax Credit and parents/carers should may wish to provide to support the consult www.hmrc.gov.uk for details. boy’s application or which may be There are also a number of charitable provided at the request of the organisations who, in certain parents/carers by another person, or circumstances, may be able to offer some which comes to the attention of the support towards fees, particularly to those School from any other source boys with a boarding need. Applications to including during any visits to the both HMRC and charitable organisations School have to be made by parents/carers and cannot be done by the School but please 5.1.4. Information provided by a Local contact the Registrar for information you Authority (or equivalent authority need either to make an application or for outside England and Wales), where information on possible sources of relevant. support. 5.2. In determining whether or not a boy is 4. Day Places suitable to board, the School has regard to the following questions: 4.1. There are 13 day places6 for boys in Year 7. 5.2.1. Does the boy wish to board? 4.2. There are 47 day places in the Sixth Form and a comparatively small number of girls 5.2.2. Does the boy have experience of may be admitted into the Sixth Form as staying away from his parents/carers day pupils. whether or not he is currently a boarder? 5. Admission Criteria for Boarding Places 5.2.3. Does the boy show evidence of self- 5.1. We recognise our responsibility under the reliance and independence? Children Act 1989 to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders and 5.2.4. Does the boy show evidence of accordingly boys who wish to board are understanding and relishing the necessarily assessed to determine their challenges of a communal life?

5 Parents/carers ability to pay boarding fees is not part of the access to the facilities of a boarding house. Accordingly, day pupils admissions process, but, under the Education (Pupil Registration) are required to leave the School’s premises shortly after 3.45pm (England) Regulations 2006, reg. 8(1)(o), where parents/carers have unless they are involved in a performance or a match or are required not paid boarding fees (including any interest) in full by the end of to attend a rehearsal, training or discharge peer mentoring duties. the term to which the fees relate, the son of those parents/carers will Day pupils are not provided with meals, are not ordinarily permitted be deleted from the school register forthwith and will not be to use the School’s facilities after school hours and do not stay at the admitted to the School the following term. School to do prep. 6 Day pupils are not boarders. They are not provided with overnight board or lodging or any boarding accommodation and do not have

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5.2.5. Does the boy show understanding of the responsibilities of a member of a 6. Additional Admission Criteria for Year 7 boarding community? (11+) Flexi-Boarder Places 5.2.6. Is there any medical or psychological Places by Ability reason why boarding would not be appropriate, or any need that could 6.1. Twenty four flexi-boarder places in Year 7 not be met by reasonable will be awarded on the basis of academic adjustment under the Equalities Act ability as determined by an assessment 2010 to the boarding test taken in the Michaelmas Term, accommodation, routine and (usually at the end of September), before practice? the year of entry. 5.3. All boys must be assessed as suitable to 6.2. The assessment test is presently the Old board before they are admitted to the Swinford Hospital Online Test (OSHOT). It School as boarders. has been developed for the School by the University of Durham and is designed to 5.4. For termly or weekly boarders in Years 7- assess academic potential in a more 11 there are no academic tests, grade objective and less stressful way than requirements or aptitude assessments. traditional IQ-type tests. 5.5. For flexi-boarder places in Year 7 twenty 6.3. OSHOT is to be taken in the School at a four places are awarded on the basis of computer terminal and thus requires academic ability and eight places are familiarity with a computer keyboard and awarded on the basis of aptitude (see mouse. It is not, however, a test of section 6). computer proficiency. 5.6. For Sixth Form boarding places: 6.4. OSHOT is designed to be novel and 5.6.1. Pupils need to obtain GCSE Grades engaging for the boys who take it and 9 – 4, in at least 7 subjects, comprises tests for the following qualities: including English and Maths (or the  assessing visuo-spatial skills agreed equivalent qualifications for pupils who did not sit GCSEs (see  assessing speed and accuracy in section 8)) in order to take up any number skills place offered, and  tasks aimed to assess understanding in 5.6.2. Further subject specific GSCE reading grades are required for particular courses (see section 12).  assessing abstract reasoning 5.7. In the event of oversubscription places are  assessing vocabulary skills allocated to pupils using the  applying mathematical skills to novel oversubscription criteria set out in section situations 9. 6.5. The nature of the tasks set means that 5.8. Boarding places are not available to girls. there is little or no advantage to be gained from using commercially available materials to prepare for OSHOT. OSHOT may be taken by different boys at different times without compromising the integrity of the test.

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6.6. A minimum score on OSHOT is not agility, balance, coordination and required. movement as well as teamwork and leadership. 6.7. A rank order of boys’ results will be drawn up. 6.15. A minimum score in aptitude assessments for music or sport is not required. 6.8. In the event that the OSHOT produces two or more equally placed boys, then the 6.16. A rank order of boys’ aptitude oversubscription criteria for Year 7 boarder assessments results will be drawn up. In entry will be applied to determine the order the event of the aptitude assessments in the rank of the equally placed boys (see producing two or more equally placed section 9). boys, then the oversubscription criteria for Year 7 boarder entry will be applied to 6.9. Results will be sent to parents/carers after determine the order in the rank of the the Governors’ Admission Committee equally placed boys (see section 9). have met in accordance with the Schools Admission Code. 6.17. In the event that there are insufficient applications to fill the four places to be 6.10. The rank order will be sent to the Local awarded on aptitude in music the unfilled Authority who offer places in rank order to places will be added to the places that can those parents/carers having selected the be awarded on aptitude in sport. School as a preferred choice under the co- ordinated admissions arrangements. 6.18. In the event that there are insufficient applications to fill the four places to be 6.11. Boys unsuccessful in obtaining a place on awarded on aptitude in sport the unfilled ability may apply for one of the remaining places will be added to the places that can boarding or day places. be awarded on aptitude in music. Places by Aptitude7 6.19. Results will be sent to parents/carers after 6.12. Four places will be awarded for musical the Governors’ Admission Committee aptitude and four places will be awarded have met in accordance with the Schools for sports aptitude. Admission Code. 6.13. Musical aptitude: 6.20. The rank order of results will be sent to the Boys wishing to be considered for a place Local Authority who offer places in rank based on musical aptitude are required to order to those parents/carers having sit an aptitude assessment. The selected the School as a preferred choice assessment has four component parts: under the coordinated admissions pitch, melody, texture and rhythm. It is an arrangements. assessment which requires them to listen 6.21. Boys unsuccessful in obtaining a place on to music, to write about what they hear aptitude may apply for one of the and reply, for example, clap-out a rhythm remaining boarding or day places. or sing back a series of notes. Order 6.14. Sports aptitude: 6.22. Where boys have applied in more than Boys wishing to be considered for a place one flexi-boarder category the order of based on sports aptitude are required to allocating places will firstly be by rank in sit an aptitude assessment. The the test for ability then, if they are assessment is designed to measure

7 The School can accommodate applications for places awarded on any disability at the earliest possible time to ensure that an aptitude from disabled pupils. The Registrar should be informed of appropriate aptitude assessment can be put in place.

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unsuccessful in gaining this place, by rank courses that they want to follow with the in aptitude. Director of Sixth Form and may be awarded a place. 7. Admission Criteria for Year 7 (11+) Day Places Places by Aptitude 7.1. There are no academic tests, grade 8.6. Three places will be awarded for musical requirements or aptitude assessments for aptitude and three places will be awarded day places in Year 7. for sports aptitude. 7.2. In the event of being oversubscribed, 8.7. Places awarded on aptitude are also offers of day places will be subject to the subject to the general and subject specific relevant oversubscription criteria (see entry grade requirements for the Sixth section 9). Form (see section 12). 7.3. Boys unsuccessful in obtaining a day 8.8. Boys and girls will be considered equally place may apply for one of the remaining for the award of these places. boarding places. 8.9. Musical aptitude: 8. Admission Criteria for Year 12 (16+) Pupils wishing to be considered for a place Day Places based on musical aptitude are required to 8.1. All day places in Year 12 will be awarded sit an aptitude assessment. The on the basis of academic achievement as assessment has four component parts: determined by GCSE grades provided by pitch, melody, texture and rhythm. It is an the pupil’s statement of results generated assessment which requires them to listen by their school on results day. to music, to write about what they hear and reply, for example, clap-out a rhythm 8.2. Six of the day places in Year 12 will be or sing back a series of notes. awarded on the basis of aptitude in music or sport as well as academic achievement. 8.10. Sports aptitude: The remaining places will be awarded Pupils wishing to be considered for a place solely on academic achievement. based on sports aptitude are required to 8.3. All pupils, both internal and external, must sit an aptitude assessment. The achieve the minimum grades requirement assessment is designed to measure of GCSE Grades 9 – 4, in at least 7 agility, balance, coordination and subjects, including English and Maths (or movement as well as teamwork and the agreed equivalent for pupils who did leadership. not sit GCSEs) and the further subject 8.11. A minimum score in aptitude assessments specific GCSE grades that are required for for music or sport is not required. particular courses (see section 12), in order to take up a place offered. 8.12. A rank order of pupils’ aptitude assessment results will be drawn up. 8.4. For pupils who did not sit GCSEs an equivalent can be submitted. 8.13. Places will be awarded according to the Parents/carers should contact the rank order of results will be sent to Registrar to ascertain the acceptability of parents/carers. those equivalents. 8.14. In the event of the aptitude assessments 8.5. Subject to there being places available in producing two or more equally placed the Sixth Form, and on the required pupils, then the oversubscription criteria course, pupils who applied but did not for Year 12 entry will be applied to meet the entry criteria can discuss the

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determine the order in the rank of the 9.3. Thereafter to boys who have satisfied the equally placed pupils (see section 9). Governors that they have a significant degree of boarding need.10 8.15. In the event that there are insufficient applications to fill the 3 places to be 9.4. Thereafter to boys who are eligible for awarded on aptitude in music or in sport armed forces premium.11 the unfilled places will be added to the 9.5. Thereafter to boys who are eligible for remaining Sixth Form day places awarded pupil premium.12. solely on academic achievement. 9.6. Thereafter to boys with a brother half- 8.16. Pupils unsuccessful in obtaining a place brother13, step brother, adopted brother or on aptitude may apply for one of the foster brother living at the same address remaining boarding or day places. who is, or was, a boarder at the School. Remaining Places 9.7. Thereafter to boys of staff.14. 8.17. In the event of being oversubscribed, 9.8. The final oversubscription criterion for offers of day places will be subject to the termly and weekly boarding places shall relevant oversubscription criteria (see be a random ballot. section 9). Flexi-Boarder Places 9. Oversubscription Criteria 9.9. Places offered on ability will be awarded Termly and Weekly Boarding Places first, and in rank order, to those who sat 9.1. First priority for admission shall be given to the OSHOT test for a place. For tied any boy who is a ‘looked after child’8 and places priority is then as for termly and all previously looked after children.9 weekly boarders. 9.2. Priority will then be given to the sons of 9.10. Places offered on aptitude will be awarded members of the UK Armed Forces who first, and in rank order, to those who sat qualify for Ministry of Defence financial the aptitude assessments for a place. For assistance with the cost of boarding tied places priority is then as for termly school fees. and weekly boarders.

8 A ‘looked after child ‘ is a child who is (a) in the care of a local limited to, children of Crown Servants and other parents/carers authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local working abroad, children who ordinarily live in remote locations and authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the children at risk or with an unstable home environment or other definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of family circumstance which generates a need that may best be met making an application to a school. from an education in a boarding environment. 9 Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, 11 The service premium is additional funding paid annually to schools but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject under section 14 of the Education Act 2002 for the purposes of to a child arrangement order or special guardianship order. This supporting the pastoral needs of Armed Services personnel. includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 12 The pupil premium is additional funding paid annually to schools (see section 12 adoption orders) and children who were adopted under section 14 of the Education Act 2002 for the purposes of under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption supporting the attainment of disadvantaged children. orders). Child arrangements order are defined in s.8 of the Children 13 Sharing one common parent. Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Child arrangement orders replace residence orders and any 14 Sons of staff where the member of staff has been employed at the residence order in force prior to 22nd April 2014 is deemed to be a School for two or more years at the time at which the application for child arrangement order. A ‘special guardianship order’ is an order admission to the School is made, and/or the member of staff is under S14A of the Children Act 1989 appointing one or more recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians). shortage. 10 Parents will be asked to demonstrate boarding need and the degree of boarding need. This may include for example, but not be

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Year 7 Day Places 9.19. Where oversubscribed the following oversubscription criteria will be applied. 9.11. First priority will be given to any boy who is a ‘looked after child’ and all previously 9.19.1. First priority will be given to any looked after children (as defined by 9.1 pupil who is a ‘looked after child’ above). and all previously looked after children (as defined by 9.1 above). 9.12. Thereafter to boys who at the time of the application were attending a primary 9.19.2. Thereafter places in Year 12 school from the list below15:: offered on aptitude will be awarded in rank order to those who sat the Oldswinford Church of England Primary aptitude assessments. School, Field Lane, Stourbridge 9.19.3. Thereafter to pupils who are Pedmore Church of England Primary eligible for armed forces premium School, Hagley Road, Pedmore, (as defined by 9.4 above). Stourbridge 9.19.4. Thereafter to pupils who are St James’s Church of England School, eligible for pupil premium (as Kingsway. Stourbridge defined by 9.5 above). 9.13. Thereafter to boys who are eligible for 9.19.5. Thereafter to pupils with a armed forces premium (as defined by 9.4 brother/sister, half-brother/half- above). sister, step brother/sister, adopted 9.14. Thereafter to boys who are eligible for brother/sister or foster pupil premium (as defined by 9.5 above). brother/sister living at the same address who is, or was, a pupil in 9.15. Thereafter to boys with a brother, half- brother, step brother, adopted brother or the School. foster brother living at the same address 9.19.6. Thereafter to pupils of staff (as who is, or was, a pupil in the School. defined by 9.7 above). 9.16. Thereafter to boys of staff (as defined by 9.19.7. The final oversubscription criteria 9.7 above). will be pupils whose normal (as defined by 9.17 above) place of 9.17. The final oversubscription criteria will be boys whose normal16 place of residence residence as determined by a as determined by a straight line straight line measurement in measurement in metres lies closest to the metres lies closest to the main main entrance to the School in Heath entrance to the School in Heath Lane. Lane. Sixth Form Day Places Tie Break 9.20. In the event of there being pupils who rank 9.18. Day places in Year 12 will be awarded to pupils who have met the minimum or otherwise equally meet admission academic entry standards, including criteria in any admission category, year subject specific standards. group or other criteria, including in-year admissions, out of year admissions and

15 There is no order of priority between feeder schools and therefore parents do not live together, ‘normal’ place of residence will be taken no order of priority between boys based on the feeder school they as residence of the parent/carers with whom the child spends the attend. majority of the time. An application can only be made from a single address, and only a single application can be made for each child. 16 Parents may be required to provide evidence in support of their child’s normal place of residence at the time of application. If the

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change of status, and there being admission on behalf of a pupil who is over insufficient places, the place will be or under the normal age for his or her year awarded according to the oversubscription group. criteria for each category and if these do 11.3. Applications should be made following the not resolve the tie there shall be a random processes previously outlined for the ballot of tied pupils. relevant admission category together with 10. Waiting Lists an accompanying letter, addressed to the Headmaster, and any other relevant 10.1. Parents/carers will be asked to indicate information including: whether they wish to be placed on a waiting list if the pupil is unsuccessful in 11.3.1. Setting out the parents/carers obtaining a place. views as to why their child should be admitted outside of their normal 10.2. Pupils on the waiting list will be considered age group. along with any new applications by the date when any vacancy occurs. The length 11.3.2. Information about the child’s of time on the waiting list is not material to academic, social and emotional whether or not a place is finally awarded. development and where relevant The place will be awarded according to the their medical history and the views stated oversubscription criteria. of a medical professional. 10.3. The waiting list will operate from the point 11.3.3. Whether the child has been of allocation of places until the September previously educated out of their following the year in which they would normal age group. have been admitted. For example, for 11.3.4. Where relevant, whether the child admission in September 2019 the waiting may have fallen into a lower age list will remain until 1st September 2020. group if it were not for being born 10.4. Those not awarded a place are welcome prematurely. to reapply in subsequent years. 11.4. If the Headmaster considers admission 10.5. Pupils assessed to be unsuitable for outside of a pupil’s normal age group is in boarding will not be placed on a waiting list the best interests of the pupil then the for a boarding place. Their parents/carers parents/carers application for that pupil will may reapply and the pupil be reassessed be entered into the normal admissions for each year of entry. process and be treated the same as all other applications including, in the case of 11. Other Admissions Information an application for a boarding place, for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities suitability to board. 11.1. The School is required to admit all children 11.5. Parents/carers are asked to make whose Education, Health and Care Plan applications for places outside of a pupil’s (EHC) names the School. normal age group as soon as possible so Admission over or under age that the relevant information can be considered and, if appropriate, in order for 11.2. The School will not normally admit a pupil the application then to be included in the other than into his/her chronological year usual admissions process. group. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a compelling Applications for Children from a Multiple Birth educational or social justification, the 11.6. Special conditions will apply in the event School may permit an application for that one child from a multiple birth does

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not gain admission to the School through the admissions criteria when the other or others do. In this instance the School will exceed the published admission number for the benefit of family concerned so as to prevent separation of such children provided, if the application is for a boarding place, the child is assessed as suitable to board (see section 5). Late Applications 11.7. Applications received after the closing date for receipt of applications will only be considered after applications that were received within the deadline have been dealt with. 11.8. Where circumstances are such that the parents/carers could not have reasonably submitted the application within the deadline, the application will be considered alongside all other applications. 11.9. If a late application is unsuccessful parents/carers will be asked to indicate whether they wish to be placed on a waiting list. Applications to Change Boarding/Day Status 11.10. There is no automatic transfer between categories for pupils already in the School. 11.11. Changing status will be subject to their being a vacancy in that category and for a boarding place that there is also accommodation available. 11.12. Applications must be made to the Headmaster and will be considered alongside, and in competition with, all other applications for a place in that Year and in that category. 11.13. Applications to change status to become a boarder will be subject to the boy being assessed as suitable to board.

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12. Grade Requirements for Sixth Form Courses 2019-2020

Primary Requirement: For any course of study all students require at least 7 GSCE at Grades 9 – 4 including English and Maths. Additional Requirement: Additional to the primary requirement specific subjects have the following minimum grade requirements:

SUBJECT Additional GCSE grade requirements Art and Design Grade 5 in Art Biology Grade 5 in Maths and English Language, Grade 6 in Biology and either Grade 6 in one other science or Grades 6:6 in Double Science BTEC Science Grade 5 in Science or 5:5 in Double Science BTEC Sport Grade 4 in PE or 4:4 in Double Science Business OCR Cambridge No additional grade requirement Technical Chemistry Grade 5 in Maths and English Language, Grade 6 in Chemistry and either Grade 6 in one other science or Grades 6:6 in Double Science Classical Civilisation No additional grade requirement Computer Science Grade 5 in English Language, Grade 6 in Maths and either Grade 6 in one science or 6:6 in Double Science Design and Technology Grade 5 in Maths and/or Grade 6 or B in Technology Economics Grade 6 in Maths and Grade 5 in English Language English Language & Literature Grade 6 in English Language and Grade 6 in English Literature English Literature Grade 6 in English Language and Grade 6 in English Literature French Grade 5 in French Further Maths Grade 8 in Maths Geography Grade 5 in Geography and Grade 5 in English Language German Grade 5 in German History Grade 5 in History and Grade 5 in English Language IT OCR Cambridge Technical Grade 5 in ICT, Grade 5 in English Language and Grade 5 in Maths Maths Grade 7 in Maths Music Grade 5 in GCSE Music or Grade 5 in RSM Theory and Grade 5 in RSM Practical Politics Grade 5 in English Language Physics Grade 5 in Maths and English Language and Grade 6 in Physics and either Grade 6 in one other science or Grades 6:6 in Double Science Psychology Grade 5 in Maths and either Grade 5 in Biology or Grade 5:5 in Double Science Philosophy & Ethics Grade 5 B in any humanities subject

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• The Education (Admission of Looked After Pedmore High School Children) (England)Regulations 2005 • School Admissions Code 2014 Principal: Mr G Lloyd Type of school: Academy Children will not be discriminated against as laid down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Age range: 11 - 16 Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Number on Roll: 574 Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Published Admissions Number 2019: 150 Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Admissions authority: Invictus Academy Trust Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. DfE No: 332 4105 All preferences, regardless of ranking, will be The Pedmore High School assessed against the following criteria to allocate the available places where more Grange Lane applications are received than can be Stourbridge DY9 7HS accommodated. Tel: 01384 816660 a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children Email: [email protected] who were previously looked after but Website: www.pedmorehighschool.uk immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child Dates of open evenings/days arrangement order or special guardianship Tuesday 2 October 2018 6pm - 9pm order. See notes below. b) Second priority for admission shall be given Tuesday 9 October 2018 9am - 10.30am to children with a “serious and ongoing Thursday 11 October 2018 9am - 10.30am medical condition” where Pedmore High School is the most appropriate school to Pedmore High School has an Inclusive meet the condition. Education Policy which aims to maximise the (Parents must provide supportive opportunity to meet parental preference and to information from their child’s Hospital meet the individual needs of children wherever Consultant at the time of application in order possible. to be considered under this criteria. This Pedmore High School does not support the use supportive information should include of selective admissions policies based on information about the needs of the child and aptitude or academic achievement. should detail the difficulties the child would experience if they attended another school. The admission arrangements set by the Parents should also indicate why Pedmore governing body ensures that the process is fair High School is the most appropriate to meet and equitable for all. their child’s medical condition rather than any other school. The Governing Body will not seek to obtain medical evidence on Legal Context: behalf of parents.) • School Standards and Framework Act 1998 c) Third priority for admission shall be given to as amended by the Education Act 2002 children who have a brother/sister, half- • The Education (Co-ordination of Admission brother/sister (where the children share one Arrangements) (Primary Schools) common parent), or step-brother / step- (England)(Amendment) Regulations 2012 sister, living at the same address and who 65 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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will still be attending Pedmore High School • Any Dudley child not obtaining a place will in the academic year 2019/2020. be advised about the independent appeals process. d) Any places that remain available once the above applicants have been admitted, will • Definition of brother or sister also relates to be filled according to those children who live adopted or fostered children living at the closest to the school, determined by a same home address. straight-line measurement in metres, from • The home address is considered to be the the home address to the main entrance of child’s (along with their parents’) genuine the school. principal place of residence at the time of Notes the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is  Relevant looked after children means resident with friends or relatives (for children who are looked after by a local reasons other than guardianship), the authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of friends or relatives address will not be the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care considered for allocation purposes. of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in • Where parents have shared responsibility the exercise of their social services functions for a child, and the child lives with both (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the parents for part of the school week, then the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an home address will be determined as the application to a school. This includes address where the child lives for the children who were adopted under the majority of the school week. Parents will be Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption required to provide documentary evidence orders) and children who were adopted to support the address they wish to be under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see considered for allocation purposes. At least section 46 adoption orders). one item of proof must demonstrate where the child lives. It is expected that parents  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 will agree on school places before an of the Children Act 1989, as amended by application is made, and it may be s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. necessary to request evidence from you to Child arrangements orders replace confirm that this is the case. The School is residence orders and any residence order in not in a position to intervene in disputes force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be between parents over school applications a child arrangements order. and will request that these are resolved privately.  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines • Special conditions will apply in the event a special guardianship order as an order that one child from a set of twins or triplets appointing one or more individuals to be a does not gain admission to the preferred child’s special guardian (or special school through the admissions criteria. The guardians). Governing Body will exceed the admission number to prevent separation of twins / • In accordance with legislation, a child with triplets. an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a place if the school is named in • Random allocation will be used as a tie- the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet break in category d above to decide who the child’s individual needs, this may reduce has the highest priority for admission if the the amount of places available for children distance between two children’s homes and who do not have an EHCP. the school is the same. Late Applications 66 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Preferences that are received after the closing those applicants who are unsuccessful will be date for receipt of applications will only be asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. considered after applications that were received Children on the waiting list will be ranked in within the deadline have been dealt with. accordance with the published admissions criteria and the list will operate from the point of There will, however, be exceptional allocation until the 31st August 2020. circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that After this point the waiting list will no longer be in were made within the deadline. operation and places that become available will be allocated on a first come first basis. If more In each circumstance supportive documentary than one application is received at the same evidence must be provided by the parent / carer time, the oversubscription criteria, as detailed on at the time of application. previous page, will be used to determine which Waiting Lists applicant will have the place. If the school is oversubscribed and children Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that have been refused admission because other a place will eventually become available. children have a higher priority for admission A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and under the published admissions criteria, then is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. Places that become available between the point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be offered to children according to their ranking on this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. Repeat Applications It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in the circumstances of the applicant.

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1stTotal Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Preference Preference

2018 150 235 72 108 1 1 0 35 71 - -

2017 150 236 83 128 1 4 0 34 39 - -

2016 150 237 77 121 1 0 0 42 78 - -

2015 150 226 79 111 0 1 0 39 71 - -

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019 67 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Pegasus Academy 1. Children who are currently Looked After or children who were previously Looked After Principal: Mr A Landers but immediately after being Looked After Type of school: Academy became subject to an adoption, child arrangement order or special guardianship Age range: 11 - 16 order. See notes below. Number on Roll: 629 2. Children with a “serious and ongoing Published Admission Number 2019: 146 medical condition” where Pegasus Academy is the most appropriate setting to Admissions authority: Advisory Committee meet the condition. Parents must provide DfE No: 332 5405 supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of Pegasus Academy application. Applicants should also Scotts Green Close indicate why Pegasus Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet their Dudley DY1 2DU medical need. The Academy will not seek Tel: 01384 253722 to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents. Email: [email protected] 3. Children with a brother or sister, half- Website: www.pegasusacademy.org.uk brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), or step brother/step Dates of open evening/day sister living at the same home address 17 September 2018 6.30pm - 8.30pm and who will still be attending Pegasus 18 September 2018 No appointment Academy in September 2019. The definition of brother or sister also relates to necessary. A tour of adopted or fostered children living at the the Academy will same home address leave the entrance 4. Proximity of the child's home to the foyer at 9.15am. Academy, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority. The distance Policy and Numbers measured will be by straight line measurement in metres from the home Students will be admitted at age 11 without address to the main entrance to the reference to ability or aptitude. There are no Academy charges relating to the admission of students to Pegasus Academy. The number of intended admissions for the academic year commencing Notes 1st September 2019 will be 146 which will be the • Relevant looked after children means Published Admissions Number (PAN). children who are looked after by a local authority in accordance with section 22 (1) Over-subscription of the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local Authority, or (b) being Where applications for admission exceed the provided with accommodation by a Local number of places available, the following criteria Authority in the exercise of their social will be applied, in the order set out below, to services functions (see definition in decide which children to admit. Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989) at 68 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

the time of making an application to a • Appeals regarding admissions are made in school. This includes children who were writing to the Independent Admissions adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see Appeals Panel via the Clerk to the section 12 adoption orders) and children Governing Body. who were adopted under Adoption and

Children Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). Late Applications • Child arrangements orders are defined in Applications received after the closing date (31st s.8 of the Children Act 1989, as amended October 2018) will only be considered after by s.12 of the Children and Families Act applications that were received within the 2014. Child arrangements orders replace deadline have been dealt with. residence orders and any residence order There will, however, be exceptional in force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to circumstances in which a late application will be be a child arrangements order. considered alongside those applications that • Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 were made within the deadline. Where the defines a special guardianship order as an exceptional circumstances are such that the order appointing one or more individuals to parent/carer could not have reasonably be a child’s special guardian (or special submitted the application within the deadline the guardians). applicant will be considered alongside all other applicants. • In accordance with legislation, a child with an Education, Health and care (EHC) In each circumstance, supportive documentary Plans will be offered a place at Pegasus evidence must be provided by the parent/carer Academy if Pegasus Academy is named in at the time of application. the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet Unsuccessful late applicants will be added to the the child’s individual needs. This may waiting list in accordance with the admissions reduce the amount of places available for criteria. children who do not have an EHCP.

• The home address is considered to be the child’s principal place of residence, the Waiting Lists address where the child lives for the If the Academy is oversubscribed and children majority of the Academy week (i.e. 3 out of have been refused admission because other the 5 Academy’s days available). children have a higher priority for admission • Special conditions will apply in the event under the published admission criteria, then that one child from a set of twins or triplets those applicants who are unsuccessful can ask does not gain admission to Pegasus to be placed on a waiting list. Academy through the admissions criteria. Children on the waiting list will be ranked in If necessary, Pegasus Academy will accordance with the Academy’s published exceed its published admission number in admissions criteria and the list will operate from order to prevent the separation of twins or the point of allocation of places until 31st August triplets. 2020. After 31st August 2020 the waiting list will • In the event that we are unable to no longer be in operation. distinguish between applicants for the final Inclusion on the Academy’s waiting list does not available place, such as in the case of mean that a place will eventually become children who live in the same block of flats, available. then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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A child’s position on the waiting list is not fixed that there will be no change in the arrangements and is subject to change during the period of or matters described before 1st September 2018 operation i.e. they can go up or down the list. or in relation to subsequent Academy years. Places that become available between the point Admission of Children Outside Their Normal of allocation and 31st August 2020 will be offered Age Group to children according to their ranking on this list Parents/Carers may seek a place for their child i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. outside their normal age group, for example, if How to Apply for a Place at Pegasus the child is gifted and talented or has Academy for Year 7 in September 2019 experienced problems such as ill health. Parents must complete the application form In such cases, parents/carers should make a which is provided by your home Local Authority. written application to the Academy. Each application will be considered individually on the The timetable for the processing of admissions basis of the circumstances of each case and in applications will follow the same timetable as the the best interests of the child concerned. Once Dudley Local Authority Admissions Service a decision has been made, parents/carers will which will apply this policy on behalf of the be informed in writing setting out the reasons for Governors of Pegasus Academy. the decision. Note: These arrangements refer to the Academy Other Relevant Policies year commencing 1st September 2019. Whilst the information contained herein is correct at the This policy should be read in conjunction with time of publication, it should not be assumed the Academy’s Equality Policy.

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Preference Preference

2018 146 262 110 128 2 0 0 47 79 - -

2017 146 257 103 118 0 0 0 43 75 - -

2016 146 262 100 125 2 0 0 33 90 - -

2015 146 261 95 125 3 2 0 44 76 - -

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Redhill School Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. The following criteria will be used to allocate the Headteacher: Miss C McGrail available places if more applications are Type of school: Academy received than spaces available. Age range: 11 - 16 a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children Number on Roll: 1207 who were previously looked after but Published Admission Number 2019: 235 immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child Admissions authority: Governing Body arrangement order or special guardianship order. See notes below. DfE No: 332 4119 b) Second priority for admission shall be given Redhill School to children with a “serious and ongoing Junction Road medical condition” where the Redhill School Stourbridge DY8 1JX is the most appropriate school to meet the condition. Tel: 01384 816355 (Parents must provide supportive Email: [email protected] information from their child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application in order Website: www.redhill.dudley.sch.uk to be considered under this criteria. This supportive information should include Dates of open evenings/days information about the needs of the child and should detail the difficulties the pupil would 26 September 2018 9am - 11.30am experience if they had to attend another 27 September 2018 9am - 11.30am school. Parents should also indicate why Redhill School is the most appropriate to 28 September 2018 9am - 11.30am meet their child’s medical condition rather 4 October 2018 6pm - 9pm than any other school. The Governing Body will not seek to obtain medical evidence on Redhill School is an Academy and partner in SVAT which behalf of parents.) includes The Earls High School and Ridgewood High School. c) Third priority for admission shall be given to children who have a brother/sister, half- Redhill School has an Inclusive Education Policy brother/sister (where the children share one and the admissions policy aims to maximise the common parent), or step-brother / step- opportunity to meet parental preferences and to sister, living at the same address and who meet the individual needs of children wherever will still be attending the school in possible. The School does not use a selective September 2019. policy based on aptitude or academic d) Any places that remain available once the achievement. above applicants have been admitted, will Children will not be discriminated against as laid be filled according to those children who live down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The closest to the school, determined by a Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the straight-line measurement in metres, from Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The the home address to the main entrance of Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Redhill School.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Notes resident with friends or relatives (for reasons other than guardianship), the  Relevant looked after children means friends or relatives address will not be children who are looked after by a local considered for allocation purposes. authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care • Where parents have shared responsibility of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided for a child, and the child lives with both with accommodation by a Local Authority in parents for part of the school week, then the the exercise of their social services functions home address will be determined as the (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the address where the child lives for the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an majority of the school week. Parents will be application to a school. This includes required to provide documentary evidence children who were adopted under the to support the address they wish to be Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption considered for allocation purposes. At least orders) and children who were adopted one item of proof must demonstrate where under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see the child lives. section 46 adoption orders). • Special conditions will apply in the event  Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 that one child from a set of twins or triplets of the Children Act 1989, as amended by does not gain admission to the preferred s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. school through the admissions criteria. The Child arrangements orders replace Governing Body will exceed the admission residence orders and any residence order in number for the school concerned to prevent force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be separation of twins / triplets. a child arrangements order. • Admission of children outside their normal  Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines age group. Applications for school places a special guardianship order as an order outside of the normal age group will be appointing one or more individuals to be a considered by the Governing Body where child’s special guardian (or special there are exceptional circumstances. The guardians). Governing Body will make decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case • In accordance with legislation, an Education and in the best interests of the child Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be offered a concerned. This will include taking account place if the school is named in the EHCP as of the parent’s views; information about the the most appropriate to meet the child’s child’s academic, social and emotional individual needs, this may reduce the development and where relevant their amount of places available for children who medical history. The Governing Body will do not have an EHCP. also take into account the views of the head • Any child not obtaining a place will be teacher. Where the Governing Body agrees advised about the independent appeals to a parent’s request for their child to be process. admitted out of their normal age group the application will then be considered in line • Definition of brother or sister also relates to with the normal admission procedures. adopted or fostered children living at the same home address. • Random allocation will be used as a tie- break in category d above to decide who • The home address is considered to be the has the highest priority for admission if the child’s (along with their parents’) genuine distance between two children’s homes and principal place of residence at the time of the school is the same. the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is 72 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Application Process applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. Children All applications will be coordinated via the home on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance Local Authority of the applicant. Further details with the schools published admissions criteria and timescales are set out in the Local and the list will operate from the point of Authority’s Co-ordinated Scheme which is allocation of places until the end of the available from The School Admissions Service. academic year. Late Applications Inclusion on a school’s waiting list does not Preferences that are received after the closing mean that a place will eventually become date will only be considered after applications available there. A child’s position on a waiting that were received within the deadline have list is not fixed and is subject to change during been dealt with. the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. There will, however, be exceptional Places that become available (below the circumstances in which a late application will be published admission number or any number that considered alongside those applications that the school agree they can admit) between the were made within the deadline. point of allocation and the end of the academic In each circumstance supportive documentary year will be offered to children according to their evidence must be provided by the parent / carer ranking on this list i.e. those ranked highest will at the time of application. be offered first. Waiting Lists Repeat Applications If a school is oversubscribed and children have It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider been refused admission because other children repeat applications in the same academic year have a higher priority for admission under the unless there have been significant and material published admissions criteria, then those change in the circumstances of the applicant.

Academic year year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Number Number

2018 235 701 315 245* 5 6 0 96 138 1640 15/2

2017 235 670 307 245* 7 3 0 75 160 1588 15/0

2016 235 661 325 247* 3 1 1 92 149 1500 24/1

2015 235 564 284 245* 1 3 0 81 160 1748 11/1

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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The following criteria will be used to allocate the Ridgewood High School available places if more applications are A Stour Vale Academy Trust School received than spaces available. Headteacher: Mrs Rae Cope a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children Type of school: Multi Academy Trust who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after Age range: 11 - 16 became subject to an adoption, child Number on Roll: 797 arrangement order or special guardianship order. See notes below. Published Admission Number 2019: 180 b) Second priority for admission shall be given Admissions authority: Governing Body to children with a “serious and ongoing DfE No: 332 4121 medical condition” where Ridgewood High School is the most appropriate school to Ridgewood High School meet the condition. Park Road West (Parents must provide supportive Stourbridge DY8 3NQ information from their child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application in order Tel: 01384 818445 to be considered under this criteria. This Email: [email protected] supportive information should include information about the needs of the child and Website: www.ridgewood.dudley.sch.uk should detail the difficulties the pupil would experience if they had to attend another Dates of open days/evening school. Parents should also indicate why Ridgewood High school is the most 25 September 2018 9.15am - 10.45am appropriate to meet their child’s medical 26 September 2018 6pm – 8.30pm condition rather than any other school. The Governing Body will not seek to obtain 1 October 2018 9.15am – 10.45am medical evidence on behalf of parents.) 5 October 2018 9.15am - 10.45am c) Third priority for admission shall be given to children who have a brother/sister, half- brother/sister (where the children share one Ridgewood High School has an Inclusive common parent), or step-brother / step- Education Policy in line with being a fully sister, living at the same address and who comprehensive mainstream co-educational will still be attending the school in secondary school. The school does not use a September 2019. selective policy based on aptitude or academic achievement or gender. d) Any places that remain available once the above applicants have been admitted, will Children will not be discriminated against as laid be filled according to those children who live down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The closest to the school, determined by a Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the straight-line measurement in metres, from Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The the home address to the main entrance of Human Rights Act 1998, The Special Ridgewood High School. Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010.

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Notes child lives for the majority of the school week. Parents will be required to provide documentary Relevant looked after children means children evidence to support the address they wish to be who are looked after by a local authority in considered for allocation purposes. At least one accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children item of proof must demonstrate where the child Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local lives. Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the Special conditions will apply in the event that exercise of their social services functions (see one child from a set of twins or triplets does not definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act gain admission to the preferred school through 1989) at the time of making an application to a the admissions criteria. The Governing Body will school. This includes children who were exceed the admission number for the school adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see concerned to prevent separation of twins / section 12 adoption orders) and children who triplets. were adopted under Adoption and Children Act Random allocation will be used as a tie-break in 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). category d above to decide who has the highest Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of priority for admission if the distance between two the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of children’s homes and the school is the same. the Children and Families Act 2014. Child Application Process arrangements orders replace residence orders and any residence order in force prior to 22 April All applications will be coordinated via the home 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements Local Authority of the applicant. Further details order. and timescales are set out in the Local Authority’s Co-ordinated Scheme which is Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a available from The School Admissions Service. special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a Late Applications child’s special guardian (or special guardians). Preferences that are received after the closing In accordance with legislation, a child with an date will only be considered after applications EHCP will be admitted to the school if the school that were received within the deadline have is named in the plan. been dealt with. Any child not obtaining a place will be advised There will, however, be exceptional about the independent appeals process. circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that Definition of brother or sister also relates to were made within the deadline. adopted or fostered children living at the same home address. In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent / carer The home address is considered to be the at the time of application. child’s (along with their parents’) genuine principal place of residence at the time of the Waiting Lists allocation of places i.e. where they are normally If a school is oversubscribed and children have and regularly living. If a child is resident with been refused admission because other children friends or relatives (for reasons other than have a higher priority for admission under the guardianship), the friends or relatives address published admissions criteria, then those will not be considered for allocation purposes. applicants who are unsuccessful will be asked if Where parents have shared responsibility for a they wish to be placed on a waiting list. child, and the child lives with both parents for Children on the waiting list will be ranked in part of the school week, then the home address accordance with the schools published will be determined as the address where the 75 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions admissions criteria and the list will operate from Admission of children outside of their the point of allocation of places until 31 August normal age group. 2020. After this point the waiting list will no Parents may seek a place for their child outside longer be in operation and places will be of their normal age group, for example, if the allocated on a first come first served basis. child is gifted and talented or has experienced Inclusion on a school’s waiting list does not problems such as ill health. Parents should mean that a place will eventually become make their application to the Local Authority available there. A child’s position on a waiting setting out the reasons why they believe their list is not fixed and is subject to change during child should be taught outside of their the year i.e. they can go up or down the list. chronological age group. Places that become available (below the These parents will need to make an application published admission number or any number that alongside children applying at the normal age the school agree they can admit) between the which should explain why it is in the child’s best point of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be interest to be admitted outside of their normal offered to children according to their ranking on age which may include information such as this list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered professional evidence as to why this is the case first. and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is Repeat Applications an appropriate course of action will be made by It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider the Local Authority who will take into account the repeat applications in the same academic year circumstances of the case. Parents do not have unless there have been significant and material the right to insist that their child is admitted to a change in the circumstances of the applicant. particular year group.

Academic year Academic Number Admission Published Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

Applications

2018 180 356 131 154 2 0 0 41 111 - -

2017 180 386 137 171 2 1 0 40 128 - -

2016 190 363 148 200* 1 0 0 50 149 - -

2015 190 344 147 186 4 2 0 43 137 - -

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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meet parental preference and to meet the St James Academy individual needs of children wherever possible. St James Academy does not support the use of Headteacher: Ms M King selective admissions policies based on aptitude or Type of School: Academy academic achievement. Age Range: 11 - 16 The admission arrangements set by the governing body ensures that the process is fair and equitable Number on Roll: 610 for all. Published Admission Number 2019 180 Legal Context: Admissions Authority: Advisory Committee School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as DfE No: 332 4612 amended by the Education Act 2002 The Education (Co-ordination of Admission St James Academy Arrangements) (Primary Schools) (England) St James’s Road (Amendment) Regulations 2012 Dudley DY1 3JE The Education (Admission of Looked After Tel: 01384 816045 Children) (England) Regulations 2005 Email: [email protected] School Admissions Code 2014 Website: www.castle.dudley.sch.uk Children will not be discriminated against as laid down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Dates of open evenings/days Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Open evening Monday 24 September 2018 Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination 7.00pm – 8.30pm Act 2005 and The Equality Act 2010. Open mornings Tuesday 25 September 2018 All preferences, regardless of ranking, will be 9.30am – 12 noon assessed against the following criteria to allocate the available places where more Thursday 27 September 2018 applications are received than can be 9.30am – 12 noon accommodated. Come and see for yourself – it’s a great place to be! a) First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children Informal visits are welcome during the day. Please who were previously looked after but telephone the school to make an appointment. immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child How to apply for a place in Year 7 for arrangement order or special guardianship September 2019: order. See notes below.

 Complete the application form which b) Second priority for admission shall be given is available from your home LA to children with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate school to St James Academy has an Inclusive Education meet the condition. Policy which aims to maximise the opportunity to

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A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

(Parents must provide supportive s.12 of the Children and Families Act 2014. information from their child’s Hospital Child arrangements orders replace Consultant at the time of application in order residence orders and any residence order in to be considered under this criteria. This force prior to 22 April 2014 is deemed to be supportive information should include a child arrangements order. information about the needs of the child and Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a should detail the difficulties the child would special guardianship order as an order experience if they attended another school. appointing one or more individuals to be a Parents should also indicate why St James Academy is the most appropriate to meet child’s special guardian (or special guardians). their child’s medical condition rather than any other school. The Governing Body will In accordance with legislation, a child with a not seek to obtain medical evidence on Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be behalf of parents.) offered a place if the school is named in the EHCP as the most appropriate to meet the c) Third priority for admission shall be given to child’s individual needs, this may reduce the children who have a brother/sister, half- amount of places available for children who do brother/sister (where the children share one not have an EHCP. common parent), or step-brother / step- sister, living at the same address and who Any child not obtaining a place will be advised will still be attending St James Academy in about the independent appeals process. the academic year 2019/2020. Definition of brother or sister also relates to d) Any places that remain available once the adopted or fostered children living at the same above applicants have been admitted, will home address. be filled according to those children who live The home address is considered to be the closest to the school, determined by a child’s (along with their parents’) genuine straight-line measurement in metres, from principal place of residence at the time of the the home address to the main entrance of allocation of places i.e. where they are normally the school. and regularly living. If a child is resident with Notes friends or relatives (for reasons other than guardianship), the friends or relatives address Relevant looked after children means will not be considered for allocation purposes. children who are looked after by a local authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of Where parents have shared responsibility for a the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care child, and the child lives with both parents for of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided part of the school week, then the home address with accommodation by a Local Authority in will be determined as the address where the the exercise of their social services functions child lives for the majority of the school week. (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the Parents will be required to provide documentary Children Act 1989) at the time of making an evidence to support the address they wish to be application to a school. This includes considered for allocation purposes. At least one children who were adopted under the item of proof must demonstrate where the child Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption lives. It is expected that parents will agree on orders) and children who were adopted school places before an application is made, under Adoption and Children Act 2002 (see and it may be necessary to request evidence section 46 adoption orders). from you to confirm that this is the case. The School is not in a position to intervene in Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 disputes between parents over school of the Children Act 1989, as amended by

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Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions applications and will request that these are Waiting Lists resolved privately. If the school is oversubscribed and children Special conditions will apply in the event that have been refused admission because other one child from a set of twins or triplets does not children have a higher priority for admission gain admission to the preferred school through under the published admissions criteria, then the admissions criteria. The Governing Body will those applicants who are unsuccessful will be exceed the admission number to prevent asked if they wish to be placed on a waiting list. separation of twins / triplets. Children on the waiting list will be ranked in Random allocation will be used as a tie-break in accordance with the published admissions category d above to decide who has the highest criteria and the list will operate from the point of priority for admission if the distance between two allocation until the 31st August 2020. After this children’s homes and the school is the same. point the waiting list will no longer be in operation and places that become available will Admission of children outside of their be allocated on a first come first basis. If more normal age group. than one application is received at the same These parents will need to make an application time, the oversubscription criteria, as detailed on alongside children applying at the normal age previous page, will be used to determine which which should explain why it is in the child’s best applicant will have the place. interest to be admitted outside of their normal Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that age which should include information such as a place will eventually become available. professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and case of the child. A decision as to whether this is is subject to change during the year i.e. they can an appropriate course of action will be made by go up or down the list. The Multi Academy Trust Board who will take Places that become available between the point into account the circumstances of the case. of allocation and 31 August 2020 will be offered Parents do not have the right to insist that their to children according to their ranking on this list child is admitted to a particular year group. i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first.

Late Applications Repeat Applications Preferences that are received after the closing It is not the Governing Body’s Policy to consider date for receipt of applications will only be repeat applications in the same academic year considered after applications that were received unless there have been significant and material within the deadline have been dealt with. changes in the circumstances of the applicant. There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent / carer at the time of application.

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Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Academic year AdmissionNumber Published TotalApplications Applications Total1st Preference Admitted TotalNumber Children LookedAfter CarePlan Education,Health & Medical Siblings Distance admitted(metres) Furthestdistance /Heardand Allowed Numberof Appeals

2018 180 265 81 119 4 0 0 28 87 - -

2017 180 251 83 131 1 2 0 39 89 - - 2016 180 273 89 151 1 2 0 35 113 - - 2015 180 246 66 110 1 1 0 28 80 - -

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admission in September 2019

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Dates of open evenings/days Summerhill School Wednesday 3 October 2018 Tours start at 9.30am Executive Headteacher: Mr J Bowkett and 2.00pm

Type of school: Community

Age range: 11 - 16 Thursday 4 October 2018 Tours start at 9.30am Number on Roll: 1009 and 2.00pm

Published Admission Number 2019: 210 Thursday 4 October 2018 7.00pm Admissions authority: Dudley LA All tours last approximately 1 hour DfE No: 332 4020

Summerhill School How to apply for a place in year 7 for September Lodge Lane 2019 Kingswinford DY6 9XE • By completing the application form that is available from your home LA. Tel: 01384 816165 Email: [email protected] Admissions policy See Page 8. Website: www.summerhill.dudley.sch.uk

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

2018 210 406 201 207 2 2 1 63 139 - -

2017 201 546 206 210* 4 3 0 50 153 4478 -

2016 201 540 224 201 7 2 0 71 121 2139 7/0

2015 201 610 267 205 8 7 1 81 108 1627 31/6

*The Governing Body agreed to admit additional pupils.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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parents MUST complete an online registration Thorns Collegiate form provided by their Local Authority by 31 October 2018. In completing this form Thorns Academy Collegiate Academy must be chosen as one of the 6 preferences on the LA form. Associate Principal: Mr M Kelay Preference forms received after the closing date will be considered where the Local Authority Type of school: Academy identifies that exceptional circumstances apply. Age range: 11 - 16 Preference forms received after the places have been offered will be kept on file and form the Number on Roll: 869 basis of the ‘Applications to Transfer to Year 7’. Published Admission Number 2019: 270 Those who are offered a place at the Academy will be informed on 1 March 2019 by the home Admissions authority: Local Authority. Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust Those not offered admission will be informed on DfE No: 332 4001 1 March 2019 and will be offered a place at an alternative school by the home Local Authority. Thorns Collegiate Academy

Off Stockwell Avenue Admission of children outside their normal Quarry Bank DY5 2NU age group Tel: 01384 816225 Parents may seek a place for their child outside Email: [email protected] of their normal age group, for example, if the child is having or has experienced problems Website: www.thornsca.org.uk such as ill health and the Academy Trust will make decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case and in the best Dates of open evenings/tours interests of the child concerned. This will 27 September 2018 5.30pm – 8.00pm include taking account of the parent’s views; 2, 3, 4 & 5 October 2018 9.00am – 11.00am information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development; where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical How to apply for a place in year 7 for professional; whether they may naturally have September 2019 fallen into a lower age group if it were not for • By completing the application form which is being born prematurely. available from your home LA. Parents should submit a request to the school with their application specifying the age of the Procedures for Admission child, which year group they wish him/her to be admitted and the reason for the request. The Admissions Authority for Thorns Collegiate Academy is the Collegiate Academy Trust which will comply with the national coordinated Procedures when the Academy is admissions scheme. Thorns Collegiate oversubscribed Academy has an agreed admission number of 270 students. Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admissions As part of the national coordinated admissions number, applications will be considered against arrangements across all Admissions Authorities, 82 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions the criteria in the order in which they are set out admissions criteria. For Dudley schools, waiting below. lists will normally operate until the 31 August 2020. • Looked after children and those who were previously looked after but ceased to be so Parents will have the right of appeal to an because they were adopted (or became Independent Appeals Panel if they are subject to a child arrangement order or dissatisfied with an admission decision. The special guardianship order) arrangements for appeals will be in line with the Code on School Admission Appeals published • Siblings (brother and sister at the Academy by the Department for Education. The at the time of admission) determination of the Appeals Panel will be made • Sibling is defined as children who live as in accordance with the Code on School brother or sister in the same house, Admission Appeals and is binding on all parties. including natural brothers or sisters, (For further information about appeals, see adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and Appendix A) foster brothers and sisters Collegiate Academy Trust Admission Criteria • Thereafter, on the basis of distance and Process for In Year Applications for between their home address and the main Thorns Collegiate Academy entrance to the Academy. (Distance will be All in year admissions are managed by Dudley calculated according to a straight line Local Authority. Applications for places at measurement between the applicant’s home Thorns should be made directly to the Dudley and the main entrance to the Academy as Local Authority. measured by an external consultant) If several requests for places in the same year NB: Children with an Education Health Care are received at the same time, places will be Plan (previously known as Statement of Special offered according to the criteria set out below: Educational Needs) naming the Academy will be admitted before other applicants Looked after children and those who were previously looked after but ceased to be so A 'looked after child' is a child who is (a) in the because they were adopted (or became subject care of a local authority, or (b) being provided to a child arrangement order or special with accommodation by a local authority in the guardianship order). exercise of their social services functions at the time of making an application to a school. Siblings (brother and sister at the Academy at the time of admission, not including (Sixth This includes children who were adopted under Form). Sibling is defined as children who live as the Adoption Act 1976 and children who were brother or sister in the same house, including adopted under the Adoption and Childrens Act natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, 2002. stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters Operation of waiting list and appeals Thereafter, on the basis of distance between If the Academy is oversubscribed and children their home address and the main entrance to have been refused admission because other the Academy. (Distance will be calculated applicants have a higher priority for admission according to a straight-line measurement under the published admission criteria, then between the applicant’s home and the main those applicants who are unsuccessful will entrance to the Academy as measured by an automatically be placed on the waiting list. The external consultant) Local Authority will maintain this. Children NB: Children with an Education Health Care placed on the waiting list will be ranked in Plan (previously known as Statement of accordance with the Academy’s published 83 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Educational Needs) naming the Academy will be by Democratic Services of the Council. The admitted before other applicants Panel will consist of 3 or 5 members. There will also be someone representing TCA (this will be Relevant looked after children means children a LA officer) and a clerk from Democratic who are looked after by a local authority in Services in attendance. At the meeting, you will accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children be invited to say why you would like your child to Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local go to TCA rather than the one offered. The LA Authority, or (b) being provided with officer will explain why a place at TCA has been accommodation by a Local Authority in the refused. exercise of their social services functions (see definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act You cannot appeal for TCA if you did not list it 1989) at the time of making an application to a on your common application form. The LA school. This includes children who were recommends that you accept the school that has adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see been offered to you even if you decide to appeal section 12 adoption orders) and children who for TCA. By accepting the school offered, you were adopted under Adoption and Children Act will guarantee a school place for your child. If 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). you refuse the place, you are likely to be reducing the options that may be available to Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of you. Accepting the place will have no bearing on the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of the outcome of your appeal. the Children and Families Act 2014. Child Appeal hearings will normally be held within 40 arrangements orders replace residence orders school days of the deadline for submitting an and any residence order in force prior to 22 April appeal i.e. during the late Spring and early 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements Summer Terms. Families will be given 10 days’ order. notice of an appeal hearing date and time.

Appeals for heavily oversubscribed schools can Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a last for up to two weeks. You will be notified of special guardianship order as an order the decision no later than five school days after appointing one or more individuals to be a the last hearing unless there is good reason why child’s special guardian (or special guardians). the decision has been delayed.

The decision of the Panel is binding on parents, The Academy does not maintain waiting lists for the LA and schools. The Council, Councillors in year applications. and even Members of Parliament are unable to Appeals change its decision. If you think that the appeal process has been conducted unfairly, you can The Governing Body of Thorns Collegiate complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. Academy (TCA) has contracted the appeals However, the Ombudsman does not have the function to Dudley Local Authority (LA). power to change the decision of the Panel. If you are unhappy with the school allocated to All arrangements for allocation of school places you (even if it was your first preference) and you and for appeals will be in line with the School wish to appeal, contact the LA’s Admission and Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Service for an appeal form. Before Appeals Code published by the Department for deciding to appeal, you may wish to contact the Education. Advisory Centre for Education (0808 800 5793) who will provide you with free, impartial advice. If you choose to exercise your right of appeal, arrangements will be made for you to attend an appeal hearing. The Appeals Panel is independent of the LA and TCA and is arranged 84 | P a g e

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year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

2018 270 301 162 180 2 2 0 45 131 - -

2017 270 287 108 136 0 1 0 54 81 - -

2016 270 328 148 174 0 0 0 58 116 - -

2015 270 368 143 184 3 0 0 64 117 - -

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admission in September 2019

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Over Subscription Windsor High School All schools must admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that and Sixth Form names the school directly.

Headteacher: Mr S R Lanckham Where applicants for admission exceed the Type of school: Academy number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to Age range: 11 - 19 decide which children to admit: Number on Roll: 1611 1. “Looked after children – children in public Published Admission Number 2019: 280 care”, as required by the Education (Admission Admissions authority: Governing Body of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations DfE No: 332 5404 2006. First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who Windsor High School and Sixth Form were previously looked after but immediately Richmond Street after being looked after became subject to an Halesowen B63 4BB adoption, child arrangement order, or special guardianship order. *See note below Tel: 0121 550 1452 Email: 2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half- brother/sister (where the children share one [email protected] common parent), step brother/step sister or Website: fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home www.windsor.windsoracademytrust.org.uk address (i.e. the genuine principal place of residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be still attending Windsor High Dates of open evenings/days School and Sixth Form in September 2019. **See note below Monday 24 September 2018 6.30pm Tuesday 25 September 2018 9.30am 3. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, measured in a straight line from the front door of Wednesday 26 September 2018 6.30pm the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main Thursday 27 September 2018 9.30am gate of the school, with those living nearest accorded the higher priority. ***See note below Policy and numbers Students will be admitted at age 11 without Note reference to ability or aptitude. There is no charge relating to the admission of students. * Relevant looked after children means children The school’s admission policy offers no who are looked after by a local authority in guarantee of places. accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local The Pupil Admission Number (PAN) for the year Authority, or (b) being provided with commencing September 1st, 2019 will be 280. accommodation by a Local Authority in the All admissions will be administered by use of the exercise of their social services functions (see criteria detailed below. definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. This includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see

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Admissions 2019-20 One click… makes it quick www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions section 12 adoption orders) and children who Special conditions will apply in the event that were adopted under Adoption and Children Act one child from a multiple birth does not gain 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). admission to the school through the admissions criteria; in this instance the school governors will Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of exceed the admission number for the family the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of concerned to prevent separation of such the Children and Families Act 2014. Child children. arrangements orders replace residence orders and any residence order in force prior to 22 April Year 7 admissions for September entry will be 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements administered on behalf of the Governors of order. Windsor High School and Sixth Form by Dudley LA (Admissions Service) using the criteria Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a outlined above. special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians). Appeals

Appeals regarding admissions will be ** Where parents have a shared considered by an Independent Appeals panel. responsibility for a child and the child lives with Late applications both parents for part of the school week, then Preferences that are received after the closing the home address will be determined as the date for receipt of applications will only be address where the child lives for the majority of considered after applications that were received the school week (i.e. three out of the five days). within the deadline have been dealt with. Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be There will, however, be exceptional considered for allocation purposes. circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that *** In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the were made within the deadline. Where last named priority) is to be used as a tie exceptional circumstances are such that the breaker should the school be oversubscribed parent could not have reasonably submitted the with applicants under criteria with a higher application within the deadline, the applicant will priority. For example, if the school were to be be considered alongside all other applicants. oversubscribed with siblings only (second priority), the proximity criterion would dictate In each circumstance supportive documentary who would gain admission. Parents or guardians evidence must be provided by the parent/carer might be asked to submit evidence in support of at the time of application. their application; fraudulent information used at that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place Unsuccessful late applications will be added to and further children might be affected. In the the waiting list in accordance with the event that we are unable to distinguish between admissions criteria. applicants for the final available place, such as in the case of children who live in the same Waiting lists block of flats, then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ If the school is oversubscribed and students address to be used will be the current one at the have been refused admission because other time places are allocated and the one that students have a higher priority for admission parents either own or rent. under the published admissions criteria, then parents may request to be added to a waiting list. 87 | P a g e

A parents’ guide to Secondary School

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Children on the waiting list will be ranked in  All current Year 11 Windsor students accordance with the schools published admissions criteria and the list will operate from  Students visiting from other education the point of allocation of places until July establishments st st 31 2020. After July 31 2020 the waiting list will  Those making specific requests by contacting no longer be in operation. Dudley LA will the school operate this waiting list on behalf of the school. Information, advice and guidance meetings are Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that set up for every prospective Sixth Form student, a place will eventually become available. with their parents, to provide expert professional support at a critical time of decision. A child’s position on the waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they Entry Criteria for Courses: can go up or down the list. Students need to demonstrate evidence of a Places that become available below the positive, self-motivated approach to learning and published admissions number or any number a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 9 – 4 (or that the school agree that they can admit from equivalent grades) including English and Maths. March 2019 will be offered to students according to their ranking on the list i.e. those ranked Individual courses may have subject-specific highest will be offered first. GCSE requirements for entry - these are outlined fully in the prospectus each year. Dudley LA (Admissions Service) will also help co-ordinate any In Year Admissions on behalf of Students who do not meet the entry criteria can the school. discuss the courses that they want to follow with the Director of Sixth Form and may be given Sixth Form Admissions Policy permission to join in exceptional circumstances. It is our aim, when considering applications, to Applications From Students Not Currently accept students onto a curriculum which will suit Studying in Year 11 at Windsor High School their learning style and encourage them to and Sixth Form: flourish academically. Judgements and offers will be made on an appropriate level of prior Each year a number of students can join our academic achievement and a positive Sixth Form from other schools. Applications are attitude/aptitude for learning. welcomed from such students who wish to continue their studies at Windsor High School The Student Admission Number (PAN) for the and Sixth Form. The application process and year commencing September 1st, 2019 will be entry requirements will be identical for both 180. All admissions will be administered by use internal and external applicants. of the criteria detailed below. Our admission number for external applications Method of Application: is a minimum of twenty.

Prospectuses and application forms will be All schools must admit any child with a published during the Autumn Term each year. statement of special educational needs that All current Windsor students will be invited to an names the school directly. Open Evening and the event will be marketed locally and on the school website. Prospectuses Where over-subscribed we will give priority to and application forms will be specifically issued applicants as follows: to:

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1. “Looked after children – children in public Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a care”, as required by the Education (Admission special guardianship order as an order of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations appointing one or more individuals to be a 2006. First priority for admission shall be given child’s special guardian (or special guardians). to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an **Where parents have a shared responsibility for adoption, child arrangement order, or special a child and the child lives with both parents for guardianship order. (* See note below) part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the 2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half- child lives for the majority of the school week brother/sister (where the children share one (i.e. three out of the five days). Parents will be common parent), step brother/sister or required to provide documentary evidence to fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home support the address they wish to be considered address (i.e. the genuine principle place of for allocation purposes. residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be attending Windsor High *** In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the last School and Sixth Form in September 2019. ** named priority) is to be used as a tie breaker See note below should the school be oversubscribed with applicants under criteria with a higher priority. 3. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, For example, if the school were to be measured in a straight line from the front door of oversubscribed with siblings only (second the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main priority), the proximity criterion would dictate gate of the school, with those living nearest who would gain admission. Parents or guardians accorded the higher priority. ***See note below might be asked to submit evidence in support of their application; fraudulent information used at * Relevant looked after children means children that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place who are looked after by a local authority in and further children might be affected. In the accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children event that we are unable to distinguish between Act 1989 and who is (a) in care of a Local applicants for the final available place, such as Authority, or (b) being provided with in the case of children who live in the same accommodation by a Local Authority in the block of flats, then the final place will be exercise of their social services functions (see randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ definition in Section 22 (1) of the Children Act address to be used will be the current one at the 1989) at the time of making an application to a time places are allocated and the one that school. This includes children who were parents either own or rent. adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption orders) and children who All of the above applicants must meet the Entry were adopted under Adoption and Children Act Criteria. In the event of the school being 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders). oversubscribed in any of the above criteria, places will be offered to those living nearest the Child arrangements orders are defined in s.8 of school as measured in a direct line distance the Children Act 1989, as amended by s.12 of from the home to the school. the Children and Families Act 2014. Child arrangements orders replace residence orders Applicants refused admission to our Sixth Form and any residence order in force prior to 22 April are entitled to appeal to an Independent 2014 is deemed to be a child arrangements Appeals Panel. order.

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Academic year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, School) Primary Feeder Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest Allowed and /Heard Appeals of Number

School (Lutley (Lutley School

2018 280 715 250 290* 0 1 0 118 171 3195 11/1

2017 280 741 343 299* 2 2 0 118 177 2783 24/3

2016 280 688 302 290* 2 1 37 115 135 2685 12/2

2015 280 718 306 290* 5 3 42 124 116 2945 16/2

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer.

There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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Dates of open evenings/days The Wordsley School Tuesday 11 September 2018 6.45pm - 8.30pm Business & Enterprise Wednesday 12 September 2018 9.15am - 10.30am and Music College Thursday 13 September 2018 9.15am - 10.30am Friday 14 September 2018 9.15am - 10.30am Headteacher: Mr M Lambert

Type of school: Community How to apply for a place in year 7 for September Age range: 11 - 16 2019 Number on Roll: 761 • By completing the application form which is available from your home LA. Published Admission Number 2019: 151 Admissions policy Admissions authority: Dudley LA See Page 8 DfE No: 332 4030

The Wordsley School Business & Enterprise and Music College Brierley Hill Road, Wordsley Stourbridge DY8 5SP Tel: 01384 816015 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wordsley.dudley.sch.uk

year Academic Number Admission Published Applications Total Applications 1st Preference Total Admitted Number Total Children After Looked Plan Care & Health Education, Medical Siblings Distance (metres) admitted distance Furthest / Appeals of Number

Heard and Allowed and Heard

2018 151 371 154 160* 2 1 0 31 124 - -

2017 151 424 205 167* 2 1 0 50 114 1287 9/1

2016 151 372 185 152 0 0 0 53 98 1383 12/1

2015 151 359 187 153 3 0 0 54 96 1353 14/2

*The Governing Body have over recent years agreed to admit additional pupils at the time of offer. There is no guarantee that a similar situation will occur for admissions in September 2019

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Secondary school open days and evenings 2018 The Beacon Hill Academy 3 October - 6.30pm - 8.30pm (Formerly High Arcal School) 4 and 5 October - 9.15am - 2.45pm 08451 550411 Tours start at 9.15am, 10.00am, 11.30am and 2.00pm or any day by arrangement with the Headteacher.

Bishop Milner Catholic College 20 September - 6pm - 8pm 01384 889422 8 November - 6pm - 8pm - Sixth Form

Crestwood School 19 September - 6pm - 8.30pm 01384 686850 20 September - tours of the school 9.15am - 11am 21 September - tours of the school 9.15am - 11am 24 September - tours of the school 9.15am - 11am

Dormston School 18 October - 7pm - 9pm 01384 816395 Tours of the school every morning at 9am and 11.15am week commencing 22 October. Contact the School Office for an appointment.

The Earls High School 25 September - 6pm - 8.30pm 01384 816105 26 September - 9.10am * 27 September - 9.10am * 27 September - 6pm - 8.30pm 28 September - 9.10am * * Welcome by Headteacher at 9.10am. Tours start at 9.25am

Ellowes Hall Sports College 4 October - 6.00pm - 8.30pm 01384 686600 1 November - 6.30pm – 8.30pm Sixth Form

Parents are welcome to see the school in action the week following the open evening. Please contact the school to make an appointment.

The Kingswinford School 26 September - 5pm - 8pm 01384 296596 25 September - tour & talk – 9.15am - 10.30am 26 September - tour & talk – 9.15am - 10.30am 27 September - tour & talk – 9.15am - 10.30am

Leasowes High School 18 September – 6.30pm - 8.30pm – open evening 01384 686606 19 September – 9.00am - 11.00am – open morning 20 September – 6.30pm - 8.30pm – open evening 21 September – 9.00am - 11.00am – open morning 25 September – 9 00am - 11.00am – open morning 27 September – 9 00am - 11.00am – open morning

No appointments are necessary for Open Evenings. Please contact the school to confirm attendance at any of our morning tours.

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The Link Academy 20 September - 5.45pm - 8.30pm Principal’s speech at 6pm and 7pm (Formerly Hillcrest School) 21 September - 9.15am - 11am Tour by appointment only 01384 816500

Old Swinford Hospital School 15 September - 9am - 11am (Whole School) 01384 817325 13 October - 9am - 11am (Sixth Form) 18 October - 5.30pm - 7pm (Experience what it is like to be a boarder)

Pedmore High School 2 October - 6pm - 9pm 01384 816660 9 October - 9am - 10.30am 11 October - 9am - 10.30am

Pegasus Academy 17 September - 6.30pm - 8.30pm (Formerly The Holly Hall Academy) 18 September - No appointment necessary. 01384 253722 Tour of the academy will leave the entrance foyer at 9.15am

Redhill School 26 September - 9am - 11.30am 01384 816355 27 September - 9am - 11.30am 28 September - 9am - 11.30am 4 October - 6pm - 9pm

Ridgewood High School 25 September - 9.15am - 10.45am 01384 818445 26 September - 6pm – 8.30pm 1 October - 9.15am – 10.45pm 5 October - 9.15am - 10.45am

Summerhill School 3 October - Tours start at 9.30am and 2.00pm 01384 816165 4 October - Tours start at 9.30am, 2.00pm and 7.00pm All tours last approximately 1 hour.

St James Academy 24 September - 7pm - 8.30pm (Formerly Castle High School) 25 September – 9.30am – 12 noon 01384 816045 27 September – 9.30am – 12 noon

Informal visits are welcome during the day. Please telephone the school to make an appointment

Thorns Collegiate Academy 27 September - 5.30pm - 8pm 01384 816225 2, 3, 4 and 5 October – 9.00am – 11.00am

Windsor High School and Sixth Form 24 September - 6.30pm 0121 550 1452 25 September - 9.30am 26 September - 6.30pm 27 September - 9.30am

The Wordsley School Business 11 September - 6.45pm - 8.30pm & Enterprise and Music College 12 September - 9.15am - 10.30am 01384 816015 13 September - 9.15am - 10.30am 14 September - 9.15am - 10.30am Admissions staff will be available at some of the open evenings to assist with queries regarding the admission process. 93 | P a g e

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Privacy Notice: School Admissions

This notice explains what personal data (information) we hold about you, how we collect, how we use and intend to share information about you. We are required to give you this information under data protection law. Who is the Data Controller for the information you provide? Dudley Borough Council is the Data Controller for the personal information you provide. The Council’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted on 0300 555 8283 or by email to [email protected]. We collect and hold information about you and your child in order to process your application regarding your child’s admission to school. The Local Authority and schools will need this information to ensure the application is assessed appropriately. Why do we need your information? We use your information to allocate your child a place at school in accordance with the School Admissions Code December 2014 and the legislation set out in the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998. The Council is responsible for processing admissions to reception class and transfers from primary to secondary school, and also processes all in year admission requests i.e. where a child is moving between schools within the authority, or has moved into the authority from another authority. What legal basis allows us to use your information? The Department of Education’s School Admissions Code published in December 2014, which has statutory force, underpins legislation set out in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This requires parents and carers to apply for a school place, requests parents/carers to express their school preferences, and allows them an opportunity on the form (and any supplementary form/s) to outline the reasons why they are requesting the school(s) of preference. For school appeals, the Department for Education’s School Admission Appeals Code published in February 2012, which has statutory force underpins legislation set out in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 which sets out the requirement to allow a parent/carer to appeal for a school place if they have been refused. The lawful basis for processing your personal data is ‘Public Task’ as we need the information to carry out our public functions as set out in law. We collect the following information You are required to complete all aspects of the application form. We collect the following information:  your personal information (such as name, home address, contact details and email address).  your child’s personal information (such as name, date of birth, address if different from yours).  Council Tax number.  current or previous education provision.  school preference information and parent’s reasons for selection.  name and date of birth of any sibling already attending your preferred school.  looked after children, adoption, special guardianship order or child arrangement history.  professional supporting documents if relevant to your application.  background education history if applying for an in-year admission.  country of origin if a new arrival to the country.  Medical information about your child if pertinent to the application in line with the medical criteria.

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We also obtain personal information from other sources as follows:  additional admissions related information that you have provided directly to your preferred or offered school.  confirmation of looked after children, adoption, special guardianship order or child arrangement history from Virtual Schools.  confirmation of Education Health and Care Plan status from SEN Department.  the result of any school’s own academic/aptitude test that your child has taken part in.  faith information if application relates to faith criteria. How do we collect your information? The initial application for your child to start primary school or transfer from primary to secondary school can either be submitted online or a paper application. Transfers in-year require a hard copy application to be completed. Additional information may be requested either by letter, email, telephone, or face-to-face. Who do we share the information with? The Admissions Team intends to, where a lawful basis exists, also use your information for other legitimate purposes and will share (where necessary) with other Council departments and external bodies responsible for administering services to children and young people. Reasons for sharing information with the internal and external bodies will be; to enable the processing of school application, to fulfil the council’s safeguarding duty and comply with the Prevent Strategy, and to provide Central Government bodies with mandatory data returns, The Home Office to notify of potential illegal immigration, and the Police, at times, request information as part of a criminal investigation. We intend, where necessary, to also share your information with:  Any of your preferred schools, including the school your child is allocated.  Members of the independent appeals panel, where necessary, in accordance with the School Admission Code and the School Admissions Appeals Code.  Black Country Foundation Partnership Trust for school health visits and checks  Relevant information with neighbouring authorities when applying for a school in their authority in accordance with the schools Standards and Framework Act 1998  Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust (BCHT) to assist with the administration and management of the Child Health Information System.  Teams within Dudley Council working to improve outcomes for children and young people.  External bodies including; other Councils/boroughs where appropriate, Central Government bodies comprising of the Department for Education, the Local Government Ombudsmen and the Office of the School Adjudication.  For the purpose of validating proof of address, the School Admissions Team will refer to data held by any of the services mentioned above, Council Tax Records, the Housing Team, Elections and the Fraud Team  We will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law. How long will the personal information be kept? The information provided will be retained by the Admissions Service until your child reaches government statutory school leaving age.

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Will this information be used to make an automated decision about me? No – School places are allocated for Primary Reception and Secondary Year 7 intake using an automated decision making process. The local authority will have manually entered the criteria for each application, the system will then allocate the highest school preference that each child can be offered. Keeping your information secure Your information will be securely stored on the Management Information System used by the Council to process application for school admissions and appeals. Currently this is the Synergy Servelec system, but this may change should the Council change its IT provider at any time in the future. We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so. Your rights and access to your information You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. The new General Data Protection Regulation also gives you additional rights about information we hold about you and how we use it, including the right to: Request to have your information deleted where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing and provided that there are no legitimate grounds for retaining it. Request your information to be rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete. Have your information transferred or copied should you move to another authority. To submit a Subject Access Request email the Admissions Team at [email protected] If you have any concerns Please contact us if you would like to know more about the information we hold about you and how we use it. The School Admissions Team can be contacted on Tel: 0300 555 2345 between 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday. You have the right to complain to us if you think we have not complied with our obligation for handling your personal information. Please contact our Data protection officer at [email protected] or write to Data Protection Officer, Information Governance Service, The Council House, Priory Road, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 1HF. Your concerns will be investigated via the respective Council’s complaints procedures. If you are not satisfied with the Council’s response, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you the right to complain to the information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can visit the ICO website at: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/ In addition, the Corporate Privacy Notice is available at https://connect.dudley.gov.uk/support/Pages/Information-Governance/Privacy-Notices.aspx

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Supplementary guidance for parents of pupils with special educational needs or disability This guidance is very important for parents and carers whose child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and should be read in conjunction with the rest of this document. The following information aims to provide clear guidance to parents and carers of children with an EHCP on the arrangements for secondary transfer. The SEN Team is responsible for the administration of all activities in connection with those children who have an EHCP and works closely with the School Admissions Service to ensure that all children with an EHCP have an appropriate school placement at the beginning of the new school year.

The SEN Team can be contacted on: The SEN Team Ladies Walk Centre Ladies Walk Dudley DY3 3UA Tel: 01384 814360 Email: [email protected]

Legislation and guidance The legislation and guidance which govern the local authority’s (LA) responsibilities in relation to pupils with special educational needs are:  Children and Families Act 2014  The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice DfES 0 to 25 Years – January 2015 All schools have copies of these documents.

Pupils with special educational needs or disability (SEND) The vast majority of pupils who have special educational needs or disability (SEND) will have those needs met within their local mainstream school at Special Educational Need Support (SENS). SEN support is the new name for school action and school action plus. Where a pupil is placed at SENS, parents will have been working in partnership with their child’s school. They will have discussed their child’s needs and shared the detail and outcomes of Individual Education Plans (IEP) or similar SEN records through regular meetings. A very small number of pupils, approximately 2%, will have educational needs which are so complex and severe that they will be undergoing, or have completed, a Statutory Assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014. The Statutory Assessment process may result in the LA issuing an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) and, once this is the case, the LA will determine what arrangements and support will be required to meet the child’s needs.

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Expressing a preference In the Autumn Term, the School Admissions Service offers all parents of Year 6 pupils, including those who have a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the opportunity to express a preference for a mainstream secondary school. All parents, including those parents whose child has an EHCP, have the opportunity to specify up to six mainstream secondary school preferences. Dudley Council is committed to inclusive education and, therefore, the LA must ensure that a child is educated in a mainstream school unless “the school is unsuitable to the child’s age, ability, or aptitude, or the placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children with whom the child would be educated, or with the efficient use of resources”. This is in line with the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice. The only exception to this is if a parent indicates that they do not want their child educated in a mainstream setting. (Children and Families Act section 33 and 39).

Wherever possible the secondary allocation process aims to offer the first preferred school to as many parents as possible, on the basis of the clearly stated published admissions criteria on Page 8 of this booklet. The SEN Team works very closely with the School Admissions Service to allow the allocation process to operate to ensure that, wherever possible, pupils have the opportunity to attend a school as close as possible to their home address in line with the council’s local school policy. You should consider very carefully the likelihood of obtaining a school place, which is not local to your home address, particularly where that school has been regularly oversubscribed, i.e. receiving more applications than places, in the past.

Transport It is very important not to assume that your child will receive transport on transfer to a secondary school. Transport is provided in line with the Transport Policy and will only be provided if your child has a special educational need or disability and/or the school placement is, of necessity, further than three miles from your home address. Where a preference is made for a school that is not the most local secondary school to your home address it is very unlikely that transport will be provided. If you have any queries about transport, you are advised to contact your child’s case officer at The SEN Team or the Transport Manager - 01384 816972.

Timescales All parents are advised to notify the Local Authority of their school preference, whether they have an EHCP or not. It is important to note that parents whose children are due to transfer with an EHCP can expect to have a discussion about secondary transfer in their child’s Annual review Meeting in Y5. School preferences for children with an EHCP must be made available to the SEN Team at the start of the Autumn Term of the academic year of transfer, but no later than 30 September in Y6. If your child has an EHCP, the Admissions Service and the SEN Team will consult on any preferences you have expressed.

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During the remainder of the Autumn Term, the SEN Team will prepare the documentation for consultation with your preferred school(s). This is a duty required of the local authority by the SEN Code of Practice (Paragraph 8:80 - 8:86). However, it is important to note that the governing body of any mainstream school cannot refuse to admit a child solely because they have special educational needs or disability. Should any concerns arise at the point of consultation, the SEN Team will work closely with the parents, the school and School Admissions Service in an attempt to resolve any difficulties. Once the consultation process is successfully completed, one of your preferred schools will be named on your child’s EHCP. A decision on your child’s school placement will be confirmed in a draft EHCP, no later than 15 January 2019. This allows for a period of 15 working days during which you can talk to us about any concerns you may have. The updated EHCP must be issued by 15 February 2019.

Information for parents who live outside Dudley Borough and whose child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP If you live outside Dudley, i.e. your home address falls under another council, you must contact your own local authority as soon as possible. If you want to express a preference for a Dudley secondary school place, your own local authority has to consult, on your behalf, with the Dudley schools of your preference and with Dudley Local Authority through the SEN Team. Contact numbers for neighbouring local education authorities can be found on Page 100 of this booklet.

Right of appeal All parents have the right of appeal on the final secondary school placement. For children who do not have an EHCP, this is through the admissions appeal process which is managed independently of the local authority.

For the parents of a child with an EHCP, the appeal process is through the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST), which is an independently managed Government organisation. The SEN Team will be able to advise you on this process should the need arise.

Having read this additional information you may have some questions. For further information you should either approach your child’s school, or contact your child’s case officer, based at the SEN Team on 01384 814360.

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Addresses of neighbouring local authorities Parents who wish to consider schools maintained by other authorities are strongly advised to contact the local authority concerned to obtain information about the likelihood of a place being available. The addresses and contact numbers for neighbouring LAs are as follows:

Name of LA Address Contact

Schools Admissions & 0121 303 1888 Pupil Placement Service Birmingham www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions PO Box 16513 email: [email protected] Birmingham B2 2FS

Prime House 01905 822700 Woodbury Lane www.worcestershire.gov.uk Worcestershire Norton email: Worcestershire [email protected] WR5 2PT m

School Admissions Service 0121 569 6765 PO Box 16230 www.sandwell.gov.uk/schooladmissions Sandwell Sandwell Council House email: Freeth Street [email protected] Oldbury B69 9EX

School Admissions & Transport Service 2 Staffordshire Place 01785 278593 / 0300111 8000 Staffordshire Education Department www.staffordshire.gov.uk Tipping Street email: [email protected] Stafford ST16 2DH

School Admissions Section Wolverhampton City Council 01902 551122 Schools, Skills and Learning Wolverhampton www.wolverhampton.gov.uk Civic Centre email: [email protected] St Peter’s Square Wolverhampton WV1 1RR

Admissions & Pupil Place Planning Team Walsall Council 01922 652585 Zone 2E Walsall www.walsall.gov.uk Civic Centre e-mail:[email protected] Darwall Street Walsall WS1 1TP

Note: The details contained in the booklet, which relates to the admission of children to school in 2018/2019, were correct in July 2018. It should not be assumed that there will be no changes after that date, or that the information contained will apply to the admission of children in subsequent years.

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Useful contacts

Name of service E-mail / website Telephone

Dudley Family Information [email protected] 01384 814399 Service

Travel and Transport Team www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/learning-school/ education-grants/childrens-transport/ 01384 814301

Special Educational [email protected] 01384 814360 Needs Team

SENDIASS www.dudley.gov.uk/dudleysendiass [email protected] 01384 817373

The Schools Adjudicator www.education.gov.uk/schoolsadjudicator [email protected]

The Department for www.gov.uk/dfe 0370 000 2288 Education

The Local Government www.lgo.org.uk 0300 061 0614 Ombudsman

Free School Meals [email protected] 01384 814988

Elective Home Education www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/learning-school/parental- support/elective-home-education/ 01384 814314

Education Investigation Service www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/learning-school/parental- support/dudley-education-investigation-service/ [email protected] 01384 814311

Connexions Dudley www.connexionsdudley.org 01384 811400

Education and Skills Funding www.gov.uk/government/organisations/education-and-skills- Agency funding-agency

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For further information visit www.dudley.gov.uk/admissions

Call: 0300 555 2345 Email: [email protected]

Correspondence address only People Services Directorate School Admissions Service The Council House Priory Road Dudley West Midlands DY1 1HF 102 | P a g e