LA communications to schools

Title: Changes to Wandsworth Admission Arrangements Summary: Wandsworth secondary schools are changing their admission arrangements and introducing an earlier test date for Year 6 pupils. Target school(s): Primary Specific schools N/A For attention of: Heads Author: Adam Wells (Head of Wandsworth Admissions) Contact: Wandsworth Pupil Services Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 8871 7316 Newsletter date: 20 June 2016 Action required/ Action: Alert parents of current Year 5 pupils (those due to start secondary due date: school September 2017) that if they are interested in applying for Wandsworth secondary schools they will need to adhere to the new Year 6 testing schedule.

Dear colleagues

I am writing to highlight key changes to the secondary transfer process to Wandsworth secondary schools, in particular relating to the timing of the Wandsworth Year 6 Admissions Test and specialist aptitude tests.

The key changes are:

THE WANDSWORTH YEAR 6 TEST IS MOVING TO SEPTEMBER.

Parents of pupils attending state primary schools outside of Wandsworth, independent schools or educated otherwise considering applying for a place at Ashcroft Technology Academy or Chestnut Grove Academy or a selective place Burntwood School, Ernest Bevin College or Graveney School will need to register for the test online by 9 September 2016. Registration will open at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/admissions on 1 July 2016.

Registered pupils will be invited to sit the test at one of the borough’s test centres on Saturday 24 September 2016. THE SPECIALIST APTITUDE TESTS FOR ASHCROFT TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY, CHESTNUT GROVE ACADEMY AND SAINT CECILIA’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL ARE ALSO MOVING TO SEPTEMBER

Families who are considering applying for a specialist aptitude place in a Wandsworth school must complete and return the school’s Supplementary Information Form (SIF) and return it to the school by the relevant closing date below.

Ashcroft Technology Academy – up to 21 specialist places in Technology Return the SIF by 16 September 2016 Date of test: 26 September 2016

Chestnut Grove Academy – up to 30 specialist places each in Art & Design and Modern Foreign Languages Return the SIF by 7 September 2016 Date of tests: 17 September 2016

Saint Cecilia’s Church of England School – 10 foundation and 5 open specialist places in Music Return the SIF: by 9 September 2016 Date of test: Preliminary assessment 23 September 2016 and final assessment 30 September 2016

SCHOOL OPEN DAYS AND EVENINGS

In view of these changes, schools have added further open days and evenings for parents in June and July. Further details are contained in the attached leaflet and online at http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200472/secondary_school_admissions/2038/secondary_ school_open_days_201617.

LEAFLET

The attached leaflet has been produced for parents to highlight the changes and I would be grateful if you would distribute the contents of this email and the leaflet to the parents of your Year 5 pupils. More detailed information is also available at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/admissions.

If you have any queries in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Pupils Services team by telephone on 020 8871 7316 or by email at [email protected]

Kind regards

Adam Wells

Adam Wells Head of Pupil Services Wandsworth Borough Council