The Next Step

The Next Step How to apply for your child’s transfer to Secondary Education in September 2014 Don’t be late for school: Closing date for submissions is 31 October 2013 Three Easy Steps Research • read this booklet 1 • read the individual school information from pages 37 to 50 • find out what the schools have to offer your child • visit schools you are interested in, if possible • know which school is designated for your address • be aware of the school transport policy (see page 9) Apply • complete a Devon Common Application Form for children 2 resident in Devon • apply at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline or on the form in the centre of this booklet • consider completing a Supplementary Information Form if there is one for the school • you can express a preference for 1, 2 or 3 schools • consider naming your designated school as one of your preferences • provide accurate and complete information • if you do not apply, the schools you prefer may be filled Apply on time • the closing date is 31 October 2013 3 • you cannot apply online after the closing date • if you use a paper form, hand it in to your child’s current school or post it to the Admissions Team, using the address on the form • if your application is late, places at the schools you prefer may already have been filled – no places are held in reserve • if your application is late you may be responsible for transport to and from a school further away from your home Need any help? Please call the My Devon team on 0845 155 1019. Contents A letter from Jennie Stephens, Strategic Director, People 1 What is The Next Step about? 2 You must apply for a school place 3 Dos and Don’ts 3 What should you consider? 4 Designated or catchment areas 4 Different types of secondary schools 5 Other local authority areas 5 Schools which make their own admissions decisions 6 Changes for 2014-15 7 Other information 8 Help with school meals 8 The Pupil Premium 8 Insurance 8 Home-School Agreements 8 School uniform 8 School transport 9 Exceptional reasons 11 Statements of Special Educational Need 11 Early or late transfer 12 Your decision 12 Completing the Application Form 13 The decision - your offer of a school place 15 Independent advice 16 Private Fostering 16 Glossary and definitions 17 Oversubscription criteria for community and other schools 19 Oversubscription criteria for other schools 21 Common Application Form 24 Oversubscription criteria for other schools 28 What happened last year? 33 Individual school information 35 Timeline 51 Location map of Devon secondary schools back cover Apply online at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline A Letter from Jennie Stephens, Strategic Director, People Dear parent or carer, Secondary school is the next important step in your child’s life. In Devon we want to help your child achieve their full potential. All of our secondary schools and academies are working hard to offer pupils a full and rounded curriculum, as well as to help them develop the skills they will need to move on after secondary school. As a parent you have a significant role to play in helping your child do well and we are keen to work with you, to try and ensure that secondary school is a positive and successful experience. No doubt you will be thinking about the school you would like your child to attend. He or she may already have an awareness of secondary schools through links Jennie Stephens with the primary or junior school or from older brothers and sisters who Strategic Director, People attend. You may have talked with your child about what moving onto Devon County Council secondary school means. The Next Step on the journey is choosing the right school place for your child. This booklet is designed to help you do that and to explain the process for admissions to secondary schools. The three easy steps on the previous page explain the key points of the admissions process. Please refer to the relevant sections of this booklet if you need more information. If you have any questions about the admissions process please contact the Education Helpline on 0845 155 1019. Don’t forget, you can apply online for a school place until 31 October at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline Dates for your diary For children in Devon state-funded schools and academies, details on how to apply will be sent to you during the first week in September. If you have not received this, please contact your child’s school or the Admissions Team. You must apply for a school place. You can apply online or return the Common Application Form to your child’s primary school or direct to the Admissions Team by 31 October. Applications after this may be considered late. We will email you or write to you to tell you about the school place we can offer your child on 3 March. 1 The Next Step: Transfer to secondary education in Devon What is the Next Step about? Children in Devon transfer to secondary preferences - if so, you will be offered a place at school at the end of year 6, in the September the school you ranked highest. following their eleventh birthday. In order for children to secure places at secondary schools, Where there are more places than there are parents have to make a formal application for applications, no application will be refused. admission. Where there are more applications than there are places, priority will be determined by the The Next Step aims to help you apply for a over-subscription criteria for the school. You can secondary school place for your child. It explains find these on pages 19 to 32 and at:www. the options you have and sets out the process devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements or in that you need to follow. The application form the information on individual schools. you will need to fill in is included. You will also find information about the secondary schools In-Year Admissions in Devon to help you make your choices. If If you move to or within Devon during the your child’s home address is in another local school year there are separate arrangements authority area, such as Torbay, Plymouth, you must follow to request a school place Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall or elsewhere in straightaway. You should ask for a copy of the the country, you must apply by completing a Devon In-Year Admissions booklet which is form from that authority. Even where a school available from the Education Helpline on 0845 is in a different local authority, you must apply 155 1019. Alternatively you can get information through your home area local authority. Please from www.devon.gov.uk/admissions on the see page 5. Admission of Children moving to Devon page. Co-ordinated admissions If your child moves to Devon during Year 6, Local authorities are legally required to make you must also apply for secondary transfer. If the admissions process fairer for all children you move before 31 October, you can apply as and to make sure that all children who need normal. If you move afterwards, please ask for a secondary school place for September are an application form as quickly as possible. You offered one - but only one. To do this, local will have to contact us to apply. authorities operate a co-ordinated admissions scheme which requires all schools and Other Steps authorities responsible for making decisions For information regarding admission to schools about admissions to work together. at the normal intake, please see The First Step - admission at the start of the Reception year This scheme enables you to register your child at primary and infant schools; The Junior Step at an appropriate school. We ask you to express - transfer from infant to junior schools at Year a preference for up to three schools in the order 3; The Further Step for children considering you would most like a place. Every preference a Studio School or University Technical College for a particular school will be considered (schools which admit only from Year 10). equally, whether it was your first, second or third ranked preference. It may be that a place could be offered at more than one of your Apply online at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline 2 You must apply for a school place • even if you have another child already on roll at the school • even if your child attends a linked primary or junior school • even if the school is designated for your address No places are held in reserve in case you are not offered a place at another school or for late applications. If you are not successful with any application, you cannot assume that there will still be a vacancy at your designated school: it may be full. If you do not put a particular school on your form, it will not be considered for you unless it is the nearest one to home with a vacancy after every on-time application has been dealt with. When we ask you to tell us about your circumstances, that must be on your application form or in writing. Do • Make sure that you are resident in the Devon County Council area. Complete a Devon Common Application Form online at www.devon.gov.uk/ admissionsonline and submit by the closing date of 31 October. • If you cannot apply online, complete a paper Common Application Form and return it by the closing date of 31 October.

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