Hints and Tips for Applying to a Secondary School for Entry in September 2018

Hints and tips for applying to a secondary school For entry in September 2018

www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk / schools/admissions

The Pan-London eAdmissions site opens on 1 September 2017.

If your child was born between 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007, you will need to apply for a secondary school place by 31 October 2017.

Information from this Admissions Team document can be made Green Zone, 2nd Floor available in alternative formats Town Hall, Hornton Street W8 7NX and in different languages. 020 7745 6432 If you require further assistance Email: [email protected] or more information, please use www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions the contact details opposite. The benefits of applying online

l It is quick and easy to do. l You are able to attach additional documents. l The opportunity to apply from any location with internet access l During the evening of 1 March 24 hours a day, seven days a 2018, you will be sent an email week up until the closing date, informing you that your outcome 31 October 2017. is available. l You can log back on to change l Once you have received this email, or delete preferences up until you can log onto the Pan-London 11.59pm on the closing date. eAdmissions website to accept or decline your offer. l You can register your mobile phone number to receive reminder alerts. If you would prefer to complete a paper application form, please l You will automatically receive contact the Admissions Team. a confirmation email with a reference number once you submit your application.

Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions 1 Where to obtain the information you need

Each September all local authorities provide information for parents that sets out the admissions process and procedures. This leaflet has been produced to provide you with some basic hints and tips on the application process and as a first point of reference to obtain more detailed information. The Royal Borough’s brochure will be available online at www.rbkc. gov.uk/schools/admissions. A brochure can be requested from your child’s primary school from 11 September 2017. Where possible, parents/carers are encouraged to access information online. You can also obtain more detailed information from each of the secondary schools by either attending open days/evenings, or visiting their websites. All the contacts you will need can be found in the local authority brochure where the schools are located.

2 Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions Research, research, research!

If you have not already done so, you l Speaking to your primary school must research the schools that you head teacher. They will have are interested in applying to. experience based on previous transfers. You can do this by: l Contacting the Admissions Team l Reading the admission criteria for advice if you are unclear on to find out if your child is likely to how the system works (you will be offered a place, and look at find contact details on the inside how places were offered in the cover of this leaflet). previous year. l Attending open days/evenings held at the schools. The dates and times are included in this leaflet. l Checking if the schools you want to apply to require your child to take a test. l Checking if the school requires additional forms to be completed (this would normally apply to church schools).

Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions 3 Hints and tips for applying

Familiarise yourself with l Distance from home to school is the admission criteria often used as a tie-breaker, but for schools there are schools that use random allocation (lottery). When you begin researching schools, you will need to read the admission l Some schools have a priority area criteria for the school(s) you want to and/or feeder primary schools. apply to. The admission criteria is These are some factors that you often very different for each school need to be aware of when deciding so you must read the criteria carefully which schools to apply for. in order to assess the likelihood of your child being offered a place. In all cases, if a school receives more applications than places available, To give you some examples of what the school’s admission criteria must to check for: be applied. There is no guarantee l Church schools will give priority to that your child will be offered a place applicants that can demonstrate at your preferred school, even if it is practice of the respective faith if the closest school to where you live. they receive more applications than places available. l There are schools that will require your child to sit a fair banding test. l Not all schools give priority to siblings so you will need to check this first.

4 Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions You can apply for up to Take special care how you six schools order your preferences Please remember that you can apply The school preferences you make for up to six schools. Even after you are treated equally. This means that have researched the schools and no matter where you place a school you have decided where to apply, in your list of preferences, it will be unless you are 100 per cent sure treated in the same way as all other that your child will be offered a place applicants who also chose that (for example there will be a brother school – regardless of where they or sister on roll and the school lists have placed the school in their list. this as a priority in the criteria), you It is important that you list schools should not assume that your child will in the order of preference, as when be offered a place. You should also results are returned to the Admissions consider other schools where you Team you may receive more than know you will have a good chance one offer. of gaining a place. As only one offer can be made to Adding further schools to your list your child, you will be offered the will not affect your chances of being highest school possible from the list offered a place at a higher preference you provided. Any offers made lower school. Schools are not informed of on your list will be withdrawn and put other preferences you have made or back in the system. the order you place them.

Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions 5 Do I need to provide You must submit your additional information? application on time There are some schools, usually You must submit your application church schools, which require by 31 October 2017. If you are a you to complete a Supplementary Royal Borough resident you will not Information Form (SIF). The SIFs for be able to apply online after this date, the Royal Borough schools will be and will need to request a paper available from the individual schools form. If you submit your application and on the Royal Borough website. form after this date without a valid reason, your application will be The secondary school brochure considered after all of those which states which schools require a were submitted on time. This will SIF and/or any other documents. greatly affect your chances of being The online system will alert you when offered the school you want. you enter a preference for any school that requires additional forms to be completed. You must return the SIF and any other documents to the school. Be sure that you also name the school in your list of preferences.

6 Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions You must submit your application by 31 October 2017

Will I definitely be offered What happens to the one of my preferences? preferences that I have No. To increase your chances of not been offered? being offered one of your preferred Any preferences lower than the schools you must research the offered school will be withdrawn. admission criteria for the schools you You will automatically be placed on are interested in. You should put at the waiting list for higher preference least one school in your list where schools that were not able to offer you are reasonably certain your child your child a place. You also have the meets the criteria (i.e. sibling already right of appeal to an Independent at the school and this is a high priority Appeal Panel against the decision in the school’s criteria). not to offer your child a place at your preferred school(s). For further advice you can speak to the Admissions Team or the school who will be able to offer you guidance on the likelihood of your child being offered a place based on the information you provide. It is not possible to give any guarantee of the outcome of your application.

Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions 7 Visiting and test dates for Kensington and Chelsea schools

Chelsea Academy Holland Park School

T 020 7376 3019 T 020 7908 1000 W www.chelsea-academy.org W www.hollandparkschool.co.uk Open evening Open evenings Thursday 5 October Wednesday 20 September at 6pm to 8.30pm at 6pm Academy tours (parents/carers only) Thursday 21 September Monday 9 October at 6pm to Friday 13 October Open mornings Monday 16 October Thursday 21 September to Friday 20 October at 9am to 10.55am Deadline for music Monday 25 September aptitude application at 9am to 10.55am Friday 6 October Deadline for art Music aptitude test aptitude applications Saturday 14 October Monday 25 September at 9am to 12 noon at 4pm Music aptitude results to parents Art aptitude test By Tuesday 24 October Saturday 7 October at 8.30am Art aptitude results to parents *Applicants will receive written confirmation of the date By Friday 20 October and time. If you have listed a preference for Holland Park School but do not receive a letter, you will need Banding test to make sure your child still attends in the morning. If your child fails to attend the test it will affect their Saturday 25 November* chances of being offered a place in the school. at 8.30am to 1pm

8 Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions Kensington Aldridge Academy St Thomas More Language College T 020 7313 5800 W www.kensingtonaldridge T 020 7589 9734 academy.co.uk W www.stmlc.co.uk Open days/evenings School visiting dates Monday 25 September Thursday 14 September Tuesday 26 September Wednesday 20 September at 9am to 11am at 4.15pm Thursday 28 September Banding test dates at 5pm to 8pm Saturday 11 November (Presentation at 5pm, 6pm & 7pm) Saturday 18 November

Sion-Manning Catholic The Cardinal Vaughan Girls’ School Memorial School

T 020 8969 7111 T 020 7603 8478 W www.sion-manning.org.uk W www.cvms.co.uk Open evening Open evenings Wednesday 4 October Thursday 14 September at 6.30pm to 8pm at 4.30pm & 6pm At the time of going to print a decision Thursday 21 September remains pending that may mean the at 3.30pm school will be co-education (boys and Tuesday 26 September girls from year 7 entry 2018). at 4.30pm & 6pm This variation request is currently with Banding test date the Schools Adjudicator. Monday 30 October Parents and Carers are advised to check Deadline for music the school website for an update. aptitude application Friday 29 September at 5pm Music aptitude test During the week commencing 9 October Music aptitude results to parents By Friday 20 October

Apply online: www.rbkc.gov.uk/schools/admissions 9 Schools in the Royal Borough

1 Ark Brunel Academy 2 Ashburnham 3 Avondale Park 4 Barlby 5 Bevington 6 Bousﬁeld 7 Chelsea Academy (mixed) 8 Chelsea Open Air Nursery School and Children’s Centre 9 Christ Church C of E Key: 10 Colville Primary schools 11 Earl’s Court Free School* Secondary schools 12 Fox Nurseries and 13 Golborne and Maxilla children’s centres Federated Children’s Centres 14 Holland Park School (mixed) 15 Holy Trinity C of E 16 Kensington Aldridge Academy (mixed) 17 Kensington Primary Academy 18 Marlborough 19 Oratory Catholic 20 Our Lady of Victories Catholic 21 Oxford Gardens 22 Park Walk 23 Servite Catholic 24 Sion-Manning School (Catholic, girls)** 25 St Anne’s Nursery School 26 St Barnabas and St Philip’s C of E 27 St Charles Catholic 28 St Clement and St James C of E 29 St Cuthbert with St Matthias C of E 30 St Francis of Assisi Catholic 31 St Joseph’s Catholic 32 St Mary Abbots C of E 33 St Mary’s Catholic 34 St Thomas’ C of E 35 St Thomas More Language College (Catholic, mixed)

36 The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School *Temporary site at Cambridge Grove, W6 0LB. (Catholic, boys) **Currently subject to a variation request with the 37 Thomas Jones Schools Adjudicator to change to a mixed school.