SECONDARY ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 2014-15

Policy

Children normally transfer from primary to secondary school in the September following their eleventh birthday.

Applications for secondary school places during the normal admissions round are processed in accordance with St Helens co-ordinated admissions scheme for maintained secondary schools and academies.

Admission Numbers:

Community Secondary Schools Admission Number 2014-15 Cowley International College 240 Haydock High School 180 Rainford High Technology College 270

Community Secondary Schools and their Associated Primary Schools:

Community Secondary Schools Associated Primary Schools

Cowley International College Carr Mill Primary, Merton Bank Primary, Parish CE Primary, Queens Park CE/URC Primary, Rivington Primary, St Mary and St Thomas CE Primary Haydock High School Allanson Street Primary, Ashurst Primary, Broad Oak Community Primary, Grange Valley Primary, Legh Vale Primary, St James’ CE Primary Rainford High Technology College Bleak Hill Primary, Chapel End Primary, Eccleston Mere Primary, Garswood Primary, Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary, Rainford CE Primary, Rectory CE Primary, St Aidan’s CE Community Primary,

Oversubscription Criteria

Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered against the oversubscription criteria set out below. After the admission of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs, where the school is named on the Statement, the criteria will be applied in the following order:

(1) looked after children and previously looked after children;

(2) children from the associated primary schools;

(3) children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of likely admission. The brother or sister must be on the school roll in Years 7 – 11. This includes full, half or stepbrothers and sisters, adopted and foster brothers and sisters or a child of the parent/carer’s partner, and in every case, who is living at the same address and is part of the same family unit;

(4) children whose parents have expressed a preference for a place at the school.

1

Tie Break

In the event of any over-subscription in the number of applications made under any of the categories above the Local Authority will offer places first to children whose family home is nearest the school. The measurement shall be done by the Local Authority in a straight line using a Geographical Information System (GIS) based on Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) data and the National Grid co-ordinates for the family home and the school.

Where the tie break does not distinguish between applicants e.g. children living in the same block of flats random allocation will be used. This will be done by drawing lots and supervised by someone independent of the school.

Special Conditions for Twins (etc.)

Where the final place in a year group is offered to one of twins (or triplets etc) the Local Authority will not apply the tie break as it will admit the other twin etc too, even if that means going above the admission number.

Definition of Home Address

This is the address where the child and parent, or person with parental responsibility, normally live. The address which receives child benefit will normally be used if the child’s time is split between two homes, but the Authority reserves the right to request other proofs as fit the individual circumstances. It may be necessary for the Authority to carry out checks to confirm that addresses given are genuine. Parents may, therefore, be asked to produce documentary evidence of their child’s home address e.g. Council tax or utility bills.

If parents are planning a permanent house move after applying but before places are allocated they will be required to provide documentary evidence of this e.g. a copy of an exchange of contract or a tenancy agreement.

False Information

Where the Local Authority discovers that a child has been awarded a place as a result of any false information e.g. home address it will withdraw the offer. . Late Applications

Applications submitted after the closing date will only be considered alongside those who applied on time when they are received before the allocation procedures begin. However, as this date cannot be predicted, parents have no guarantee that any application received after the closing date will be included.

Waiting List

During the normal admissions round, if a place is refused because the school is oversubscribed the applicant will automatically be placed on the waiting list. The waiting list will be kept in priority order according to the oversubscription criteria and not on the date on which applications were received. If a place becomes available within the admission number, the child whose name is at the top of the list will be offered a place.

2

Children who are the subject of a direction by the local authority to admit or who are allocated to a school in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those on the waiting list.

The waiting list will close on 19th December 2014, parents who wish their child to remain on the Year 7 waiting list after this date will be advised in their decision letter that they must re-apply on an in year application.

Appeal Procedure

Where parents are unsuccessful in applying for a place at a school, the decision letter will give reasons why the application was refused and notification of the right of appeal, including details of how, and to whom, to make an appeal and where to obtain further information.

Fair Access Protocol

All local authorities must have a Fair Access Protocol to ensure that schools in their area admit a fair share of children with challenging behaviour. As a result secondary schools in St Helens may be required to admit up to +2 managed transfers per year group, even if the year group concerned is full.

All schools must participate in their local authority’s protocol. For that reason, admission appeal panels will not view the fact that a school is obliged to admit over its admission number as an indication that it can do so for all in year transfers without causing prejudice to the efficient provision of education or efficient use of resources.

SIXTH FORM ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

St Helens Local Authority has delegated the responsibility for the administration of sixth form admissions to the Headteachers of the schools listed below.

Cowley International College Rainford High Technology College

Applicants from outside the school, will be accepted if a place is available and the applicant meets the same criteria as those applying internally. The school will be able to admit up to 50 external applicants in Year 12. However, it may exceed this number if demand for available courses can be met.

Students on roll at the school are required to apply for a place in the sixth form as are students from other schools.

The entry requirements for admission to the sixth form shall be the same for students on roll in Year 11 at the school and external applicants.

Pupils will be admitted into the sixth form at the start of the autumn term in each school year although there may be some occasions when students transfer during an academic year.

3 Entry Requirements

Cowley International College:

Qualifications at 16 Typical Course Programme Mostly D’s with some C grades at GCSE Level 2 programme Minimum of 5 C’s in separate subjects Level 3 courses (A level and BTEC) Minimum of 6 B’s in separate subjects International Baccalaureate Diploma Minimum of 8 B’s from at least 5 separate New Diplomas subjects

Rainford High Technology College:

The normal entry requirements for Rainford College are 4 B’s and 1 C. However, dependent on the course of study, the College will consider candidates with less. For further advice applicants should contact the College.

Method of Application

Prospectuses and application forms are published during the autumn term prior to admission, and are available to all who request them by contacting the school. Candidates will also be able to apply online via https://secure.apply- sthelens.com/CAP/home.aspx

The Sixth Form Open Evening will be held for 2014 entrance in the 2013 autumn term. Application forms must be received by the closing date publicised in the school’s prospectus.

When the sixth form is undersubscribed all applicants meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will be admitted.

Post 16 Oversubscription Criteria

Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered against the criteria set out below. After the admission of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs, where the school is named on the Statement, the criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below:

(1) looked after children and previously looked after children;

(2) children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of likely admission. The brother or sister must be on the school roll in Years 7 – 11. This includes full, half or stepbrothers and sisters, adopted and foster brothers and sisters or a child of the parent/carer’s partner, and in every case, who is living at the same address and is part of the same family unit;

(3) children whose family home is nearest the school.

4

Tie-break

The measurement shall be done by the Local Authority, on behalf of the school, ( in a straight line using a Geographical Information System (GIS) based on Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) data and the National Grid co-ordinates for the family home and the school.

Where the tie break does not distinguish between applicants e.g. children living in the same block of flats random allocation will be used. This will be done by drawing lots and supervised by someone independent of the school.

Special Conditions for Twins (etc.)

Where the final place in a year group is offered to one of twins (or triplets etc) the tie break will not apply as the other twin etc will be admitted, even if that means going above the admission number.

Appeal Procedure

Any student refused admission to the sixth form has the right of appeal to an independent appeals panel. The school’s decision letter will give reasons why the application was refused, including details of how, and to whom, to make an appeal and where to obtain further information.

5

CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS SCHEME FOR ST HELENS LA MAINTAINED SECONDARY SCHOOLS ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-2015

Applications for St Helens maintained secondary schools and academies shall be determined in accordance with the provisions set out in Part 1 and processed in accordance with the timetable set out in Part 2 of this scheme. The scheme shall apply to the following schools and academies:

Academies

Hope Academy The Sutton Academy

Community Secondary Schools

Cowley International College Haydock High School Rainford High Technology College

Foundation Trust Secondary Schools

Rainhill High School Media Arts College

Voluntary Aided Secondary Schools

De La Salle St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business and Enterprise

As required by the School Admissions Code this is an equal preference inter- authority scheme. St Helens co-ordinates with: Halton, Knowsley, Lancashire, Liverpool, Sefton, Warrington and Wigan local authorities. Where necessary, information will be exchanged with other local authorities.

6 PART 1: THE SCHEME

Applying for a Year 7 Place

1. A common application form will be enclosed in the secondary education information for parents’ booklet and distributed to all primary schools in St Helens Local Authority no later than 12 September 2013. Neighbouring local authorities will be asked for details of St. Helens pupils in Year 6 of their primary schools so that forms can be sent direct to the parents of these children. In addition, copies of the booklet and form will be sent to local libraries and children’s centres. It will also be available on the Council’s website to where parents will be directed if they wish to apply online.

2. The form will invite parents of St Helens children to express three preferences for schools both in and outside St Helens Local Authority they will also be asked to rank their preferences and, if they wish, the reason for these. Parents can return completed forms to their child’s primary school in St Helens or directly to the Local Authority if the child is attending a school outside the Local Authority. A tear off slip will be attached to the bottom of the application form and be given to the parent as proof of receipt. For those parents who submit an online application an email receipt will be provided. The closing date for applications will be 31 October 2013.

3. Parents living outside St Helens Local Authority can obtain a copy of the booklet from St Helens Children and Young People’s Services, St Helens libraries or St Helens Council’s website. They will, however, be advised to complete their home local authority’s application form.

Supplementary Information

1. St Helens schools do not use supplementary information forms, therefore, parents who apply for Catholic schools and wish their application to be considered against the priority faith criteria are asked to complete some faith questions on the common application form. Non St Helens residents should complete the faith questions on their home local authority application form if they are applying for a St Helens Catholic school. Where this information is not requested on the home authority’s form St Helens Local Authority will write to the parent on behalf of St Helens Catholic schools and the Hope Academy.

2. If a St Helens parent is expressing a preference for a Voluntary Aided school in another local authority they will be advised to contact that admitting authority in order to determine whether supplementary information is required. Where a school receives a supplementary form from a St Helens resident it should not be regarded as a valid application unless the parent has also completed a common application form and the school is nominated on it.

7

Late Applications

1. It is important that parents return their form by the 31 October 2013 closing date.

2. Late applications received after the closing date, but received in time to be included in the initial allocation will be considered. However, as the exact date of allocation cannot be predicted, parents have no guarantee that any application received after the closing date will be included.

3. Parents who apply after 31 October 2013 but before 1 March 2014 and their applications could not be included in the initial allocation will only be offered their preference if the school has less applications than available places. They will receive a decision letter by 7 March 2014 and advised of their right of appeal if any preference has been refused.

4. For applications received after 1 March 2014, parents will normally be notified within ten working days of the school that has been allocated to their child and advised of their right of appeal if any preference has been refused.

Change of Preference

The Local Authority will not accept a change of preference after the closing date without proof of an exceptional change in circumstances e.g. house move to another area or an older sibling has transferred schools.

Where there is no evidence of an exceptional change in circumstances the change of preference will be considered as a late application.

Determining Offers

St Helens Local Authority is the admissions authority for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools. In the Voluntary Aided, Academy and Foundation Trust sectors, the Governing Body of the school is the admissions authority.

All first, second and third preferences will be treated as equal regardless of parents’ ranking. This means that each preference will be considered by the relevant admission authority against their own oversubscription criteria without consideration of the ranking.

In order to determine offers:-

1. The Local Authority will forward applications by 22 November 2013 to other local authorities if St. Helens residents have expressed a preference for a secondary school in their area.

2. The Local Authority will provide admission authority schools with lists of applicants by 6 December 2013.

8 3. If an admission authority school receives more applications than available places the governing body will apply its oversubscription criteria and rank applications accordingly. The governing body will send the ranked list to the Local Authority by 16 December 2013.

4. The Local Authority will consider all preferences for Community schools. If there are more applications than available places, the Local Authority will apply its oversubscription criteria and rank applications accordingly.

Co-ordinating the Offer of a Single Place

1. The Local Authority will inform other local authorities of initial offers to be made to their residents and request details of offers they will be making to St. Helens residents by 31 January 2014.

2. During the period up to 14 February 2014 the Local Authority will continue to liaise with admission authority schools and neighbouring local authorities to resolve multiple offers and a single offer will be made using the ranking of schools given on the preference form.

3. Where the applicant is a St Helens resident and the Authority is unable to comply with any of the preferences stated on the form and, if applicable, is informed that another admission authority is unable to offer a place at the parents preferred school, then the next nearest appropriate school with available places will be allocated. If the applicant resides in another local authority St Helens will not offer an alternative school.

4. All schools in the Local Authority will be informed by 21 February 2014 of offers being made to parents on 1 March 2014.

Notifying Parents of Decisions

On the national offer date of 1 March 2014, offers of places in St Helens secondary Schools and schools in other local authorities will be sent by St Helens Local Authority to St Helens residents. Where a higher ranked preference has been refused the offer letter will also include advice about waiting lists and right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Waiting Lists

The Local Authority will operate a waiting list for every St Helens secondary school that is oversubscribed from the time that places are initially allocated until the 19 December 2014. The waiting list will be kept in criteria (not date) order.

If a place becomes available within the admission number, the child whose name is at the top of the list will be offered a place.

Children who are the subject of a direction by the local authority to admit or who are allocated to a school in accordance with the Authority’s Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those on the waiting list.

9 Appeals

Parents will be informed about their right of appeal and how appeals can be made in the offer letter.

Admissions to Year 12 of Schools with Sixth Forms

St Helens schools with sixth forms will process their own applications for admission into Year 12. If they refuse any applicant they will advise them of their statutory right of appeal. Details of the admission arrangements for the sixth form will be published in the Local Authority’s booklet and the school’s prospectus both will be available in the autumn term of 2013.

Fair Access Protocol

The Local Authority has a separate Fair Access Protocol to ensure that education is secured quickly for children who have no school place and to ensure that all schools/academies in St Helens admit their fair share of children with challenging behaviour - this is a statutory requirement.

Under the terms of the protocol schools may be required to admit above their published admission number, even if the year group concerned is full.

PART 2: TIMETABLE OF SECONDARY CO-ORDINATED SCHEME

STEP 1 Closing date for applications 31 October 2013

STEP 2 Applications for schools in other LAs sent to those LAs by 22 November 2013

STEP 3 Applications for Voluntary Aided Schools in St. Helens sent to those schools by 6 December 2013

STEP 4 Decisions made by Voluntary Aided Schools in consultation with the LA by 16 December 2013

STEP 5 Other LAs to be informed of initial offers made to their residents by 31 January 2014

STEP 6 Schools informed of allocation results by 21 February 2014

STEP 7 Offers made to parents on 3 March 2014

10

IN YEAR CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS SCHEME FOR ST HELENS LA MAINTAINED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-15

St Helens Local Authority is the admission authority for community and voluntary controlled schools. Voluntary aided schools, foundation trust schools and academies are their own admission authority. However, it has been agreed by St Helens own admission authority schools that in year transfers should be co-ordinated by the Local Authority. Therefore, in year transfer applications for primary and secondary schools (except special schools) in St Helens shall be determined in accordance with the provisions set out in Part 1 and processed in accordance with the timetable set out in Part 2 of this scheme.

PART 1: THE SCHEME

Applying for an in year transfer

1. There will be a standard form known as the Common In Year Transfer Application Form which will be used for the purpose of admitting pupils as in year transfers to St Helens schools.

2. St Helens residents who wish to apply for schools outside the Borough will be advised to contact the relevant local authority.

3. The form will invite parents to name up to three schools and rank them in order of preference. The application form must be returned to the Admissions Section, Atlas House, Corporation Street, St Helens WA9 1 LD.

4. The form will be available from all schools and Academies in St Helens, the Admissions Section at the above address and the Council’s website: www.sthelens.gov.uk

5. Parents who wish to apply for a voluntary aided school in St Helens will be advised to complete the faith questions on the Local Authority’s common in year transfer form. This will enable the relevant Admissions Committee to consider whether the application meets their higher priority faith criteria (if the school is oversubscribed). No supplementary forms will be required for voluntary aided schools in St Helens.

11 Determining offers

All first, second and third preferences will be treated as equal regardless of parents’ ranking. This means that each preference will, if necessary, have to be considered by the relevant admission authority without consideration of the ranking.

In order to determine offers:

Voluntary Aided Schools, Foundation Trust Schools and Academies

1. The Local Authority will forward details of the application, together with any supporting information provided by the parent, to the relevant admission authority the next school day.

2. The Local Authority will check the central pupil database in order to determine whether there are available places in the year group and if they believe this to be the case, contact the school. The school will then confirm the admission, assuming there is a place in the designated year group.

3. If the central pupil database indicates that the school has reached its published admission number in the relevant year group the Local Authority will confirm this with the school.

4. If an admission authority receives more applications than available places it must apply its oversubscription criteria, rank the applications accordingly and inform the Local Authority of the outcome within five school days.

Community and Voluntary Controlled schools

The Local Authority will consider all preferences for community and voluntary controlled schools on the next school day. If there are more applications than available places, the Local Authority will apply its oversubscription criteria and rank applications accordingly.

Determining Fair Access Protocol applicants

The Local Authority will send a confidential information sheet to the child’s current school, in order to determine whether they should be considered under its Fair Access Protocol.

Co-ordinating the offer of a single place

When applications for all schools have been considered and ranked, the Local Authority will make a single offer for the school that the parent has ranked the highest.

Where no stated preference can be offered, the Authority may offer a place for St Helens residents only at the nearest appropriate St Helens school with an available place.

Informing St Helens schools of places offered

The allocated school will be notified the day the decision letter is sent to the parent.

12

Notifying parents of decisions:

The Local Authority will send decision letters on behalf the relevant admission authority, normally no later than 10 school days after receipt of the common in year transfer application.

Acceptance of a place

The offer of a place will be open for four school weeks, if parents fail to respond the place will be withdrawn. If the place is accepted, the allocated school must make arrangements to admit the pupil within 5 school days.

Right of appeal

If a parent’s preference has been refused the Local Authority will advise them of their right of appeal.

If parents lodge an appeal and a place becomes available, the relevant admissions authority will apply their oversubscription criteria and the appellant will be considered alongside other applicants including those for whom application forms have been recently received or those on the waiting list.

Waiting Lists

If a parent’s application is refused their child’s name will be kept on a waiting list for the remainder of that academic year. The waiting list will be kept in criteria (not date) order. At the end of the academic year parents will be advised that they need to apply for the following academic year, if they wish their child to be kept on the waiting list. PART 2: THE 10 SCHOOL DAYS TIMETABLE FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF IN YEAR TRANSFERS

DAY 1 In year transfer application form received by the Admissions Section

DAY 1/2 Details of application forwarded to the relevant admission authority(s)

DAY 2 TO 7 Admission authority(s) will consider applications. A single offer will be made for the school that has been ranked highest by the parent

DAY 8 Receiving school will be informed of place that has been allocated.

DAY 9 The Local Authority will send a decision letter first class to parents

13