In-Year SecondarY School admissionS 2013 In-year Secondary School Admissions A guide for parents and carers of children seeking a secondary school place during the 2013 school year. This leaflet provides information on how to If you do not have internet access at apply for a secondary school place for your home you can use the internet at any child during the school year. Applying Library in the Borough. If however for a school place during the school year you would prefer a paper copy of the is referred to as in-year admissions. admissions booklet please contact either the Borough Council Pupil Access Team Usually applications are necessary due to: on 01702 215007, or email admissions@ Moving or having moved into southend.gov.uk Southend 1. Changing schools Changing address in Southend; or a) Moving House Wishing to change school If you are moving into the Borough (either from overseas or from within Admissions for September each year the UK) or are moving house within to reception, year 3 and year 7 groups the Borough, and wish to change are not called in-year admissions as school you will need to provide admission is coordinated to these the Pupil Access Team with a copy year groups by the Pupil Access Team, of either an exchange of contracts Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. letter or a rental agreement. These documents must be provided before Detailed information is available on our an offer of a school place can be website: made (tenancies for a period of less than 6 months will not be accepted). www.southend.gov.uk/admissions b) Transferring Schools within the The website includes links to school websites Borough together with a copy of the Secondary School Admissions booklet. The admissions Changing schools is a serious step booklet details the name, address, to take. Before applying for a place admission limit and admission criteria of at an alternative secondary school all secondary schools in the Borough. in the Borough please discuss the 1 Admission criteria and further information are available at www.southend.gov.uk/admissions In-Year SecondarY School admissionS 2013 reasons for your request with your Many schools are already full which child’s current headteacher and ask means that the nearest or catchment the school to complete part 2 of school for your new home address may the application form. Your child not be able to offer your child a place must continue to attend their current school and you must In some cases parents have more than not remove your child from the one child trying to gain a place in the school before securing a place same school, this can be very difficult. at another school. Parents should therefore consider very carefully if there are sufficient places at 2. Before you apply their preferred school(s) when making an application(s) It is advisable to find out about schools in the Borough by looking at the details 3. Where to apply from a number of sources: Depending on which school(s) you wish The Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to apply for will determine who you website www.southend.gov.uk/ can contact to submit your application. admissions Please see list below. DfE website: www.education.gov.uk 3a) Parents will need to apply through the Council for any of the following Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk schools: Admission booklet – admissions Cecil Jones College criteria: www.southend.gov.uk/ admissions Futures Community College Contacting the school directly Shoeburyness High School Check the location of the school to Southend High School for Boys your home address and consider how you would get your child to Southend High School for Girls school. In a few cases transport may Application forms for these schools are be provided using specific criteria available on the Council’s website at: on distance and/or specific benefits. Full details can be found at www. www.southend.gov.uk/admissions southend.gov.uk/etc At this stage an on-line application The Council will maintain a list of schools facility is not available and you will that have vacancies and you will be able need to print the form. A hard copy to contact the Pupil Access Team to is available by contacting either the make enquiries about available places Borough Council Pupil Access Team on 2 Admission criteria and further information are available at www.southend.gov.uk/admissions In-Year SecondarY School admissionS 2013 01702 215007, or email admissions@ If you are applying for a place at southend.gov.uk any of the following schools ensure that, in addition to the In-year 3b) Parents will need to apply directly to application form, you also complete the following schools: a Supplementary Information Form. Belfairs Academy SIFs are available from the school concerned or from the Pupil Chase High School Access Team; St. Bernards High School & Arts St. Bernards High School & Arts College College St. Thomas More High School St. Thomas More High School The Eastwood School If you are applying for a school outside of Southend check the Westcliff High School for Boys admissions criteria for the school by Westcliff High School for Girls contacting the Local Authority where the school is situated and find out Where a direct application is needed the how you apply for that school school will have the application form and any supplementary information form Return the form or forms to the (SIF) available on its website. Parents can relevant address (including a SIF if also contact the school directly. Contact appropriate) details and web addresses are available on page 7. 5. What happens next? In-Year admissions will be dealt with 4. How to Apply for a as they are received. The Pupil Access school place Team aims to process the application within 20 school days; Complete the In-year Secondary School Admission Application form The Council or the school itself answering all of the questions; will check whether your preferred school(s) has a vacancy in your child’s If you are applying for more than year group; one school you may have to complete more than one application If a vacancy does exist and it is the form. The Council will ask you if you only application a place will be are expressing a preference for any offered; other schools; 3 Admission criteria and further information are available at www.southend.gov.uk/admissions In-Year SecondarY School admissionS 2013 Where there are more applications If you have applied to the Pupil Access than vacancies at the school the Team and a place cannot be offered oversubscription criteria will be to any of your preferences you will applied to determine who has the be offered a place at the nearest highest priority. Those with the secondary school in the Borough to highest priority will be allocated a your home address with vacancies; place at the school filling the places available; If you are refused a preference you have the right to have your case In some cases, if you have completed considered by an Independent more than one application form Appeal Panel. Details on how to and have returned them to more appeal and where to get further than one place (for example, two advice should be included in your separate schools and the Council) refusal correspondence you may receive more than one offer. If this is the case, you will need 6. In-year admissions for to decide which school you wish to starting in September take up and notify the appropriate organisation of accepting and Where the application is for the start declining places; of the academic year in September these will be considered in June/July In a very few cases particularly for for September admissions. The offer vulnerable children, that may have of a place is not for the year group at not had a successful experience at the time application but for the new previous schools, the application may academic year. be referred by the governing body of the schools for consideration under the Fair Access Protocol. This may happen even after you have received an offer of a school place; If your are moving into the Borough and you have been unable to secure a place at any of your preferred schools you should contact the Pupil Access Team who can advise you of alternative school places in the Borough on 01702 215007 or by email [email protected] 4 Admission criteria and further information are available at www.southend.gov.uk/admissions In-Year SecondarY School admissionS 2013 7. Waiting Lists 9. Where can I get more information or advice? The Pupil Access Team will be handling the in-year admissions waiting list for The Borough Council Pupil Access Team schools listed in section 3a of this booklet. on 01702 215007 will be able to answer If you are unsuccessful at one of these your enquiries. schools you can request that your child be kept on the waiting list should a vacancy You may also contact the Pupil Access arise at the school(s) of your choice. Team by email at admissions@southend. gov.uk or by writing to Pupil Access Team, Department for People, Southend on Sea Notification must be by email Borough Council, Civic Centre, Victoria [email protected] OR in Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6ER. writing to the Pupil Access Team. Waiting lists are only kept for the school year. You should enquire at schools operating their own in-year admission arrangements as to whether they are operating a waiting list and, if so, how it works.