Avon Valley College Determined Admissions Policy 2022/23

Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 1 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 1 Registered in England: 10163646

VERSION CONTROL SHEET

POLICY NAME: Admissions Policy

Policy Prepared by: Sam Johnston, Executive Principal, Avon Valley College

Document Filename Mtg Summary of changes required date submitted Oct 2020 AAB Dates amended and definition of 27/11/2020 sibling included.

Policy Review Date: October 2021

Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 2 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 2 Registered in England: 10163646

AVON VALLEY COLLEGE ADMISSIONS POLICY 2022-2023

General Principles Avon Valley is a mixed comprehensive College for boys and girls of all abilities aged 11-18. Avon Valley College is situated in the village of Durrington, ten miles from Salisbury and three miles from .

Ethos At Avon Valley College we are committed to the principle of achievement for all. No young person would be prevented from admittance to the College provided that the College has the places and resources to meet their needs. We regard good behaviour, loyalty, respect for others, endeavour, team work and commitment as important attributes and expect our students to pursue excellence in all that they undertake.

We ask all parents applying for a place at Avon Valley College to recognise and support this ethos and its importance to the College.

Definitions and Details There is no guarantee of a place for children living in our priority admission area.

The school will endeavour to provide places for pupils who live outside the priority admissions area whose parents wish them to attend Avon Valley College provided that they can be accommodated within the admissions limit.

Admissions to Avon Valley College is not dependent on any ‘voluntary’ contribution.

Pupils will be admitted at the age of 11+ using the criteria below. The admissions number for the academic year 2022/2023 will be 185.

The Admissions Authority for Avon Valley College is the Salisbury Plain Academies Trust Board. The school participates in the Local Authority coordinated scheme and all deadlines within that should be adhered to by applicants.

As required by the regulations of 2005, the school will give priority to applications on behalf of children in public care (looked after children). Children with an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school, will be admitted and processed by the Central SEN team at County Hall.

Catchment Area Avon Valley College uses the following feeder schools: • St. Leonard’s C of E Primary School • Bulford Primary School • Durrington Junior School • St. Michaels C of E Primary School • Larkhill Primary School • Netheravon All Saints

Avon Valley College will endeavor to provide a place for those students where the child currently Admissionsattends the Policy feeder 202 schools2-2023 of the Av on Valley College Page cluster 3 of 7. January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 3 Registered in England: 10163646

Our priority admission area is in the village of Durrington and the following villages:

Ablington Enford Longstreet House Alton Fifield Milston Brigmertson Figheldean Netheravon Bulford Fittleton New Town Haxton West Chisenbury Compton Larkhill Coombe Littlecott Longstreet East Chisenbury

Students from outside of these areas may also still apply.

Applications

All applications will be dealt with in accordance with the principles of this policy.

The College uses the same timetable for applications as Local Authority. Submissions for joining Year 7 in September 2022 must have been received by Wiltshire Council by midnight on the 31st October 2021.

A paper application form may be obtained from the College or from Wiltshire Council - 01225 713010.

The application form may be completed electronically and submitted online at: www.wiltshire.guk/school-admission-form-secondary.

If your child has a statement of Special Education Need or an Education, Health and Care Plan, you cannot apply online or use the common application form. You must contact your case worker.

Late applications

Late applications (i.e. those received at Wiltshire Council after 18th December 2021).

In exceptional circumstances, County may re-assign applications if they are received before 18th December 2021. Other late applications will not be processed by Wiltshire Council until after the notification date on the 1st March 2022.

Admission of Children outside their normal age group

In exceptional circumstances, children may make an early transfer into Avon Valley College. Prior to a decision being made, parents/carers must:

• Discuss this option with the Head Teacher of the primary school • Discus this option with the Assistant Principal for Safeguarding at Avon Valley College • Contact the School Admission Team for advice on Deferred entry.

All applications for children requesting admission outside their normal age group, will be processed as outlined in Wiltshire Council’s Coordinated Admissions Scheme, which has been drafted in line with the School Admissions Code. Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 4 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 4 Registered in England: 10163646

If English is an additional language you may want to contact the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) on 01225 713517.

In-year transfer locations

All in-year transfer applications will be dealt with in accordance with the principles of this policy: • Your child must not be removed from their present school until an alternative placement has been agreed. • Avon Valley College will consider and process in-year transfer applications throughout the academic year. A copy can be obtained from the Avon Valley College’s Admin Office.

Operation of Waiting Lists

Subject to any provisions regarding waiting lists in the Local Authority’s coordinated admission scheme, each Academy will operate a waiting list. Where in any year an Academy receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate. This will be maintained by the Trust and it will be open to any parent to ask for their child’s name to be placed on the waiting list, following an unsuccessful application.

Where places become vacant, they will be allocated to children on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria. The Local Authority will co-ordinate admissions for in-year applications and applications for year groups other than the normal point(s) of entry.

Applications for Children of UK Service Personnel (UK Armed Forces)

Applications for children of service personnel with a confirmed posting to the county will be considered in advance of the family moving into the county if necessary. Where possible, an application must be included in the normal admission round.

An official letter, such as a posting note or letter of support from the Commanding Officer should be sent to the Academy as soon as possible. This should include relocation date and unit postal address or quartering area address (the address of the closest house in the nearest ‘quartering area’). Until a fixed address is available, the unit postal address or quartering area address will be used, and a school place allocated accordingly.

The Academy will not refuse a child of UK service personnel a place because the family does not currently live in the area. It is also not permitted to reserve places for these children.

Children will be considered to be siblings if any brother or sister has been formally offered and have accepted a place at the Academy. Their position on any waiting list will be set accordingly. For further advice, please contact the Customer Care Team at Wiltshire Council on 01225 713010.

Applications for 6th Form

All applications must be made directly to the College. Please visit: www.avonvalleycollege.org.uk, to see the subjects available and the entry requirements.

Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 5 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 5 Registered in England: 10163646

All external applications will be considered in accordance with the same criteria as internal applications. Only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered after the end of the first term, i.e. October half term.

The oversubscription criteria for 6th Form are the same as listed in the Oversubscription details below.

Tie Breaker

If there are not enough places to satisfy all the applications under any one criterion, priority will be given to those living nearest the School. The School will adopt the measurement system of Wiltshire Council Local Authority to determine the distance from the School to the Home address. Where two or more applicants live an equal distance from the School and it is not possible to differentiate between them, priority will be determined by random allocation through the drawing of lots supervised by someone independent of the School.

Oversubscription

Where the College is oversubscribed (there are more applicants than places available), places will be allocated in accordance with the following criteria and in the following order.

Sibling: means brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, foster brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom admission is sought is living in the same family unit as that sibling and at the same address.

Please read the explanatory notes for further guidance.

a. Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children A ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order.

A looked after child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).

b. Vulnerable Children A child is eligible in this category where the child has an identified social or medical need.

c. Children living in the Catchment Area with a sibling at the College A child living inside the Catchment Area is eligible for this category where they have a sibling attending the College on the date of application and the sibling will still be attending the College at the time of admission (see pages 3 & 4 of the Admissions Policy).

d. Children living in the Catchment Area See pages 3 & 4 of the Admissions Policy.

Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 6 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 6 Registered in England: 10163646

e. Children living outside the Catchment Area with a sibling at the School A child living outside the Catchment Area is eligible for this category where they have a sibling attending the College on the date of application and the sibling will still be attending the College at the time of admission.

f. Children of staff at the school A child is considered to fall under this criterion if: i) the member of staff has been employed at the College for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or ii) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

If applicants wish to be considered under these criteria, then a letter from the Head of School confirming the above applies to the applicant must be provided at the time of application.

g. Children eligible for service premium relocating to Salisbury Plain

h. All other children

Appeals

If you are not offered a place at our College, you have the right to appeal to an independent panel. If you are refused a place, please contact Mrs L Paston, Interim Principal at Avon Valley College.

All appeals should be heard by the same panel and it is difficult to slot in late applications. Appeals will be heard before 6th July 2022 or the next working day and late applications should be heard with on-time applications if possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.

The local Government Ombudsman can investigate written complaints about maladministration on the part of a panel hearing appeals. Maladministration covers issues such as failure to follow correct procedures or a failure to act independently and fairly, rather than complaints where a person simply feels that the decision taken is wrong.

A leaflet is obtainable from: Commission for Local Administration in England, 10th Floor, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP or telephone 0845 6021983.

Links to other policies:

Behaviour Policy Anti-bullying Policy Health & Safety Policy Child Protection Policy Special Educational Needs Policy

Admissions Policy 2022-2023 Page 7 of 7 January 2021

Salisbury Plain Academies. Executive Principal: Sam Johnston. Core Services Hub, Avon Valley College, Recreation Road, Durrington, SP4 8HH 7 Registered in England: 10163646