Applying to start secondary school 2017–18 Information about admissions arrangements Contents Secondary school starting age 2 Deciding which secondary schools to apply for 2 Visiting schools 2 Admissions criteria 3 How to apply and what proof are required to complete an application 5 Supplementary information forms 7 Important dates 8 Last year’s application and appeal rates (community schools) 9 Applying for a secondary school place after the closing date 10 Offers 10 Appeals 11 Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities 11 Secondary schools in Lewisham 12 Map of secondary schools in Lewisham 14 Useful websites: All you need to know about applying to start secondary school in Lewisham. www.lewisham.gov.uk/secondaryadmissions Find out about secondary schools in Lewisham and which are closest to you. www.lewisham.gov.uk/secondaryschools Apply online for secondary school places. www.eAdmissions.org.uk Contact: Admissions and Appeals Team, Third Floor, Laurence House, Catford SE6 4RU. Tel: 020 8314 8282 (lines are open Monday–Friday, 9am–12noon). Email: [email protected] Applying to start secondary school 2017–18 Information about admissions arrangements 2 Secondary school starting age Visiting schools Children who were born between 1 September 2005 Before deciding which schools you wish to apply for we and 31 August 2006 are eligible to transfer to secondary also recommend that you arrange to visit the school school in September 2017 and to participate in the to meet the staff, see the facilities and opportunities secondary transfer admissions scheme. available. Headteachers will be pleased to show you around the school and answer your questions. All Deciding which secondary schools to apply for secondary schools in Lewisham hold open days so that you can visit them with your child. You can apply for up to six schools mainstream state secondary schools which may be within Lewisham or Addey and Stanhope School in authorities outside the borough. As not every child Tuesday 20 September, 9am can be offered their preferred school you are advised to Wednesday 21 September, 9am research a range of schools, including those which are Thursday 22 September, 9am and 6pm closest to your home address before submitting your Friday 23 September, 9am application. Bonus Pastor Catholic College There are 14 maintained secondary schools in the Thursday 22 September, 6.30pm and 7.30pm Lewisham borough. Each one has its own values and Monday 26 September, 9.15am offers different opportunities: Tuesday 27 September, 9.15am ●● Addey and Stanhope School Wednesday 28 September, 9.15am Thursday 29 September, 9.15am ●● Bonus Pastor Catholic College Friday 30 September, 9.15am ●● Conisborough College Each session will involve a talk and a tour. ●● Deptford Green School Conisborough College ●● Forest Hill School Tuesday 20 September, 9.15–11am for parents of ●● Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College children with surnames beginning A–H Friday 23 September, 9.15–11am for parents of children ●● Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy with surnames beginning I–P ●● Prendergast Ladywell School Tuesday 27 September, 9.15–11am for parents of children with surnames beginning Q–Z ●● Prendergast School Thursday 29 September, 6–8pm ●● Prendergast Vale School Deptford Green School ●● Sedgehill School Monday 26 September, 9am ●● St Matthew Academy Tuesday 27 September, 9am Wednesday 28 September, 9am and 6pm ●● Sydenham School Thursday 29 September, 9am ●● Trinity Church of England School, Lewisham Forest Hill School We strongly recommend you look at your nearest schools Wednesday 28 September, 9.15–12 noon (whether they are faith or non-faith schools) as most Thursday 29 September, 9.15–12 noon schools in Lewisham are expected to be oversubscribed. Friday 30 September, 9.15–12 noon We also advise you to use all six preferences and not Wednesday 5 October, 9.15–12 noon restrict your application. A list of the secondary schools Thursday 6 October, 9.15–12 noon in the borough, including contact details, age ranges and Friday 7 October, 9.15–12 noon number of places available, is on page 12. All visitors are asked to arrive promptly at main reception To find out more about secondary schools in the borough, on Dacres Road in readiness for tours of the school to begin what they have to offer and see which are nearest to you, at 9.15am. The headteacher will give his welcome talk to visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/secondaryschools. Contact: Admissions and Appeals Team, Third Floor, Laurence House, Catford SE6 4RU. Tel: 020 8314 8282 (lines are open Monday–Friday, 9am–12noon). Email: [email protected] Applying to start secondary school 2017–18 Information about admissions arrangements 3 visitors in the school theatre from about 11am, and the *Please check with the schools direct these dates are still visits conclude by noon at the latest. correct before attending in case of any last minute changes. Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College Admissions criteria Wednesday 21 September When a school is ‘oversubscribed’, ie they receive more Please check the College’s website for further information. applications than there are places available, the school’s admissions criteria is applied to decide which children qualify Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy for a place. It is important that you familiarise yourself with Tuesday 20 September, 5–8pm the admissions criteria for the schools you wish to apply for to Tuesday 27 September, 9.15am gauge whether your child is likely to qualify for a place. Most Tuesday 4 October, 9.15am secondary schools in Lewisham and neighbouring boroughs Tuesday 11 October, 9.15am are expected to receive more applications than there are places available. Limiting the number of schools you list on Prendergast Ladywell School your application can limit the chance of your receiving an Tuesday 13 September, 6pm offer from one of your preferences of school. Do not include Thursday 15 September, 9.15am fee paying (independent) schools or special needs schools Tuesday 20 September, 9.15am on your application as they are not part of the co-ordinated Thursday 22 September, 9.15am admissions arrangements. Tuesday 27 September, 9.15am Siblings Prendergast School Thursday 15 September, 5.30–7.30pm Most schools will give priority to children whose older Wednesday 21 September, 5.30–7.30pm brother or sister (sibling) attends the school. Please ensure Thursday 22 September, 1.30–3.30pm you add the name, date of birth, gender and home address of any older child you have attending the school you are Prendergast Vale School applying for. Failure to do so may result in your younger Tuesday 13 September, 9.15am child not being offered a place at your preference school Wednesday 14 September, 9.15am and the school may not be able to accommodate your child Thursday 15 September, 5pm later in the admissions process. Monday 19 September, 9.15am Wednesday 21 September, 9.15am Children of staff Thursday 22 September, 5pm A small number of schools will give priority to children whose parent is employed at the school. Please read the Sedgehill School school’s definition of ‘children of staff’ to ensure that if your Monday 26 September, 6–8pm child qualifies under this criterion you complete the relevant Wednesday 38 September, 9–10.30am information on the online application. Thursday 29 September, 9–10.30am Children who attend an all-through school St Matthew Academy Tuesday 27 September, 4.30–7.30pm Children who attend an all through school – Tuesday 4 October 9.15–11.15am Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College, Haberdashers’ Friday 7 October, 9.15–11.15am Aske’s Knights Academy, St Matthew Academy and Trinity School – are not required to apply to remain at Sydenham School their school for Year 7 as they will automatically transfer. Tuesday 13 September, 9.15–10.45am Parents whose Year 6 child attends an all through school Wednesday 21 September, 9.15–10.45am may apply to transfer their child to another school in Saturday 24 September, 9.30–11.30am Year 7 if they wish. Parents should not name their child’s Thursday 6 October, 9.15–10.45am current school as a secondary school preference if they intend for their child to remain at the school. Trinity Church of England School, Lewisham Thursday 29 September, 6–8pm Contact: Admissions and Appeals Team, Third Floor, Laurence House, Catford SE6 4RU. Tel: 020 8314 8282 (lines are open Monday–Friday, 9am–12noon). Email: [email protected] Applying to start secondary school 2017–18 Information about admissions arrangements 4 The community schools in the borough use the same 3. a) 11–16 Community Schools – Children whose admissions criteria (see below). Voluntary-aided faith older brother or sister is on roll of the school on the schools, foundation schools, free schools and academies closing date for applications as well as those whose have their own criteria for deciding which children to sibling was a former pupil of the school and who admit. The full admissions policy, annual intake and other transferred to a 16–18 education provision at the information about each of these schools in Lewisham can be end of the previous academic year. If the school is found on the school’s own websites. See page 12 for details oversubscribed entirely with siblings, priority will be of secondary schools in the borough. given (i) to those with exceptional social and medical need Admissions policy for community schools and When a community school in Lewisham is oversubscribed (ii) to those living nearest the school. for Year 7 in September 2017 the following criteria will be used and places offered to: OR 1. A looked after child or a child who was previously b) 11–18 Community Schools – Children whose looked after but immediately after being looked after brother or sister is on roll of the school on the closing became subject to an adoption order (in accordance date for applications and will still be on the roll of with the Children Act 2002), child arrangements, or the school at the intended date of admission.