information for Cheshire West & Chester Council parents orImportant carers Applying for a Secondary School place – Year 7 September 2020 Closing date for secondary school applications 31 October 2019 Visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions Timeline for applying for a secondary school place for September 2020 1 September 2019 Parents/carers can apply for a school place. Online Paper www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/ Application Form is contained in admissions Section 5 of this booklet. 31 October 2019 Closing date for on time applications • Paper applications to be returned to: School Admissions, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wyvern House, The Drumber, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 1AH. Paper applications must be received by this date to be considered as ‘on time’ • Online applications must be submitted to the Authority by this date. Don’t forget to press the submit button on your account. 13 December 2019 Deadline for supporting information • Any information received by this date will be considered for the initial allocation of school places, for example, change of address, change in circumstances, reasons for the local authority to consider a late application/change of preference as on time • Any information received after this date cannot be included in the initial allocation of school places, however will be considered later in the process following the 2 March 2020. 2 March 2020 Notification of offers • Offer letters notifying parent/carers of school place offered sent out by post to parents/ carers who have applied using a paper application. • Online offers made available for parents/carers to view, emails sent to parents/carers who have applied online notifying of the school place offered. 30 March 2020 Closing date for on time appeals Appeals received by this date will be heard by 16 June 2020. Apply online visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions 2 Apply online visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions Dear Parents and Carers Welcome to Cheshire West and Chester Council Applying online offers you many benefits, in particular ‘Transferring to Secondary School 2020/21’ booklet. you will be able to view your offer online on the offer As you will know, transferring to secondary school is a day of 2 March 2020. critical and exciting stage in your child’s life. This booklet provides you with the important information you need You may however prefer to complete a paper to help you through the process of applying for a school application form which is included at the back of place. this booklet. The closing date for paper applications is 31 October 2019. It is critical that you submit your Please pay particular attention to Step 1 in the first preferences by this date to ensure that your section of this booklet before making your application. application is not disadvantaged. I hope that you will find it helpful and informative when deciding on your school preferences. If there is anything about the process that you are uncertain of when completing your application you Please ensure you read the information in this booklet can contact Cheshire West and Chester Council for carefully before making your application. It’s particularly assistance on 0300 123 7039. important that you understand the timescales, how your application will be processed and how decisions about I would like to wish your child every success as applications are made. they start their education at secondary school. This booklet includes information on the requirement With regards for the Local Authority to co-ordinate the admissions for all schools within its area which includes maintained schools and academies. The online application facility was very successfully used last year. Of the secondary applications Mark Parkinson received for the 2019/20 academic year, 98.7% Director of Education, were made online in Cheshire West and Chester. Cheshire West & Chester Council, The online facility is available until midnight 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BE on the closing date of 31 October 2019 at Tel: 0300 123 8 123 www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions. Textphone: 18001 01606 867 670 The information in this booklet relates to the school year 2020/21. Although correct at the date of printing (August 2019) there may be changes before or during the 2019/20 school year and in subsequent years. 1 2 Apply online visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions Contents Section 1 Page Key to symbols used throughout this booklet Step 1 Important information 4 The following table illustrates the symbols and colours to consider before applying used within the booklet and provides their definitions. Transport 4 Moving House 5 Community non-denominational schools Shared Responsibility 6 Cheshire West and Chester Council C are responsible for the admission Making an informed decision 6 arrangements for these schools. Step 2 Applying for a school place 7 Voluntary Aided Schools – Church schools Step 3 Process following the offer 10 The Governors of the school are responsible VA of a school place for the admission arrangements for these schools. General Information 12 Foundation Schools – Non-denominational schools Section 2 F The Governors of the school are responsible Schools Information 14 for the admission arrangements for these Contact details schools. Academies The Academy Trust is responsible Section 3 AC for the admission arrangements Admission Arrangements 20 for these schools. Information on how a criteria Studio Schools is assigned to your application S The Studio School Trust is responsible for the admission arrangements for these schools. Section 4 Information Where you see this sign we recommend Useful contact details 52 that you take particular note of the information provided before completing Section 5 your online or paper application form. Application form and questionnaire 54 School Admissions Team, Cheshire West and Chester Council Wyvern House, The Drumber Winsford , Cheshire CW7 1AH Tel: 0300 123 7039 3 Section 1: Application Process Please be aware that our home to school transport Step 1 Important policy is different from our admissions policy. School places are allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria (See Section 3 of this booklet) information to consider and home to school distances are calculated in a before applying straight line. Home to school transport distances are assessed using Transport an in-house GIS mapping system that measures the nearest available walking route. This means the result Travel arrangements need to be an important for the nearest qualifying school for transport can be consideration when you’re making your school different from the nearest school for admissions preferences. Very few primary children qualify for travel purposes. assistance from the Council. We recommend that you contact our School Transport Since September 2015, travel assistance is only offered Team, to discuss your application and to find out which to pupils attending their nearest qualifying school (the school is your nearest for travel assistance purposes. school that is closest to the pupilís home address) if it is Contact details can be found in Section 4 of this booklet. more than the statutory walking distance. This may not necessarily be your catchment school if there are nearer Faith Schools schools to your home address with places available. We do not provide travel assistance to faith schools If you choose to accept a place at a school that is not unless it is the nearest qualifying school (the school that your nearest qualifying school for travel assistance is closest to the pupilís home address and it is more than purposes, you do so on the understanding that the statutory walking distance). transporting your child to that school is your responsibility. Post 16 Transport You will need to take any practical arrangements and potential travel costs into account when making your From September 2014 the Council no longer provides preferences to ensure that your child can to get to and travel assistance to post 16 students, however will from school at the appropriate time each day. consider individual cases where hardship can be demonstrated. 4 Apply online visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/admissions Transport for Pupils with Special • Confirmation of the family’s move from the previous property, which may include any of the following Educational Needs (SEN) and/or documentation: invoice from a removal company; Disabilities a disconnection certificate from previous address; documents for the sale or lease of the property; legal Once a pupil’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan is transfer arrangements to another third party, etc; finalised, the SEN Team will assess their eligibility for home to school travel assistance. • Council Tax or utility bill (e.g. gas, electric or water bill) confirming usage at the new property and; If a pupil is attending their nearest qualifying school and the distance from home to school is over the statutory • a formal document confirming the residency of your walking distance, they will be eligible for travel child. assistance. Examples of evidence you could provide for this are If a pupil is attending their nearest qualifying school, but proof of receipt of Child Benefit or Child Tax Credits at the their home to school distance is less than the statutory new address, evidence of your change of address with walking distance, then eligibility will be assessed on their a bank/building society/Trust Fund account in your individual needs. child’s name, proof of change of address with a GP, doctors surgery for your child, or a doctors/dentist/ If a pupil is not attending their nearest qualifying school, hospital appointment letter. they will not be eligible for travel assistance and it will be the parent/carer’s responsibility to arrange transport for their child to and from school. Please note: Parents and carers are responsible For further information contact the SEN Team, details are for notifying us when a house move has taken in Section 4 of this booklet.