Secondary Education in Essex 2018/2019 A guide to transferring from primary to secondary school Closing date for applications 31 October 2017 Apply online at www.essex.gov.uk/admissions Page 2 Online admissions Parents and carers who live in the Essex County Council area (excluding those living in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea or in Thurrock) can apply for their child’s school place online at: www.essex.gov.uk/admissions The system has a number of benefits for parents and carers: • you can access related information through links on the website to find out more about individual schools, home to school transport or inspection reports; • when you have submitted your application you will receive an email confirming this; • you will be told the outcome of your online application by email on offer day if you requested this when you applied. You will be able to make your application online from 12 September 2017. The closing date for secondary applications is 31 October 2017. This is the statutory national closing date set by the Government. Key Points to Remember • APPLY ON TIME - closing date 31 October 2017. • Use all 6 preferences. • Tell us immediately in writing (email or by letter) about any address change. • Make sure you read and understand the Education Transport Policy information on pages 23-25 if entitlement to school transport is important to you. School priority admission (catchment) areas are not relevant to transport eligibility. Transport is generally only provided to the nearest available school where the distance criteria is met. The ‘catchment’ school for an address may not be the nearest school. It is vital you carefully consider the transport implications before you make your application for a school place. Please contact us if you need advice (see pages 23-25). Page 3 Contents Online admissions 2 • Continued interest in a school after the 16 Key points to remember 2 beginning of the autumn term • I want to change secondary schools (mid-year) 16 Introduction 4 • Fair Access Protocol 16-17 • What happens post 16? 17 Primary to secondary transfer timetable 5 • Post 16 applications from outside Co-ordinated admission arrangements and of the county 17 what they mean 6 Appeals against admission decisions 18-19 The application process explained 7 • Making an appeal 18 • After you have made your appeal 18 Essential information for parents 8-17 • At your hearing 18 • Common Application Form (CAFs) 8 • Grouped appeal hearings 18 • Supplementary Information Forms (SIFs) 8 • The decision 19 • Schools with a specialist aptitude/ability criterion 8 Special Educational Needs and Essex special • Applying to schools outside Essex 8 schools 20-22 • Closing date for applications 8 • SEN Local Offer 20 • No application for a school place • SEN transport arrangements 21 is submitted 9 • Special schools in Essex 22 • Priority admission areas 9 Home to school transport 23-25 • Types of schools 9 • Mainstream secondary schools 23 • Shared parental responsibility 9-10 • What is the nearest school for transport • School preference order 10 purposes? 23 • Using all your preferences 10 • Faith schools 24 • Selective/Grammar schools 10 • Selective/Grammar schools 24 • Children with statements of Special 10 • Points to remember 24 Educational Needs or Education, Health and • Sustainable modes of travel 24 Care Plan applying for grammar schools • Scholars’ tickets 24 • Changing preferences 11 • Post 16 transport 24-25 • Home address 11 • Applications from members of the Armed Financial assistance for parents 25 Forces and Crown Servants 11 and students • Address checking 11 • Uniform grants 25 • Fraudulent/Misleading applications 12 • Free school meals 25 • Moving house/changing address details 12 • Distance tie-breaker 12 Secondary schools in Essex 26 • Siblings 13 • School information explained 27 • Will my child’s brothers and sisters 13 be able to go to the same school? Secondary school policies 28-112 • Twins, triplets etc. 13 A guide to information sources 113 • Children who are cared for by a local 13 authority (Looked After Children) Useful addresses and telephone 114-115 • Medical circumstances 13-14 numbers • Feeder primary schools 14 Notes 116 • Admission of children from overseas 14 Alphabetical Index of schools 121 • How decisions are made 14 Inside the back cover – • Withdrawal of offers 14 The Essex Common Application Form, • Late applications 14 notes of guidance and application checklist. • None of your preferences can be met 15 • If your child is not offered a place 15 The information contained in this booklet is correct as • Non-Essex Schools 15 at the time of printing. Polices may change in the light • Waiting lists 15 of decisions made by the Schools’ Adjudicator or any • I’ve decided that I would prefer a lower 15-16 changes in the law. An addendum will be available on preference school than the one I have been the website and on request. offered Page 4 Introduction Welcome to Secondary Education in Essex The Local Authority (LA) has responsibility for the 2018/2019. This booklet is for parents and carers provision of school places across the county. The living in Essex2 whose children will be starting LA’s School Admissions team provides help to secondary education in the school year that parents applying for primary or secondary places begins in September 2018. in Essex and is responsible for the co-ordination of admissions to all Essex maintained schools and Please take the time to read this booklet carefully Academies. If you require any assistance with your as it will help you through the application process. application School Admissions will do its very best It gives you the information you need to help you to help you. make an informed application for your child’s secondary education. It also explains how places I hope that your child has an enjoyable and fruitful are allocated and how to appeal if you are refused secondary education, and I wish them every a place at your preferred school(s). Essential success for the future. information is included to help you through the co-ordinated admissions process. Please make use of all your preferences. We have an online applications system through which 98% of applications were submitted last year. Alternatively an application form can be Councillor Ray Gooding found on our website or you can request a form by calling 0345 603 2200 or use the one at the end of Cabinet Member for Education this booklet if you would prefer to apply on paper. Please do not do both. Page 5 Primary to secondary school transfer timetable Keeping track of your application As deadlines are a critical part of the process of applying for a child’s secondary school place, a step-by- step timetable is here to assist parents. You can use it to check that you have done what you need to and received the necessary information and correspondence. The LA sends all correspondence “in good faith” that it will be received on time. If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application, including the offer letter or an email which confirms you have submitted it, then please contact School Admissions immediately. DATE PROCEDURE ACTION BY Week commencing Secondary school application information sent to Year 6 pupils LA 28 August 2017 attending an Essex primary, junior or independent school and Essex children attending non-Essex schools (where known). The Secondary Education in Essex 2018/2019 booklet is on the ECC website. 12 September 2017 Online applications can be made. LA/Parents September/October 2017 Visit the admissions website and read through this booklet, find out Parents about and visit schools. It is important to consider how your child will get to school. 16 September 2017 Chelmsford County High School for Girls (CCHS) Entrance test. CCHS 23 September 2017 11+ test for CSSE selective schools sat at parent’s nominated school. Selective schools September/October Tests for specialist places at some schools (various dates) are taken Schools selecting 2017 by all pupils where parents have requested this on the school’s by aptitude/ability Supplementary Information Form. and parents 3 October 2017 Late 11+ test for CSSE selective schools for children unable to take Selective schools earlier test. For religious, illness or exceptional circumstances only. and parents From 16 October 2017 CSSE and CCHS will send results of 11+ test/entrance test. CSSE and CCHS 31 October 2017 LAST DAY FOR RECEIPT OF COMMON APPLICATION FORM EITHER PAPER Parents OR ONLINE. Applications received after this date will normally be treated as late. You cannot apply online after this date. November/ Admission policies for schools are applied to relevant applications – see Schools and LA December 2017 page 14 for an explanation of the process. 1 December 2017 The last date that evidence of changes of address can be accepted to be Parents/LA included in the first round of offers on 1 March 2018. January – February 2018 Information exchanged with other authorities and preferences sorted to LA identify the highest that can be met – see examples on page 6. 1 March 2018 NATIONAL OFFER DAY. Offer emails/letters sent to all Essex resident LA/Parents applicants. An email will also be sent to those who applied online who requested it, confirming the outcome of their application.If you DO NOT receive an email/letter by 9 March 2018 then please contact School Admissions. 29 March 2018 The latest date to lodge an appeal against a refusal of a place if you Parents definitely want it heard before the end of the summer term. March – 31 August 2018 Waiting lists are maintained for all oversubscribed schools and any LA places that become available are allocated from these lists. April – July 2018 Appeals held.