Education The right secondary school Information for parents about moving to secondary schools in 2013 The closing date for all applications is 31 October 2012 Starting secondary school in September 2013 If your child was born between 1 September 2001 and 31 August 2002, they will be transferring to a secondary school in September 2013. This move is not an automatic process and you will need to make an application for the secondary schools you would like your child to go to. If you would like information about applying for a place at secondary school,please come to one of our information meetings. Speeches begin at 7pm and admission officers will be available afterwards to answer any questions you may have about the admissions process. We look forward to seeing you on either: 10 September 2012 at the Civic Centre in Dagenham; or 11 September 2012 at the Town Hall in Barking. Introduction Introduction Moving from primary or junior If you are applying for a place at Applications we receive after school to secondary school is not our voluntary-aided school (All this date are late, and we will not an automatic process and you Saints), you must fill in and return process them until after 1 March will need to apply for a place at the supplementary information 2013, once we have dealt with the the secondary school you would form (SIF) and the diocese priest applications we received on time. like your child to go to. This reference form (PRF). You By this time you will be less likely information booklet explains the may need to fill in other forms to gain a place for your child at admissions process and you will (supplementary information forms) your preferred school. If you do not need to refer to it over the next year. if you apply for schools outside the fill in and return your application borough. See page 21 for more form, and you live in this borough, All schools use admission criteria details. we will give your child a place at (conditions) to decide which the nearest school to your home applications to accept and which The schools on your form are in Barking and Dagenham that still to turn down. We explain the your preferences – they cannot be has a space. admission criteria for Barking and your choices because we cannot Dagenham community schools on guarantee everyone a place at any The Admissions Team will be page 14 and for our voluntary-aided of the schools they have listed. If happy to answer any questions school on pages 15 and 16. everybody named the same school, you have about the process at we would not be able to increase one of the two public information It is important that you read and the number of places there. meetings we are holding for understand the information in parents. Please see the inside this booklet before you apply. If We offer as many places as front cover for full details of the you don’t follow the process in possible in order of the criteria and meetings. The meetings start at this booklet, you put your chance whose forms are returned by the 7pm, and we hope to see you of getting a place for your child closing date. The full timetable is there. If you need independent at your preferred school at risk. on page 34. You must return all advice, you can contact the Family applications and documents by the Information Service Team (see To apply, you must use the closing date, 31 October 2012. common application form provided page 36). by the borough you live in. DO NOT THROW THIS BOOKLET AWAY Keep in a safe place as you will need to refer to it over the next year. www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/admissions 3 Welcome Welcome Contents Welcome Dear parents and carers We are very pleased that you are considering sending your child to a Barking and Dagenham secondary school in September 2013. This booklet is to help you through the process. Barking and Dagenham has ten ‘fully inclusive’ secondary schools. (This means that the schools cater for all children and any needs they have.) All schools are fully comprehensive and have a clear commitment to raising the levels of achievement for all their pupils and students to prepare them for future adult life. We believe that attendance at any one of the schools in Barking and Dagenham will provide your child with the excellent educational opportunities such as I have experienced during my education in the borough. The examination performance of the schools is rapidly improving and we are investing a lot of resources into education in the borough, such as the new Skills Centre. The number of students continuing their education in sixth forms, further and higher education colleges and universities is steadily increasing. The high quality of education in Barking and Dagenham is recognised nationally and developments in our schools have helped to shape national policy. If you have any questions, staff in the Admissions Team will be available to help. The team has organised two separate meetings to explain this process and I hope you will be able to attend one of them. This is your opportunity to ask questions and meet other parents going through the process. School open mornings and evenings are held in September and October (see page 34). I very much hope that you will be able to visit our schools to see for yourself what we offer in Barking and Dagenham. Yours sincerely Councillor Rocky Gill Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Education. 4 Contents Contents This booklet contains important information about how children move from primary and junior schools to secondary schools. It also gives details about all the secondary schools in Barking and Dagenham. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Admissions Team. Postal Address: Admissions Team, Town Hall, Barking, Essex, IG11 7LU Phone: 020 8215 3004 Fax: 020 8227 5541 E-mail: [email protected] Textphone: 020 8227 3180 Website: www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/admissions Introduction 3 The schools and colleges 23-33 Welcome 4 All Saints Catholic School and Technology College 24 What you need to do 6 Barking Abbey School If you live in Barking and Dagenham (a specialist sports and humanities college) 25 If you live outside Barking and Dagenham Dagenham Park Church of England School 26 Eastbrook Comprehensive School 27 What you need to know – The admissions process 7-13 Eastbury Comprehensive School 28 Admission criteria 14-16 The Jo Richardson Community School 29 Admission criteria for community, trust Riverside School 30 and voluntary controlled schools in Robert Clack School of Science Barking and Dagenham 14 (a specialist college) 31 Admission criteria for the voluntary-aided The Sydney Russell School 32 school in Barking and Dagenham (All Saints The Warren Comprehensive School 33 Catholic School and Technology College) 15-16 Statistical information 17 Timetable of events 34 Filling in your forms 19-21 Glossary – definition of words used in this booklet 35 The common application form 19-20 Supplementary information forms 21 Useful information and services 36-38 Sending in your forms 22 Map of secondary schools in the borough 39 The common application form Other London authorities’ Supplementary information forms school admissions sections 40 Supplementary information forms (SIFs) All Saints SIF 41-42 5 What you need to do If you live in Barking and booklet and statistical information If you live outside Barking Dagenham for the past five years are and Dagenham published on our website. 1 Read and make sure you Each local authority (LA) is If you are applying for schools responsible for educating or training understand the admissions outside the borough, study process for our borough. children of school age (five to 18) the information the relevant living in their borough or county. What you need to do need to What you There is more information on local authority and school have pages 7 to 16. If you do not live in Barking and provided. Dagenham, please make sure you 2 Collect information to help you 6 Fill in and send us the common have read the admissions booklet decide your preferences. Pages application form online (paper from yourborough or county. 23 to 33 in this booklet give you forms are only available at the You will need to fill in the common information about Barking and borough’s one-stop shops) by application form (CAF) provided by Dagenham schools. Addresses the closing date. List the schools your borough or county. You can list for information about schools in in the order you prefer. Enclose Barking and Dagenham schools on other boroughs are shown on proof of your address if you that form. page 40. need to. Don’t forget to fill in any You must also fill in any other 3 Go to one of the admission supplementary information forms relevant forms (supplementary meetings listed on the inside (SIF) for any schools that ask you information forms) that may apply. cover. These meetings will give to do this. The admission criteria for Barking you independent advice about 7 Finally, send your supplementary and Dagenham community the admissions process. You information forms to the local schools are on page 14 and for the can also contact the Family authority or schools before the Barking and Dagenham voluntary- Information team for more help. closing dates (see page 21). aided school on pages 15 and 16. It is important that you read 4 Visit the schools to see for If we cannot give your child a place and understand the criteria and yourself what they can offer.