A brief guide to starting secondary school in Lambeth 2021/22 For children born between 01/09/09 and 31/08/10, or taught as a year 6 child during the 2020/21 academic year. Full information for parents/carers of children transferring from primary to secondary school in September 2021 can be found via lambeth.gov.uk/eadmissions Apply online and apply on time Deadline: Saturday 31 October 2020 lambeth.gov.uk/eadmissions If you apply after this date the likelihood of gaining a place at your preferred school may be significantly reduced. Introduction This booklet provides a brief General information Secondary transfer meetings guide for parents/carers and The Education Act 2002 and the for parents/carers their children through the School Admissions Code 2014 Meetings for parents/carers admission process for secondary provide a framework to ensure have been organised on the school for September 2021 that on National Offer Day as many following dates to explain the entry. It accompanies the children as possible (whose parents/ secondary transfer co-ordinated main ‘Starting secondary school carers have submitted an ‘on time’ admission process and give you in Lambeth 2021/22’ booklet application for a school place) receive the opportunity to ask questions which is available online via an offer (if an offer can be made) at about the procedure. lambeth.gov.uk/eadmissions. a school that they have expressed Thursday 10 September 2020 Please read these booklets a preference for. 6.30-7.30pm carefully as it is important Basics of the procedure Julian’s Primary School you use them to make the • The aim is that every child (Streatham site) best choices for your child. will receive the single highest 226 Leigham Court Road, If you are unsure about any preference offer possible. SW16 2RB aspect of the transfer process please contact Lambeth • To make it easy to apply and This meeting is open to all parents/ School Admissions Team on fair for parents/carers. carers of children transferring to 020 7926 9503 and/or attend • Well organised with good secondary school in 2021, even one of the secondary transfer communication between if they do not attend the venue meetings organised to provide schools and boroughs. school. Please ensure that if you information and support. bring any children to the above What the procedure cannot do meeting they remain with you at If your child has an Education, • It cannot guarantee every child all times. Lambeth Council and Health and Care Plan, do not a school place. This is because school staff cannot be held liable complete a Common Application some schools receive many for unaccompanied children in the Form. Please contact your more applications than places building, nor can they take any home borough’s SEND Team available, and this may be the responsibility for children brought for details about applications case for all schools applied for. In to meetings. for secondary school. this instance, allocations of offers If you are a Lambeth resident further for schools not applied for will be information is available from: made where possible. • It cannot guarantee your child Special Education Needs and will get a place at your first Disabilities (SEND) Team preference school. PO Box 734 Winchester • It cannot limit some multiple offers SO23 5DG being made after 1 March 2021, Telephone: 020 7926 9460 (but Lambeth School Admissions Email: [email protected] Team will be aware of them and Website: lambeth.gov.uk will ensure that parents/carers reject one of these offers quickly). PROCESS AND PROCEDURE 3 Secondary transfer and the London co-ordinated admissions procedure How to apply schools admissions authority. academy, voluntary-aided (religious), – essential information This is dependent upon how foundation or free school it is • Parents/carers only need well the child meets the schools the governing body of that school. to complete one Common admissions criteria. Application Form (CAF) to apply Where the school is oversubscribed, If your child is being taught in a for up to six schools anywhere the school’s admissions authority year group different to their in London excluding fee-paying. will use their admission criteria to chronological age (out of cohort) determine the order (rank) in which • The deadline for applications is you need to apply using a paper applicants will be offered places. Saturday 31 October 2020 via Common Application Form and lambeth.gov.uk/eadmissions provide documentation to confirm An admissions authority may this placement. Applications will be • All parents/carers who apply on require parents/carers to complete considered on a child-by-child basis time and online will know what a Supplementary Information by the admissions authority for the school their child has been offered, Form (SIF) requesting information schools applied for as they have (if any) on 1 March 2021. This which is not contained on the CAF, to consider, but not have to accept, offer will be the highest preference e.g. church attendance. This form your child to continue out of cohort. offer that can be made. is obtained from the school or lambeth.gov.uk/eadmissions for Lambeth School Admissions What is an admissions authority? Lambeth schools and needs to be Team do not decide which A schools admissions authority sent back to the school and not the school a child is offered. There is – the body of people who make borough by the school’s deadline. a process undertaken together decisions about admissions – will with School Admissions Teams determine which children can be School staff will not know what in other boroughs. Decisions about offered a place at a school. For number preference their school how a child’s application for a community schools the admissions has been listed on the CAF, all are school is ranked are made by the authority is the LA itself and for an considered the same at the same time. 4 PROCESS AND PROCEDURE 11 stages parents/carers must follow Stage 1 You must complete the CAF for your the address cannot be verified. Research home borough regardless of whether This means that your child will It is important to consider as much you are applying for schools in or not receive an offer of a school information as possible about the outside of that borough. The home place on 1 March 2021. Two schools you wish to apply to. borough is the borough where you documents are needed to confirm are residing at the time of application, your address as the applicant and • Check whether your child is likely even if you have been placed in one for your child. Please view the to be offered a place based on temporary accommodation. Please complete list of accepted proof of the school’s published admissions check that your child’s address is in address documents via lambeth. criteria, which can be found on Lambeth borough before completing gov.uk/eadmissions. Please view the individual school’s pages of the Lambeth CAF. Residents of the complete list of accepted proof the ‘Starting secondary school in boroughs other than Lambeth who of address documents via lambeth. Lambeth 2021/22’ booklet. wish to apply for a Lambeth school gov.uk/eadmissions. The documents • Check how offers were made for must complete the CAF provided by should be scanned and attached to National Offer Day for 2019/20 and the home borough in which they live. your online application or taken to: 2020/21 entry. Details regarding Lambeth schools can be viewed The preferred way for Lambeth Lambeth Customer Service Centre via the secondary transfer 2021/22 residents to apply for a secondary Lambeth Civic Centre page from lambeth.gov.uk/ school place is online. This can 6 Brixton Hill eadmissions These details be done via lambeth.gov.uk/ London only relate to the 2019/20 and eadmissions from 1 September SW2 1EG 2020/21 intakes and children 2020. A step-by-step guide to Monday to Friday 9am-5pm applying which will vary each applying online is available in the An appointment is required and can year. Therefore this information ‘Starting secondary school in be booked online at lambeth.gov.uk Lambeth 2021/22’ booklet. Please cannot be used to guarantee how This stage must be completed by note that any false or deliberately offers will be made for 2021/22 31 October 2020. intake and is only made available misleading information given on this to give an indication of how the form and/or supporting information Stage 4 admissions process impacted on may render your child’s application Proof of child’s date of birth Lambeth schools last year. invalid, or lead to any offer of a place The secondary Lambeth CAF is only for children born between • Contact the school directly being withdrawn. 01/09/09 and 31/08/10. Using this for a copy of their prospectus Stage 3 form for children outside this age or visit their website. Proof of address group will result in the form being • For schools in other boroughs The application address stated invalid (and it will not be processed please check their literature. on your child’s CAF must be the unless the child is being taught out address where you and your child Stage 2 of cohort). You must attach proof currently live, even if you have been Apply on time and apply online! of your child’s date of birth to the placed in temporary accommodation. The deadline for applications CAF – either a copy of their birth Applications received without is Saturday 31 October 2020. certificate, passport or EU National all the required proof of address If you apply after this date the Identity Card.