Information for Parents - Secondary School Education in September 2024

Dear Parent

This booklet is to help you, as a parent/carer of a child who is about to transfer into Secondary School in September 2024. It contains information about all of our schools and we hope you will find it easy to read and understand and helpful in its content.

The Council is committed to working in partnership with yourselves, teachers, governors and other partners to provide the best educational and learning opportunities for South Tyneside children. This includes providing you with accurate and up to date information to help you decide which school is right for your child. Please read this booklet carefully and make sure you understand how your application will be processed.

We have made the process of applying for a school place even more convenient for parents/carers by introducing online admissions. Applying for a school place online is quick, safe and an efficient way of making your application. The process offers many benefits, which are outlined in this booklet. Whilst we recommend that you apply online, we appreciate you may alternatively prefer to complete a paper application.

The Council is keen to improve the quality of the information we provide to parents. If there is anything else you would like to see in this booklet or have any other comments about the service you have received from the Authority please let us know by contacting the School Admissions Team on telephone number (0191) 424 7767 or (0191) 424 7706.

The Authority believes that school attendance is the best opportunity for your child to learn and develop friendships; we seek your support in this area. We wish your child every success in their future.

The School Admissions Team

Telephone:

0191 424 7767/7706

• Admission to Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools
• Admission to Voluntary Aided Schools (Church Schools) Trust and Academies
• Your Catchment Area
• In Year Transfers

Email:

school.admissions@southtyneside.gov.uk

Contact

Performance Tables - Department for Education

Telephone:

0870 00 2288

Contact

Exclusions from School - Services for Young People

Telephone:

0191 424 6306

Contact

School Attendance - Services for Young People

Telephone:

0191 424 6333

Contact

Parent Partnership Officer

Telephone:

0191 424 6345

Contact

Elective Home Education

Telephone:

0191 454 6254

Contact

Alternative Education Behaviour Support Service

Telephone:

0191 454 6254

Contact

School Transport (Travel Passes)

Telephone:

0191 424 7755

Contact

Bullying in Schools

Telephone:

The school direct

Contact

Gateshead Admissions Team

Telephone:

0191 433 2757 / 433 2756

Contact

Newcastle Admissions Team

Telephone:

0191 278 7878

Contact

North Tyneside Admissions Team

Telephone:

0191 643 8724

Contact

Sunderland Admissions Team

Telephone:

0191 561 1447 / 561 1425

Contact

Apna Ghar

Telephone:

0191 456 4147

Contact

Other Enquiries

Telephone:

0191 427 1717

How do I get an application?

From 8 September 2023 you can apply online at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions this is a quick and easy process and will provide immediate notification of receipt of your application, please ensure you apply by the closing date. Alternatively you may complete a paper application (available by contacting the Admissions Team).

** You can submit only one application therefore there is no need to submit both an online and paper application.

Returning your application

If you have applied online you will have received notification that we have received your application. However, if you have chosen to complete a paper application you must return it to The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the closing date of Tuesday 31 October 2023 at 4.30pm.

**You should not include Private/Independent schools on your application.

Advantages of applying on-line:

• Applying online is quicker, as well as safe and secure
• There are clear simple prompts to guide you through making your application
• You will get an email confirmation that we have received your application
• You can change the details on your application up until our deadline date (please see instructions below).
• Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week up until the deadline date of 31st October 2023 at 4.30pm
• IF YOU APPLY FOR YOUR SCHOOL PLACE ONLINE YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED ON OUR ‘OFFER DAY’ (FRIDAY MARCH 1ST 2024) WHICH SCHOOL YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN OFFERED VIA YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST MAKE A NOTE OF THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU USE WHEN APPLYING AS THIS WILL BE THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT WILL BE USED TO SEND NOTIFICATION OF YOUR SCHOOL OFFER.
• Please note, we are unable to provide the outcome of your child’s application over the telephone.
• If you want to change anything on your form before the closing date, go to www.southtyneside.gov.uk/eservices and log in. Find your submitted form in the list of your transactions and make any changes. You must then click ‘submit’. You will get a message to say that your application has been re-submitted successfully. Please note that changes to your address in your e-services account do not transfer to your application. It is your responsibility to tell the School Admissions Team about any change of address.

If you have any questions about the online admissions process please contact: The School Admissions Team on telephone number 0191 424 7767/7706.

Alternatively you can complete your paper copy to apply for a school place.

You will not be able to apply on-line after the closing date of: Tuesday 31 October 2023 at 4.30pm.

Before you complete an application, you must register for an e-services account at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/eservices

Access the internet on your computer and type in

1. www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions
2. Follow the instructions to complete your application and read the guidance notes carefully.
3. Please check that you have selected the correct school(s)
4. Press the ‘submit’ button. If you do not press the ‘submit’ button then we will not receive your application and it will not be processed.
5. You will then receive an e-mail with a reference number confirming receipt. If you do not receive an e-mail, please contact the School Admissions Team immediately.

Returning your Application

If you have applied online you will have received notification that we have received your application. However, if you have chosen to complete a paper application you must return it to:

The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the closing date of Tuesday 31 October 2023 at 4.30pm.

**Do not return your application form to your child’s current school.

** Please ensure you put the correct postage on your envelope, as your application may not reach us. You may want to return your application by recorded delivery to ensure you have receipt of postage.

**Do not include Private/Independent Schools on your application form.

Remember it is your responsibility to return your application form to:

The School Admissions Team, Town Hall and Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by Tuesday 31st October 2023 at 4.30pm

We recommend you complete your form via the Internet:

Log onto www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions

South Tyneside Council is responsible for all admissions to all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools. As a parent or carer you have the right to express a preference for the school you would like your child to attend. Parental preference will be followed as far as possible but this clearly depends on the number of places available. We will admit pupils up to the published admission number shown in this booklet. If a school is not oversubscribed all parents who apply will be normally given a place.

School Organisation

South Tyneside has a two-tier school system with children progressing from Primary and Junior Schools to Secondary Schools.

There are:

• 45 Primary Schools

Below is a breakdown of the organisation of our schools

There are:

• 4 Infant Schools for children aged 3 to 7
• 4 Junior Schools for children aged 7 to 11
• 37 Primary Schools for children aged 3 to 11

Consisting of:

• 27 Community Schools
• 1 Voluntary Controlled (Church of England) School
• 1 Voluntary Aided (Church of England) School
• 16 Academy Schools

There are:

• 8 Secondary Schools

Consisting of:

• 3 Community Schools
• 1 Trust School
• 4 Academy Schools

Academy

An Academy is a school that is directly funded by central government (the Department for Education) and is independent of local government control. An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind. They must meet the National Curriculum core subject requirements and are subject to inspection by Ofsted. Academies are self-governing and most are constituted as registered charities or operated by other educational charities. Most are secondary schools but some cater for children from nursery age upwards.

Trust School

A Trust School is a state-funded foundation school supported by a charity, referred to as a Trust. The Trust is made up of partners working together for the benefit of the school. The Governing Body decide their own admissions using their own admission policy, which may be different to Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools in South Tyneside.

Voluntary Aided Schools (VA)

Governing Bodies of Roman Catholic and Church of England schools decide their own admissions using their own Policies and Admission Criteria, which will be different to Voluntary Controlled and Community schools in South Tyneside. Their respective Admission Policies can be found in this booklet or in the individual school prospectus.

Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools

Places are allocated at Voluntary Controlled Schools using the Council’s Admission Criteria published in this booklet. We consult with Governing Bodies each year about our Admission Criteria and arrangements.

Other Admission Authorities

Additional information about Roman Catholic schools in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle can be obtained from:

Diocesan Education Service
St Vincent’s Diocesan Offices
St Cuthbert’s House
West Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE15 7PY
Tel: 0191 243 3313

Additional information about Church of England schools in the Diocese of Durham can be obtained from:

Durham Board of Education
Carter House
Pelaw Leazes Lane
Durham
DH1 1TB
Tel: 0191 374 6018

Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools

In determining admissions, priority will be given to those applications where the parental application is received by the published deadline date Tuesday 31st October 2023 at 4.30pm.

All Community Secondary Schools in South Tyneside operate an equal preference system for processing parental preferences.

Where we receive more applications than places available at a particular school, the following admission arrangements are used to decide on admissions to Secondary Schools.

In accordance with the Education Act (1996), children with a Statement of SEN or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan are required to be admitted to the school named in the Statement or Plan. Thereafter, the following oversubscription criteria will apply.

Oversubscription Criteria

That the criteria to be utilised in the event of oversubscription at Community and Voluntary Controlled schools be as follows:

“In determining admissions where there is pressure on places, account will be taken of the following factors, in priority order:

1. A ‘Looked After Child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order (see Note 1 below), including children (who appear to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (see Note 2 below).
2. Parental home residence within the defined catchment area of school.
3. Concurrent sibling link – brother or sister only attending the school in September 2024 (to include adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, long-term fostered children residing at the same address)
4. Shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.

The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tie breaker’ within each criterion, if necessary.

How will the equal preference system work?

Stage 1

All first, second, and third preference applications are considered equally against the admission criteria. At this stage there is no distinction between first, second and third preference applications. For example, if the school has 120 places and there are 300 first, second and third preference applications all applications are considered equally against the admission criteria.

Stage 2

If a pupil qualifies for a place at more than one school the parents highest ranked preference will be offered and any lower ranking offers will be disregarded. For example, a parent’s first and third preferences might both qualify for a place, in which case the parent would be offered their first preference, leaving the place at the third preference school available for another pupil.

Explanation of Oversubscription Criteria

A ‘Looked After Child’

We give a ‘Looked after Child’ priority in our oversubscription criteria. This means that when a place becomes available in the school year it can be offered to these children to ensure that they are quickly placed in an appropriate school. This is necessary as it is recognised that such children are a disadvantaged group who, because of frequent changes of school following their care placements, may have lower than average levels of attainment. It is also a statutory requirement that Admission Authorities give top priority to ‘Looked after Children’ in their oversubscription criteria.

Parental Home Residence

A pupil’s home address is considered to be a residential property that is the child’s only or main residence, and is either:

• Owned by the child’s parent(s) or the person with parental responsibility for the child; or
• Leased to or rented by the child’s parent(s) or the person with parental responsibility under a lease or written rental agreement of not less than twelve months duration.

Evidence of ownership or rental agreement may be required, plus proof of permanent residence at the property concerned.

Parental Responsibility

Who is a ‘parent’ in relation to education legislation?

Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines the term parent as:

• All natural parents married or not
• Any person who has obtained ‘parental’ responsibility (we will require documentary evidence)
• Any person without being a natural parent or having ‘parental responsibility’ who has care of the pupil (we will require documentary evidence)

Shared Parental Responsibility

Where two adults have shared responsibility for a child, they should agree before submitting the application which schools to name as their preferred schools and the order of preferences. In cases of dispute, or when two applications are submitted, the LA will process the application received from the adult with whom the child is living the majority of the week. If parents fail to agree on preferred schools, and two applications are received for the same child from both parents, then the LA may decide to put a hold on both applications reducing the chances of that child gaining a place at a school.

Where parents have a 50/50 split responsibility for their child and child spends the same amount of time with parents at both addresses then it would be the responsibility of both parents to agree on who is making the application and what address is being used but also provide documentation to confirm this.

Catchment Areas

All community and voluntary controlled schools in South Tyneside have a defined geographical area called a catchment area. You can find out which particular school’s catchment area you live in by contacting the School Admissions Team on telephone number 0191 424 7767 or 0191 424 7706. Catchment area maps are available on our website at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Sibling Link

If your child has a brother or sister residing at the same address (including adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, and long term fostered children) attending your preferred school in September 2024, we will consider this as a sibling link (this does not include 6th form pupils). Please note, no guarantee is given that siblings can transfer to the same school where the school is oversubscribed.

Distance from Parental Home Address

Shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.

‘Tiebreaker’ - Distance Measurement

The above distance measurement will be used as a tie breaker within each criterion, if necessary. Where 2 or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tie break will be random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

In the situation that two or more applications measure the same distance to the school, random allocation will be used. The use of this is rare but the situations that random allocation would be required are:

• Same cohort siblings living at the same address. This does not include twins or multiple births who are an exception to Infant Class Size regulation but does include same cohort siblings applying for places in Year 3 and above.
• Unrelated applicants who live equidistant from the school
• House of multiple occupation (where living accommodation is shared but not bedrooms. e.g. not a block of flats).
• Forces families applying with a Forces Post Office address and for admission purposes the unit address is used as there is no allocated housing order.

Each random allocation event is only valid for the allocation of the available school place. On any waiting list the remaining applicants will remain equally ranked and any further place offered will be the result of a further random allocation.

The random allocation will be overseen by a person who is not involved in the allocation process. The roles involved with the random allocation are:

• Independent Adjudicator (IA) – this is a person who ensures the process is carried out in a fair and transparent way. The IA must be independent of the school for which the allocation is to be made and must not be a member of the Admissions Team.
• Admissions Officer (AO) – this is an officer from the Admissions Team who is responsible for carrying out the administration of the random allocation procedure and recording the results, under the scrutiny of the IA.
• Person who makes the draw (P) – this must be a person independent of the school for which the allocation is to be made and must be a person who is not a member of the Admissions Team.

Deciding your Child’s School

The most important decision you will make in your child’s education will be to decide on the right school. Making the right choice for you and your child will involve a lot of research and planning. The most important thing you can do before deciding on a school for your child is to find as much information as possible about the school you are interested in. Please follow the advice below before completing your application for your child.

** You do not have a right to choose which school your child will go to, you only have a right to express a preference. Our ability to meet your preference will depend upon not only the demand for places at an individual school but also on the number of places available.

Visit the School

One of the best ways to assess the school is by visiting it in person. You should make an appointment with the Head Teacher. Consider the distance and accessibility of the school. When your child is older, will they be able to safely walk to the school? A visit to a school does not constitute an offer of a place, nor does it give priority for places. Parents should not assume that an offer of a visit by a school constitutes any obligation on the part of the school or the Local Authority. The school cannot offer your child/ren a school place.

Attend the Open Evenings

It is strongly recommended that parents/carers and pupils attend the open evenings of the schools, which interest them. Open evenings give parents and pupils the opportunity to gain a good overview of the school by meeting staff and pupils and gathering information about the school. You should note attending an open evening does not guarantee your child a place at the school.

* Please note Open Evening dates below are correct as at time of print. We would encourage parents to check school websites for updates. If the schools make any changes to Open Evening dates and times then these will be posted on individual websites.

Obtain the School Prospectus

Each year, every school publishes a brochure called a prospectus. The prospectus can tell you more about a particular school than the Council booklet. You can obtain a copy from the school direct. It is an important document, so be sure to receive the prospectus from all the schools you are interested in.

Check the Performance Tables

Every year the Department for Education (DfE) publishes performance tables for Primary and Secondary Schools. Though they cannot give a complete picture of a school, performance tables provide a guide to how well a school is doing. You can obtain a copy of the schools performance tables from www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/

Research OFSTED Reports

It may also be helpful to read the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) reports, which are produced by the Government’s School Inspectors. A report is available for every school and copies of the reports are available from the schools direct or by logging onto https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

Consider the Admission Policy

A School admission policy lays down the method by which a school will allocate its places. Admission Authorities have a legal responsibility to publish a clear admission policy and to implement it rigorously when considering applications. This is to ensure that the process is fair and transparent. You can find the admission policy for all Secondary Schools in this booklet. Before completing your application consider the admission policy for the school(s), at which you are applying for a place and estimate your realistic chance of being offered a place at a particular school. You can assess this by working out how high up in the oversubscription criteria your child will be.

If you have special reasons for wanting a place at a particular school will they be considered?

Your views are very important to us; however, we cannot always comply with your wishes. Where a school is oversubscribed, places are allocated according to the published oversubscription criteria, which does not take into account individual reasons (for example child care, school links, medical and social reasons). In relation to medical conditions you can contact the school direct to discuss their policy and procedures in regards to your child’s needs.

Check the Published Admission Number (PAN) for a School

All schools have a published admission number largely based on the size of the school buildings and their capacity to accommodate pupils. Once a published admission number has been set, the Authority must respect that number. Pupils should not normally be admitted above the published admission number unless exceptional circumstances apply. Each schools published admission number (PAN) is the statistics section.

Look at the Statistics from Previous Years

You can check which schools were oversubscribed in the last two years from the statistical information, this will tell you the number of applications which we received and the number of appeals that were heard. However, these figures should not be taken as a guarantee that your child will automatically transfer to that Secondary School; you should also be aware that these figures could change dramatically from year to year.

Completing your Application Form

When completing your application, you need to consider very carefully at which schools you wish to apply for a place and assess accurately at which school you have the best chance of being offered a place for your child. Some parents assume that because their child is attending a particular Primary/Junior School that their child will automatically transfer into the Secondary School. We do not operate a feeder school system for any Community Secondary Schools and therefore you should be aware that your child will not automatically feed into the Secondary School you need to apply for your child’s school place. You can submit only one application form for consideration and can apply for up to 3 schools.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PARENTS – PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ CAREFULLY.

• Please ensure that when you do submit your application online that you check your emails to see if you have received a confirmation email with a reference number. This is essential as this would only happen when an application has been submitted correctly, if you do not have a confirmation email and reference number, please contact the School Admissions Team immediately on 0191 424 7767 or 0191 424 7706. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure they have submitted their online application correctly and check for confirmation.
• Complete the form stating up to three preferences for your child. We strongly advise that you name more than one school.
• Please note that changes to your address in your e-services account does not transfer to your application. It is your responsibility to notify the School Admissions Team of any change of address.
• You must make a note of the email address that you use when applying as this will be the email address that will be used to send notification of your school offer.

Putting down more than one preference does not affect how your application is dealt with.

**You should not include Private and Independent schools on your application.

If you would like your child to attend your catchment area school you must specify the school as a preference on your application form. Where your catchment area school is oversubscribed, those living in the catchment area and not identifying it as a preference will forfeit a place at the school. You should state on the form your reasons why you have chosen your preferences. You may include preferences for schools in other neighbouring Authorities.

** The Council is not in a position to guarantee a place being offered at any school including your catchment area school in response to your preferences.

Applying for a Trust school or Academy

If you wish to apply for a Trust school or Academy you should include it on your application. Everyone must complete the Council’s application as well as any other supplementary form which may be required as part of the school’s own application process. You need to be aware that Trust schools and Academies have different Admission Policies and Admission Criteria to Community and Voluntary Controlled schools in South Tyneside which decide how they will offer places; their respective Admission Policies can be found in the admission policies section.

You will need to consider the Admission Policy for any Trust school or Academy you express a preference for, whether this is in South Tyneside or a neighbouring Authority in order to determine what criteria each individual school will use to consider your application. Requests to Trust schools or Academies will be forwarded to the individual school so they can consider your application. They will let us know the outcome of your application to their school.

Contacts in Other Authorities

You can seek advice about admission to schools in neighbouring Council’s on the following telephone numbers:

Make Sure your Application is Received on Time

The preference period lasts for 6 weeks from 8th September 2023 to 31 October 2023. It is your responsibility to ensure your application is received by Tuesday 31st October 2023 at 4.30pm. We recommend that you apply online at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions as it is quicker and easier.

If you have decided to complete a paper application please ensure your application reaches The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices,Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the deadline date.

You may want to return your application form by recorded delivery as, in the event that we do not receive your application proof of posting will be required. Allegations from ‘Late’ applicants stating that their application form has been lost in the post or lost by the school or the council will not be considered without proof of receipt from you. Remember it is your responsibility to ensure that the application is received on time.

**If you submit a late application you may not be offered a place at your preferred school.

Fraudulent Address Claims

Places are withdrawn every year because parents give a false or misleading address on their application form. This includes cases where parents take out a short term let or buy a property solely to use its address on the application form without any intention of taking up permanent residence there. In fairness to all parents, the council will investigate all allegations of fraudulent addresses brought to their attention and, where appropriate, may seek further proof of residency details you provide, particularly if use of a temporary or permanent address causes concern. Please note that any offers for a place which is then found to be fraudulent and where the place is not withdrawn the parents will lose any priority for applications for siblings.

Families applying from overseas

Families who currently live overseas can make an application but this will be based upon their current residence and they may be asked to provide additional information to confirm their return to the UK.

Change of Address after Closing Date (moving into a particular schools catchment area)

It is your responsibility to notify us immediately of any change of address after submitting your application form. We cannot reserve places for families expecting to move into a particular school’s catchment area. If you have not exchanged contracts or have not signed a tenancy agreement to support your new address we will be unable to use this address for the purpose of allocating places on 1st March 2024. If you can provide us with the above evidence by 8th January 2024, we will be able use your new address for the purpose of allocating places on 1st March 2024.

However, please note that if you move into a particular schools catchment area after the submission of your application form and do not provide us with proof of your new address by 9th January 2023, your new address will not be taken into consideration when allocating places.

Change of Address after Closing Date (moving out of a particular schools catchment area)

It is your responsibility to notify us immediately of any change of address or change in circumstance after submitting your application form that may affect how your application is considered. For example, If you move out of the catchment area for the school you applied to after the submission of your application form, this may affect the category in which your child was considered. If it is determined that your child would not have been eligible for a place at the school offered based on your new address, your child’s school place could be withdrawn.

If necessary, we will withdraw places for change of addresses that take place up to and including 8th January 2024. However we will still continue to investigate any change of addresses following this date up until 31 August 2024 and will withdraw places if a school place has been obtained at any stage using a temporary address, relatives address or if we feel a property has been purchased or leased solely to use its address to obtain a place at a particular school, without any intention of ever taking up permanent residence there.

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan

The admission arrangements for children with Statements of Special Educational Needs and Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans are specifically excluded from the usual arrangements, including the appeal arrangements, under Section 424(3)b of the Education Act 1996. The appeal in the case of a child with a Statement or Plan is to the Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal, which is different from an admissions appeal panel. If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan you will still need to complete an application to express your preference(s). Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan that names a school are required to be admitted to the school that is named. The Admission Authority (even when it is the Governing Board) does not have a right to refuse admission. Children with Statements or EHC naming schools count toward the published admission number. If your child has special needs but not a Statement or ECHP your application for a school place will be considered on the basis of the Admission Authorities published admission arrangements.

At What Age Does my Child Transfer into Secondary School?

Every parent whose child is in their last year of Junior or Primary education (year 6) whose date of birth is between 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013 will need to complete an application for admission into Secondary School.

What happens if I do not reside in South Tyneside?

If you do not reside in South Tyneside and would like your child to be admitted to one of our Secondary schools, you will need to contact your ‘Home’ Authority for an application and return it to them by our deadline date of Tuesday 31st October 2023 at 4.30pm. However, if you are not offered the South Tyneside School you applied for, you need to know that we will not automatically offer you an alternative school in South Tyneside if no other preferences were expressed. It is up to your ‘Home’ Authority to ensure your child has a school place.

** Where we receive more applications than places available at a particular Community Secondary School the Oversubscription Criteria will be applied.

Applying for Schools outside of South Tyneside

If you reside in South Tyneside and would like your child to be admitted to a Secondary school outside of this Authority you will need to complete one of our application forms. However, if you are not offered the School you applied for, you need to know that we will automatically offer you an alternative school in South Tyneside if no other preferences were expressed. It is up to your ‘Home’ Authority to ensure your child has a school place.

** Where we receive more applications than places available at a particular Community Secondary School the Oversubscription Criteria will be applied.

Co-ordinated Admission Scheme

South Tyneside operates a Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for Secondary Schools with our neighbouring Authorities. These Authorities are North Tyneside, Gateshead, and Sunderland. This means that we compare applications we receive against those submitted to the Authorities above to ensure we have received only one application for each child who is due to transfer into a Secondary School. The procedure makes it simpler for parents to apply on one form for schools administered by different Admission Authorities. All parents will be sent an offer of a school place on Friday 1st March 2024. You may obtain a full copy of our Co-ordinated Admission Scheme by contacting the School Admissions Team on telephone number 0191 424 7767 or 424 7706 alternatively you can download a copy by visiting our web site at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Acknowledgement Letter

All parents who complete an application (either online or paper copy) will be sent an acknowledgement by the end of December 2023 to confirm that we have received and are processing your application. Parents who have applied online will receive an acknowledgement to their individual email accounts. Parents who have completed a paper application will be sent an acknowledgement letter through the post. If you do not receive an acknowledgement please contact the School Admissions Team on telephone number 0191 424 7767/7706 immediately.

Proof of Address

If you have listed a school which is normally oversubscribed on your application form (please see statistics section) you will be asked to provide us with proof of address to confirm that you are living within the schools catchment area. Each year Admission Authorities have to withdraw offers of places because parents have given false information abut their child’s true residence. If the address on your application form is not your child’s normal address, you must provide a child arrangements order, issued by a court, if you wish that address to be considered.

Change of School Preference(s)

Once you have submitted your application form and the closing date has passed you cannot change your preferences without a genuine reason i.e. you have moved address proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required.. Your original application will be cancelled and a new application must be submitted which will be considered as ‘Late’. You should be aware that this will reduce your chance of gaining a place at the school(s) you want. If you change your preference(s) after the ‘offer’ date any place previously offered at a school in South Tyneside will be withdrawn and you will be notified of the outcome.

Please contact the School Admissions Team on telephone number 0191 424 7767 / 7706 to obtain an application form.

Late Applications

If you return your application after 4.30pm on Tuesday 31st October 2023 your application will be considered as’ LATE’ unless exceptional circumstances exist. You should be aware that this will reduce your chance of gaining a place at the school you want. Parents returning their application after the deadline date must give a reason why their application is ‘LATE’. The Local Authority will consider your reasons and if they are exceptional will consider your application along with those received on time. Applications received before 8 January 2024 for a good reason or in exceptional circumstances may be considered. Examples of what may be considered as a good reason or exceptional circumstances include a family who has just moved into the area (proof of ownership or tenancy of a South Tyneside property will be required in this case), other cases may be considered and each case will be decided on its own merits.

Applications, which are not deemed to be exceptional, will not be processed until after 1 March 2024.

All applications received by the closing date will be considered before any applications received after this closing date unless exceptional circumstances apply.

1st March 2024 - ‘Offer Day’

ON FRIDAY 1 MARCH 2024, PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA THEIR INVIDUAL EMAIL ACCOUNTS IF THEY HAVE APPLIED ONLINE. FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE NOT APPLIED ONLINE, A LETTER WILL BE SENT TO YOU 2ND CLASS POST INFORMING YOU WHICH SCHOOL YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN OFFERED.

If you have applied for your place online you will be notified on offer day via your individual e-mail account. (Please note this is the email address attached to your eservices account) If parents are dissatisfied with the response to their preferences they have the right to present their case to an Independent Appeals Panel.

Acceptance / Decline Slip – Deadline Date Monday 11th March 2024

If your child has been allocated a place at a school which is oversubscribed you must ensure you accept the place by completing and returning the acceptance slip to: The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the deadline date Friday 10th March 2023.

We would always advise you accept an offer of a school place even if you want to appeal /go on the waiting list for other schools. Please note; having a school place does not impact an appeal outcome and / or place on a waiting list. If you still wish to decline your child’s school place you must put your request in writing to: The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the deadline date Monday 11th March 2024.

Please be aware; if the school you decline is oversubscribed, the school place will then be offered to a child from the waiting list. There is no guarantee if you reapply at a later date a place will be available for your child.

Pro-forma – Deadline Date 11th March 2024

If your child has not been allocated a place at any school that you ranked higher on your application than the school you were offered on 1st March you may request to place your child’s name on a waiting list by completing and returning the pro-forma to: The School Admissions Team, Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL by the deadline date 11 March 2024.

Waiting Lists

The Council will hold waiting lists for all Community Schools and where requested for Trust Schools. Whitburn C of E Academy will hold their own waiting list. If you have been refused any of your preferred school(s), you will have the opportunity to place your child’s name on a waiting list. You may wish to place your child’s name on a waiting list for more than one school. Waiting lists are established after 11th March 2024. Children are placed on the waiting list according to the oversubscription criteria regardless of when their application was received and within each criterion their place is ordered by shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance. If pupil numbers fall below the published admission number the place will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list. This means a child who is on the waiting list will move down the list if another late application is received that falls within a higher priority under the oversubscription criteria. However, children who have been the subject of a direction by an Authority to admit or who have been referred for admission by the In Year Fair Access Protocol Placement Panel will receive priority above children in all other criterion.

If appropriate we may decide to exceed the Published Admission Number to admit a child who is referred for admission through the In Year Fair Access Protocol. Waiting lists for all schools will be kept for the first term in the academic year; no lists will be kept for any school thereafter, either by the Council or by any individual school.

** Please note your child’s name will not automatically be placed on the waiting list.

Withdrawing Offers of a School Place

It should be noted that an offer of a school place may be withdrawn if information supplied by you on your application is intentionally misleading or fraudulent (for example, a false claim to residence in a catchment area). We may also withdraw places if acceptance slips are not returned by the deadline of 11th March 2024.

Cancelling your School Place

If you move out of South Tyneside or your child will be attending a Private School you should notify the School Admissions Team immediately in writing, as your child may be holding a place at an oversubscribed school. This will enable the admission authority to offer a place to the next child on the waiting list.

Reserved Places

Places in South Tyneside Schools will not be held back or reserved in the expectation of further applications from families moving into the area.

If parents are dissatisfied with the response to their preferences they have the right to present their case to the Independent Appeals Panel. Before deciding to appeal you will probably want to think about the Admission Policy, your reasons for wanting your child to attend the school, your child’s view of what school he/she should attend and how strong a case you have. You can express a preference for up to three schools in order of priority; you may want to attend an appeal for more than one school. The outcome of one appeal does not prevent you from attending another.

Who is at the appeal?

• The Panel - who make the decision
• Note taker - who records the content of the appeal but does not take any part in the decision
• Clerk to Panel - who advises the Panel
• Presenting Officer - who presents the case on behalf of the admission authority
• Possibly, a staff member from the school
• You and your representative (please see below)

Who are the Panel?

The Appeal Panel will be made up of three (or possibly five) Panel members who have no connection with the people and schools involved in the appeal. At least one panel member will have experience in education and another will be a lay member (an independently appointed member of the public). The other members may be drawn from either of these categories. No member of the panel will have been involved in the decision against which you are appealing.

Date, time and place

Staff from Democratic Services will give you notice in writing no later than 10 school days of the date, time and place for your appeal hearing. This will usually be at the Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields, NE33 2RL.

Preparing for the appeal

You will receive a copy of the same papers that are sent to the Appeal Panel a reasonable time before the date of the hearing. If you have any additional documents such as a letter or medical report, which you want to bring to the attention of the Appeal Panel, please send a copy to the Democratic Support Officer, Town Hall, Westoe Road, NE33 2RL as soon as possible. If new issues are raised for the first time at the hearing it may be necessary to adjourn the hearing to allow the other party to consider them. However, it may not be possible for the evidence to be considered at all.

Can I bring someone with me?

You can bring a friend, adviser, family member or representative (or interpreter) to either help you, offer support or speak on your behalf. The friend or adviser can be a locally elected politician or a Council employee such as an educational social worker provided that this will not lead to a conflict of interest. A member of staff from the school in question or a member of the admission authority cannot attend. Legal representation is not necessary. It is not necessary for your child to attend. If necessary, you may also call a witness to help you put your case. If you require the services of an interpreter or signer the Council can provide one.

What happens if I do not come to the appeal?

It is better if you can attend, as you are the best person to tell the Panel why you want your child to go to the school. If you cannot attend the Panel will give the same attention to your appeal by considering your written reasons.

Attendance on the Day

Unless you tell us otherwise, we will assume that the date and time we have given you is convenient. If the date is not convenient, it may not be possible to change it but please ask as soon as possible. If you tell us that you will attend and fail to do so, the Panel may decide to hear the appeal in your absence.

The appeal is heard in private and all papers and discussions are treated as confidential. However, a representative of the Council on Tribunals is entitled to attend as an observer.

We try to make your appeal as informal as possible, but to make sure everyone has their say there is a simple order of speaking that we follow. A copy of the procedure will be sent to you with your papers.

Further Appeals

You cannot appeal again until the next academic year unless there has been an exceptional change in the circumstances of the parent, child or school, since the original application e.g. you have changed address.

What can I do if I’m unhappy about the Panel’s Decision?

Nothing, there is no further appeal. There is no right of appeal to the Secretary of State for Education, but you are entitled to write to the Secretary of State about any aspect of your child’s education.

The Local Government Ombudsman can investigate written complaints about maladministration on the part of an admission appeals panel. This is not a right of appeal and has to relate to issues such as a failure to follow correct procedures or a failure to act independently, rather than just the person making the complaint thinks the decision is wrong.

For further information please call the Advice Line on 0300 061 0614 or visit the web site, www.lgo.org.uk

The Governing Body manages pupil admissions to Voluntary Aided, Trust and Academy schools and any appeals should be made directly to the Chairman of the Governors at the school address.

Admission in September 2022

Community Secondary Schools – Admission into year 7 (numbers as at 1 March 2022)

Community Secondary Schools – Admission into year 7 (numbers as at 26 July 2022)

Education Appeals Community Schools - Admission into Year 7 as at 26 July 2022

Trust School – Admission into year 7 (1 March 2022)

Trust School - Admission into Year 7 as at 26 July 2022

Trust School – Admission into year 7 (26 July 2022)

Academy School – Admissions into year 7 (1 March 2022)

Academy School - Places offered under Published Criteria as at (26 July 2022)

* School took in an additional SEN child

Academy Schools - Admission into Year 7 as at 26 July 2022

Secondary School Admissions in September 2023 (Information as at 1 March 2023)

Community Secondary Schools

*Mortimer Community agreed to admit to 240 for September 2023 due to a new building being introduced in 2024.

Community Secondary Schools – Admission into year 7 (numbers as at 21 July 2023)

*Mortimer Community agreed to admit to 240 for September 2023 due to a new building being introduced in 2024.

Education Appeals Community Schools- Admission into Year 7 as at 21 July 2023

Trust School – Admission into year 7 (1 March 2023)

Trust School – Admission into year 7 (21 July 2023)

Education Appeals Trust School - Admission into Year 7 as at 21 July 2023

Academy Schools

Academy School - Places offered under Published Criteria as at (21 July 2023)

* One placement became available after appeals

Academy Schools - Admission into Year 7 as at 21 July 2023

Harton Academy Admission Policy 2024-2025

General Information

Full details of the Local Authority Co-ordinated scheme, and information on the agreed catchment area for the academy, are available on the South Tyneside Council website: https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/36364/School-admissions

Applications can be made on-line or by written application, and full details, including key dates, can be found on the LA website.

Decisions concerning the admission of pupils to the Academy and the attendant administrative procedures are the responsibility of the Local Governing Body supported by the Local Authority.

Section 89 of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires that the Academy’s Governors should consult on their arrangements on an annual basis where changes are proposed or at least once every seven years where there have been no changes.

The Academy and L.A. operate an equal preference system which means that all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against the criteria.

For the purpose of this document, the term “school” also applies to the Academy.

Our Admissions Policy

Entry at Key Stage 3 – Year 7

The academy has a Planned Admission Number of 271. Where we receive more than 271 applications are received the following oversubscription criteria will be applied.

• In the first instance, we will give priority to pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan which names the Academy.
• The following criteria shall then apply:

1. A ‘Looked After Child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order, including children (who appear to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (see note 1 below).
2. Parental home residence within the defined catchment area of the school. There is a defined geographic area called a catchment area. Details of the catchment areas for the L.A. are available on their website, and can be found using the link provided above. Parents may also contact the School Admissions Team on 0191 424 7767 or 424 7705 to confirm if their residence falls within the defined catchment area.
3. Children who have a sibling link and are residing at the same address (brother or sister including adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, and long term fostered children) and are attending the Academy at the time of application (see note 2 below).
4. Shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey co-ordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using the L.A. Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority (see note 3 below).

• In the event of appeals, the Academy will continue to observe the L.A. co-ordinated admissions scheme.
• In determining admissions, priority would be given to those applications where the parental application form is received by the published deadline date.

Where there are not enough places to admit all the children falling within a particular criterion a distance measurement will also be used as a tiebreaker using the Local Authority’s Geographic Information System (GIS). We will measure in a straight line from the Ordnance Survey parental home residence point (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.

Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tie break will be random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

Random Allocation Procedure:

In the situation that two or more applications measure the same distance to the school, random allocation will be used. The use of this is rare but the situations that random allocation would be required are:

• Same cohort siblings living at the same address. This does not include twins or multiple births who are an exception to Infant Class Size regulation but does include same cohort siblings applying for places in Year 3 and above.
• Unrelated applicants who live equidistant from the school.
• House of multiple occupation (where living accommodation is shared but not bedrooms. e.g. not a block of flats).
• Forces families applying with a Forces Post Office address and for admission purposes the unit address is used as there is no allocated housing order.

Each random allocation event is only valid for the allocation of the available school place. On any waiting list the remaining applicants will remain equally ranked and any further place offered will be the result of a further random allocation.

The random allocation will be overseen by a person who is not involved in the allocation process. The roles involved with the random allocation are:

• Independent Adjudicator (IA) – this is a person who ensures the process is carried out in a fair and transparent way. The IA must be independent of the school for which the allocation is to be made and must not be a member of the Admissions Team.
• Admissions Officer (AO) – this is an officer from the Admissions Team who is responsible for carrying out the administration of the random allocation procedure and recording the results, under the scrutiny of the IA.
• Person who makes the draw (P) – this must be a person independent of the school for which the allocation is to be made and must be a person who is not a member of the Admissions Team.

Entry at Key Stage 5

The Academy provides courses of study for post 16 (6th form) students. The entry requirements for Harton 6th Form is largely dependent on the course of study that a student wishes to access. The availability of courses is dependent upon the number of applicants and the financial sustainability of the course. The Governing Body of the Academy determines these factors. The capacity of the 6th Form is 266 which equate to 133 per year group.

• To access level three courses at Harton 6th Form, students need to obtain a minimum GCSE only average point score (APS) of 5.5 from their best 8 GCSE results
• Students should have at least GCSE grade 4 in both English and Mathematics
• Further details of specific entry requirements and courses available can be found on the Harton 6th Form website or may be obtained by contacting the Academy.

In the first instance where there is a larger number of applicants than we have places for, priority will be given to:

• Firstly, students who have attended the school in the previous academic year (during Year 11) and who satisfy the school’s entry requirements of the course available.
• And then all other students of the relevant age who satisfy the school’s entry requirements for the courses available.

Where the above criteria are not enough to help us decide, we shall follow the criteria set out in 2.1 above, which are the same for key stages 3 and 4.

Waiting List – Year 7

If parents have been refused a place at Harton Academy, they will have the opportunity to place their child’s name on a waiting list if they have ranked the school as a higher preference than the one offered.

Waiting lists are established after the L.A. have sent offers for places, as part of their normal procedure. This is usually the beginning of March, however Parents should check the L.A. website or contact the L.A. for specific details, or to request that the child’s name is placed on the waiting list as this is not an automatic procedure. The waiting list will operate until 31 December.

Children are placed on the waiting list according to the oversubscription criteria regardless of when their application was received. Within each criterion their place is ordered by the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey co-ordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main Academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority.

The Academy will request proof of residency for parents/carers who wish their child’s name to be placed on the waiting list.

If pupil numbers fall below the published admission number the place will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list. A child who is on the waiting list will move down the list if another late application is received that falls within a higher priority under the oversubscription criteria. Waiting lists will be held for one term in the academic year i.e. from September until December each year. No lists will be kept after this date.

Withdrawing an offer of a place at the Academy

When considering an application, only the address of the parent/carer with whom the child normally resides will be taken into account (a parent/carer means any person who holds parental responsibility, and with whom the child normally resides). The address of childminders or other relatives or friends who may help you look after your child must not be used on your application.

We reserve the right to seek proof of your address and it should be noted that an offer of a place may be withdrawn if information supplied by you on your application is intentionally misleading or fraudulent (for example, a false claim to residence). Where a place is withdrawn, your application will be considered afresh, and the right to appeal offered if a place is refused.

In-Year Admissions

An “in-year admission” means any application for a place other than the normal year of entry, i.e. outside the normal Year 7 admission.

Where a place is available in the requested year group the Academy, via the L.A., will offer this immediately and seek to transfer the child as soon as possible and within the required 20 school days. The child and parents/carers will be given an induction meeting and the child will follow a closely monitored Induction Programme for a period of 6 weeks to ensure the child settles quickly into the life of the Academy. Children who fall under the agreed L.A. Fair Access Protocol will follow the same programme of induction.

Transfer to post-16 provision

The Academy will make every effort to support the transition of all pupils to their post-16 placement. Where pupils are identified to be vulnerable or to have specific learning needs, the Academy will continue to support the transition where possible through appropriate liaison.

Parental Responsibility

Who is a ‘parent’ in relation to education legislation? Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines the term ‘parent’ as:

• All natural parents married or not
• Any person who has got ‘parental’ responsibility (we will require documentary evidence)
• Any person without being a natural parent or having ‘parental responsibility’ who has care of the pupil (we will require documentary evidence)

At What Age Does my Child Transfer into Secondary School?

Every parent whose child is in their last year of Junior or Primary education (Year 6) whose date of birth is between 1 September and 31 August (i.e. within a normal academic year) will need to complete an application for admission into Secondary School. Most children will be admitted to a school within their own age group but it is possible for you to request a place outside your child’s normal age group. This might be because you have a particularly gifted and talented child, or your child has missed part of a year maybe due to ill health. This option should be discussed with the Academy’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and an Educational Psychologist.

We will consider such requests on the basis of the circumstances of each individual child and in consultation with the appropriate colleagues and with the written recommendation of an Educational Psychologist. If your application for a place outside the normal age group is refused, you have a right to appeal against the decision.

Additional Information for applications to Harton 6th Form

How and when to apply

Applications for entry to the 6th Form are made via the Harton website. Completed applications must be received by the Academy by end of January, at the beginning of the year in which they wish to commence study at key stage 5. The precise date will be published on the 6th Form website. All applicants will be interviewed and conditional offers made once all the guidance interviews have been completed.

Any applications received after the closing date will be considered after those received on time.

A provisional offer of a place will be made by the end of April following the submission closing date. All offers are made subject to confirmation of meeting the required academic entry requirements.

Appeals

Unsuccessful applicants to the 6th form are entitled to appeal against a decision not to admit them. It will be to a panel who are independent of the initial decision not to admit.

False Information

Where a place has been offered on the basis of a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application, the offer of the place will be withdrawn.

Northern Saints Catholic Education Trust
St Wilfrids Roman Catholic College Admission Policy 2024-25

St Wilfrid’s RC College was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and instrument of government, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school , we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

The admission policy criteria will be dealt with on an equal preference basis.

The governing body is the admissions authority and has responsibility for admissions to this school. The local authority undertakes the coordination of admission arrangements.

Parishes served by the school

The school serves the parishes of:

• Ss Peter and Paul’s, South Shields
• St Oswald’s, South Shields
• St Bede’s, Jarrow
• St Gregory’s, South Shields
• Sacred Heart, Boldon
• Holy Rosary, South Shields
• St Bede’s, Jarrow
• St Mary’s, Jarrow

Feeder Primary Schools

The feeder primary schools are:

• St Gregory’s, South Shields
• St Bede’s, South Shields
• Ss Peter and Paul’s, South Shields
• St Oswald’s, South Shields
• St Bede’s, Jarrow
• St Mary’s, Jarrow

Published Admission Number

The governing body has set its published admission number (PAN) at 250 pupils to year seven in the school year which begins in September 2024.

Application Procedures and Timetable

To apply for a place at this school in the normal admission round (not in-year applications), a Common Application Form (CAF) must be completed. This is available from the local authority in which the child lives.

The parent (see note 10) will be advised of the outcome of the application on 1 March 2024 or the next working day, by the local authority. If the application is unsuccessful (unless the child gained a place at a school the parent ranked higher) the parent will be informed of the decision, related to the oversubscription criteria listed above, and has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

If the parent is required to provide supplemental evidence to support the application (e.g. a baptismal certificate), this evidence should be provided at the time of application. If not provided, evidence may be sought by the governing body following the closing date for applications. This information must have been correct at the date of closing for applications. All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is 31 October 2023.

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (see note 1 )

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other children.

Late Applications

Late applications will be administered in accordance with the home local authority coordinated admissions scheme. Parents are advised to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.

Admission of Children outside their Normal Age Group

A request may be made for a child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the headteacher of the school. The governing body will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. In addition to taking into account the views of the headteacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the governing body will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out below and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the last day of the summer term. Inclusion on the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

In-Year Applications

An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by contacting:

Town Hall & Civic Offices,
Westoe Road,
South Shields,
Tyne & Wear
NE33 2RL

Address:

0191 424 7706

Telephone:

school.admissions@southtyneside.gov.uk

Email:

Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing. Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied.

If there are no places available, a request can be made that the child is added to the waiting list (see above).

The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the chair of governors at the school address.

Fair Access Protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the governing body is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by both the diocese and the governing body for the current school year. The governing body has this power, even when admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number.

False evidence

The governing body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a child is already attending the school, the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Oversubscription Criteria

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority.

First priority in each category will be given to children who will have an older sibling (see note 9) attending the school in September 2023.

1. Looked after and previously looked after children (see note 2)
2. Catholic children who attend a feeder primary school (see note 3)
3. Other Catholic children (see note 3)
4. Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church (see notes 4 and 5)
5. Children who attend a feeder primary school (see feeder schools)
6. Children of a member of school staff who has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which application for admission to the school is made (see note 11)
7. Children of other Christian denominations (see note 6)
8. Children of other faiths (see note 7)
9. Any other children

Tie Breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion priority will be given to children living (see note 8) closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Distance will be measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school.

St Joseph’s Catholic Academy, Hebburn Admissions Policy 2024-2025

St Joseph’s Catholic Academy was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its Catholic Education Trust as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and articles of association and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

The admission policy criteria will be dealt with on an equal preference basis.

Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust is the admissions authority and is responsible for determining the admission policy. The local authority coordinates the admissions process on behalf of the Trust. The administration and operation of the admission policy is delegated by the Trust to the Local Governing Committee.

Catholic Feeder Primary Schools

St Joseph’s Catholic primary feeder schools are:

• St Aloysius (Hebburn)
• St James (Hebburn)
• St Matthew’s (Jarrow)
• St Joseph’s (Jarrow)
• St Alban’s (Gateshead)

Published Admission Number

The governing body has set its published admission number (PAN) at 250 pupils to year seven in the school year which begins in September 2024.

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (see note 1)

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other children.

Oversubscription Criteria

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority.

1. Catholic looked after and previously looked after Catholic children (see notes 2 and 3).
2. Catholic Children who attend a Catholic feeder primary school (see notes 3 & 14)
3. Other Catholic children (see note 3)
4. Other Looked after and previously looked after children (see note 2).
5. Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church (see note 4).
6. Other children who attend a Catholic feeder school (see notes 14 & 15).
7. Up to 25 students to be admitted based on football aptitude as determined by Improtech Soccer Limited (see note 11).
8. Children of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader (see note 6).
9. Children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader (see note 7).
10. Children of a member of school staff who has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which application for admission to the school is made (see note 12).
11. Other children.

Within each of the categories listed above, the following provisions will be applied in the following order.

1. Where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made. (see note 13)
2. The attendance of a sibling at the school at the time of enrolment will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (i) above. (see note 9)

Tie Breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Distance will be measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school.

Application Procedures and Timetable

To apply for a place at this school in the normal admission round (not in-year applications), a Common Application Form (CAF) must be completed. This is available from the local authority in which the child lives.

The parent will be advised of the outcome of the application on 1 March 2024 or the next working day, by the local authority. If the application is unsuccessful (unless the child gained a place at a school the parent ranked higher) the parent will be informed of the decision, related to the oversubscription criteria listed above, and has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

If the parent is required to provide supplemental evidence to support the application (e.g. a baptismal certificate), this evidence should be provided at the time of application. If not provided, evidence may be sought by the governing body following the closing date for applications. This information must have been correct at the date of closing for applications.

All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is 31 October 2023.

Late Applications

Late applications will be administered in accordance with the home local authority coordinated admissions scheme. Parents are advised to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.

Admission of Children outside their Normal Age Group

A request may be made for a child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the headteacher of the school. The governing body will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. In addition to taking into account the views of the headteacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the governing body will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out below and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the last day of the summer term. Inclusion on the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

In-Year Applications

An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by contacting Mrs L Thompson, St Joseph’s Catholic Academy, Mill Lane, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, NE31 2ET [www.stjosephs.uk.net]. Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing.

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied.

If there are no places available, a request can be made that the child is added to the waiting list (see above).

The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the chair of governors at the school address.

Fair Access Protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the governing body is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by both the diocese and the governing body for the current school year. The governing body has this power, even when admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number.

False evidence

The governing body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a child is already attending the school, the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Whitburn Church of England Academy Admissions Policy 2024/25

Preface - Vision and values

‘But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete eagerness and in Our vision is rooted in this biblical teaching and is expressed through our school motto of ‘Excellence for All’. At Whitburn C of E Academy we embrace Jesus’ promise of ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10) and believe in this vision of human flourishing for all, permeated by key elements of wisdom, hope, community and dignity.

As Christians believe we are ‘created in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:26f ), Whitburn C of E Academy, as an Anglican school, is unequivocal in our view that a good education must educate the whole person; we strive to ensure that all young people and adults in our community develop spiritually, physically, intellectually, emotionally, morally and socially.

We act in accordance with the belief that God wants us to excel both in our individual character and in our actions. This means seeking to be the very best we can be in all aspects of our lives, grounded in Whitburn’s Christian ‘Be Values’ that are integral to our school community.

Light, a universal and powerful spiritual and divine symbol, is one that we embrace at Whitburn C of E Academy and, in harmony with our vision and values, we encourage all to ‘let your light shine before others’. (Matthew 5:16)

Whitburn Church of England Academy aims to develop its spiritual ethos in accordance with Christian principles and values. The Academy will work in partnership with the Church at Parish, Deanery and Diocesan level and under the guidance of the Church of England. We aim to serve our community by providing an education of the highest quality and encouraging an understanding of the meaning and significance of a spiritual dimension in our lives.

We will support the development of moral values and of a rich and fulfilling spiritual life for all. It will support those of Christian faith within the context of Christian belief and practice and will respect and encourage those of other faiths and no faith. We ask all parents applying for a place at our school to respect this ethos and its importance to the whole school community. The Academy’s full Vision and Values can be found here: https://www.whitburncofeacademy.org/about-us/academy-ethos.html

Introduction

We intend to admit up to 205 students to Year 7 in each academic year. The Whitburn Church of England Academy Trust Board are the admissions authority for the school. The Trust Board have made every effort to ensure that these arrangements comply with the School Admissions Code 2021 and all relevant legislation, including that on infant class sizes and equal opportunities. This arrangement follows consultation with the Local Authority, all other schools in the area and all other Admission Authorities in the area. The general admissions arrangements of the Local Authority for all schools including academies and are set out in the booklet ‘Information for Parents School Education’ in September 2023 and the Academy will admit students in accordance with South Tyneside Council’s co-ordinated admissions scheme.

A link to the scheme is available at https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/36364/School-

Oversubscription criteria

Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan naming Whitburn Church of England Academy will always be offered places. If there is a greater demand for admission than there are places available, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below:

The Academy operates an equal preference system which means that all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against the following criteria.

1. “Looked-after children and children who were previously looked after, but ceased to be so because, immediately after being looked after, they became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order (see Note 1) including children previously in state care outside of England who have ceased to be in that state care as a result of being adopted (See Note 2)
2. Children who will have an older sibling link up to and including Year 11 at the time of admission to the Academy (see note 3)
3. Students from Cleadon Church of England Academy, Marsden Primary, Whitburn Village Primary and East Boldon Junior Schools.
4. Other children who live the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority (see note 4).

The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tiebreaker’ within each criterion if necessary. Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority will be used. The Academy will seek proof of residency.

Final tiebreaker

Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tiebreaker will be a random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

In determining admissions, priority would be given to those applications where the parental application form is received by the published deadline date.

Once a place at the Academy has been offered and accepted, the Academy will require sight of the child’s birth certificate to verify the identity of the child. Where a birth certificate may not be available for children arriving from overseas, the Border Agency may be contacted to verify the child’s details.

Change of Address after Closing Date (Year 6 to Year 7 Transfer)

It is parents’ responsibility to notify the Local Authority immediately of any change of address or change in circumstances after submitting your application form that may affect how your application is considered. For example, if you move house after the submission of your application form, this may affect the category in which your child was considered. If it is determined that your child would not have been eligible for a place at the school offered based on your new address, your child’s school place could be withdrawn. However, the Local Authority and the School will still continue to investigate any change of addresses up until 31 August 2024 and will withdraw places if a school place has been obtained at any stage using a temporary address, relatives address or if we feel a property has been purchased or leased solely to use its address to obtain a place at a particular school, without any intention of ever taking up permanent residence there. The School will liaise with and will follow the advice of South Tyneside Local Authority, School Admissions Department when any change of address occurs. Parents are advised to refer to the “Information to Parents” Booklet, which is shown on South Tyneside Local Authority website for further detailed information.

Withdrawing Offers of a School Place

When considering your application, only the address of the parent/carer with whom the child normally resides will be taken into account (a parent/carer means any person who holds parental responsibility, and with whom the child normally resides). The address of childminders or other relatives or friends who may help you look after your child must not be used on your application.

We reserve the right to seek proof of your address and it should be noted that an offer of a place may be withdrawn if information supplied by you on your application is intentionally misleading or fraudulent (for example, a false claim to residence). Where a place is withdrawn, your application will be considered afresh, and the right to appeal offered if a place is refused.

Year 6 to Year 7 Transfer - Waiting Lists

In accordance with the published admission number (PAN) the Academy will admit a total of 205 students to Year 7 in September 2024.

If you have been refused a place at Whitburn Church of England Academy, you will have the opportunity to place your child’s name on a waiting list if you have ranked the school as a higher preference than the one you have been offered. Waiting lists are established after Friday 8th March 2024 (you should contact the Academy to request that your child’s name is placed on the waiting list as this is not an automatic procedure). Children are placed on the waiting list according to the oversubscription criteria regardless of when their application was received and within each criterion their place is ordered by the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority. The Academy will request proof of residency for parents/carers who wish their child’s name to be placed on the waiting list.

If student numbers fall below the published admission number the place will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list. A child who is on the waiting list will move down the list if another late application is received that falls within a higher priority under the oversubscription criteria.

Waiting lists will be held for one term in the academic year i.e. September 2024 until 31st December 2024; no lists will be kept after this date.

Children who are the subject of a ‘direction to admit’ by a local authority or who are allocated to Whitburn Church of England Academy in full accordance with the agreed Local Authority In-Year Fair Access Protocol take precedence over those on the waiting list. (Link to the protocol is available via the South Tyneside Council website).

In-Year Admissions

An “in-year admission” means any application for a place other than the normal year of entry, i.e. outside the normal Year 6 to 7 transfer. Admission to the school during the school year depends on whether or not there are places.

Where a place is available in the requested year group and there is no child on the relevant list with a higher priority (according to the over-subscription criteria a. to e. above), a place will be offered, the Academy will seek to transfer the child as soon as possible and within the required 20 school days. The child and parents/carers will be given an induction meeting and the child will follow a closely monitored Induction Programme for a period of 6 weeks to ensure the child settles quickly into the life of the Academy. Children who fall under the agreed Local Authority Fair Access Protocol will follow the same programme of induction.

If parents are moving house, the school will ask for evidence of the move, before considering any application for a place. Documentary evidence in the form of a solicitor’s letter to confirm exchange of contracts, or a rental agreement for at least a period of six months will be required (Armed Forces personnel are exempt).

If you are returning from elsewhere, to live in a home that you own, we will require evidence to show that you have returned. We will also ask for evidence that any previous house owned has been sold or is being sold. We would not accept an address where the one given is that of a second home with the main home being elsewhere. If there are two or more homes, we will check which is the main home, and may refuse to base an allocation of a place on an address which might be considered only temporary. Nor would we accept an address where the child was resident other than with a parent or carer unless this was part of a fostering or formal care arrangement. We would not normally accept an address where only part of a family had moved, unless connected with a divorce or permanent separation arrangement, in which case we would require proof.

Transfer to post-16 provision

The Academy will make every effort to support the transition of all students to their post-16 placement. Where students are identified to be vulnerable or to have specific learning needs, the Academy will continue to support the transition where possible through appropriate liaison.

Parental Responsibility

Who is a ‘parent’ in relation to education legislation? Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines the term ‘parent’ as:

• All natural parents married or not
• Any person who has got ‘parental’ responsibility (we will require documentary evidence)
• Any person without being a natural parent or having ‘parental responsibility’ who has care of the student (we will require documentary evidence)

At What Age Does my Child Transfer into Secondary School?

Every parent whose child is in their last year of Junior or Primary education (Year 6) whose date of birth is between 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013 will need to complete an application for admission into Secondary School.

Admissions outside of normal age group

Most children will be admitted to a school within their own age group but it is possible for you to request a place outside your child’s normal age group. Requests from parents for places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully e.g. for those who have missed education due to ill health. Each case will be considered on its own merits and circumstances. However, such admissions will not normally be agreed without a consensus that to do so would be in the pupil’s interests.

It is recommended that parents discuss their wishes with the Academy’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator in advance of applying for a place. Parents should apply in the normal way together with a written request that the child is admitted outside of his or her normal age group to the requested year group in September the following year providing supporting reasons for seeking a place outside of the normal age group. The governors may ask relevant professionals for their opinion on the case including from medical professionals or educational psychologists. It should be noted that if a place in the requested age group is refused, but one in the normal age group is offered, then there is no right of appeal.

Jarrow School Admission Criteria September 2024-25

Decisions concerning the admissions of pupils to Jarrow School and the attendant administrative procedures are the responsibility of the Governing Body.

Where the governors receive more applications than places available, the following admissions criteria are used to decide on admissions to the school.

In accordance with the Education Act (1996), children with an Education Health and Care Plan are required to be admitted to the mainstream school or Post 11 Autistic Centre named in the Plan. Thereafter, the following oversubscription criteria will apply.

Oversubscription Criteria

1. A ‘Looked After Child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. See Note 1 below for further information.
2. Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. See Note 2 below for further information.
3. Concurrent sibling link (an older brother or sister attending the school at the same time and residing at the same address to include adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings and long-term fostered children).
4. Shortest distance measured as a straight line from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority.

N.B. The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tiebreaker’ within each criterion, if necessary.

Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to three decimal places, the tie break will be random allocation and will be drawing lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

Closing date

In determining admissions, priority will be given to those applications where the parental application is received by the published deadline date of 4.30pm on Tuesday 31 October 2023.

Late Applications

If you return your application after the closing date your application will be classed as late unless exceptional circumstances exist. The governors will consider your reasons and if they are exceptional consider your application along with those received on time. Examples of what may be considered as exceptional circumstances are a family who have just moved into the area (proof of ownership or tenancy agreement will be required). If your reasons are not exceptional then your application will not be processed until after 1 March 2024. You should be aware that this will reduce your chance at gaining a place at Jarrow School.

Offer Date

On 1 March 2024 you will be notified by the Local Authority as to whether or not your child has been offered a place at the school.

Parental Home Address

When considering your application the governors will use the parental home residence of the Parent/Carer who receives the child benefit for the child/ren.

Your home address is an important factor as school places are allocated on the basis of the home address of each child. This must be the child’s permanent home address, where he/she lives with a person of parental responsibility as the main carer (as defined by the Children Act 1989). If the address on your application form is not your child’s normal address, you must provide a Residence Order, issued by a court, if you wish that address to be considered. The governors reserve the right to request independent confirmation of the child’s place of residence, as felt appropriate.

Equal Preference System

The governors operate an equal preference system for processing applications. This means that all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against the admission criteria.

Waiting list

If you have been refused a place at Jarrow School you will have the opportunity to place your child’s name on a waiting list. Children are placed on the waiting list according to the oversubscription criteria regardless of when their application was received and within each criterion their place is ordered by shortest distance to the school measured as a straight line from the centre of the parent’s home address (including flats) to the main school entrance of the school. If pupil numbers fall below the published admission number the place will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list. This means a child who is on the waiting list will move down the list if another late application is received that falls within a higher priority under the oversubscription criteria. The waiting list will be held for one term in the academic year i.e. until 31 December 2024.

Sibling Link

If your child has a brother or sister residing at the same address (including adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, and long term fostered children) attending your preferred school in September 2024, the governors will consider this as a sibling link. However, no guarantee is given that siblings can transfer to the same school where the school is oversubscribed.

Distance from Parental Home Address

The distance will be measured from the centre of the parent’s home address (including flats) to the main school entrance using the Local Authority’s Geographic Information System (GIS) with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority. Where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility, each for part of the week the distance will be measured from the parental home residence of the Parent/Carer who receives the child benefit for the child/ren (documentary evidence will be required).

'Tiebreaker’ - Distance Measurement

Where there are not enough places to admit all the children falling within a particular criterion a distance measurement will also be used as a tiebreaker using the Local Authority’s Geographic Information System (GIS). The distance will be measured in a straight line from the centre of the parent’s home address (including flats) to the main school entrance using the Local Authority’s Geographic Information System (GIS) with those living closer to the school receiving higher priority. Where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility, each for part of the week the distance will be measured from the parental home residence of the Parent/Carer who receives the child benefit for the child/ren (documentary evidence will be required).

In Year Transfers

In Year admissions are those that occur other than at the normal time of entry to school. You can submit only one application form for consideration, You may express up to three preferences, we strongly advise that you name more than one school. If any of your preferences are for a school other than a South Tyneside School, then you must contact the chosen local authority and complete their own in year transfer form. They will contact you in regards to the outcome of your application.

If there are places available, the start date may not be immediate and would normally be at the beginning of a half term. If the year group is full, the admission authority will write to you and inform you of your right to appeal to the Independent Appeals Panel.

Before submitting your request to the Local Authority you must discuss the transfer with the Head teacher of your Child’s current school. If this is a school within South Tyneside Local Authority, you must get him/her to sign the application form.

We do not advise you to withdraw your child from one school before you have made satisfactory arrangements for admission to another and it is expected that your child will continue to attend his/her current school.

In the case of house moves or permanent exclusion, a move of schools may be unavoidable. At other times your application to change your child’s school will need careful consideration. It is vital that parents consider the effect on their child(ren) if they are considering changing schools.

A ‘why change school meeting’ will need to be arranged with yourself and the headteacher before admitting a child into a new secondary school. This is vital in regards to secondary placement as it is acknowledged that changing schools at this stage may mean that some topics or areas of work are repeated and some missed because subjects are taught at different times, in different ways in different schools. The last two years of Secondary School (years 10 and 11), when pupils prepare for their GCSE and other public examinations, are particularly important. It is generally considered that changing schools at this stage should be avoided if possible, because it might have a damaging effect on the examination results a pupil may achieve. At public examination level, schools do not always offer the same combination of subjects and syllabi. Examination requirements can also differ as schools do not all use the same examination boards. Problems may arise in subjects involving course work that must be sent to examination boards by set dates, and pupils who have not completed essential course work may be unable to complete the examination. The meeting will allow parents the opportunity to discuss this with the head teacher and ensure that a change of secondary school would be appropriate for your child.

Sometimes a change is considered because there has been a disagreement between the parents or child(ren) and school. There are very few differences that cannot be resolved if an issue is discussed openly and reasonably between the school and parent. Services for Young People can also be contacted to help parents resolve difficulties. Parents are encouraged to settle any differences with schools and only move their child(ren) to another school as a last resort. If you believe your child is being bullied you should contact your child’s school who will advise you of the procedure to follow.

**To contact the service please telephone 0191 424 6333

Bullying in Schools

It is a statutory responsibility for all schools to have an Anti-Bullying Policy. This Policy will explain how they will respond to all reported incidents. If you are worried or concerned about bullying issues, or your child has reported bullying to you, it is important that you make contact with the Head Teacher of the school, who will ensure a member of staff follows up your enquiry, as outlined in their schools policy. Schools will endeavour to meet with you to discuss your concerns so that they can work with you and your child to resolve the issues. If the matter remains unresolved the next step would be to refer the matter through the schools complaints procedure, which would involve the Schools Governing Board.

Excluded Pupils

Exclusion from school is viewed as a very serious step, for this reason only the Head Teacher has the power to exclude a pupil. There are two types of exclusion –

Fixed Term Exclusion – these are usually for short periods (up to 45 days in an academic year). Pupils can be excluded from school across a lunch period, for statistical purposes this is counted as a half day. The pupil returns after the exclusion period has expired. In the case of one to five days exclusion, pupils are excluded to home with work set by the school. Pupils must not be in a public place, during school hours, without justifiable cause during this period of exclusion and if caught, their parents may face a fine of up to £100. Pupils who have been excluded for more than five days are entitled to full time education from the sixth day, this is provided by the pupils home school using a range of alternative options. Schools should aim to provide full time education from day one of exclusion for a vulnerable pupil. The Head Teacher will inform you in writing of the period of the exclusion and the reason for the decision. If you are unhappy about the exclusion you have the right to put your case to the Governing Board Discipline Committee. If you wish to make representations to the Governing Board Discipline Committee you should write to the Chair of Governors c/o the school.

Permanent Exclusion - this means the child cannot return to the school unless re-instated. In the case of permanent exclusion the above procedures will be followed but if the Discipline Committee upholds the Head Teacher’s decision to permanently exclude your child you have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel. If you decide to appeal it is important that you lodge your appeal within 15 school days from the date of the Discipline Committee decision. If your child is not re-instated by the Independent Appeal Panel your child’s name will be removed from the school roll. If your child is permanently excluded, the Local Authority has the duty to provide other suitable education. This may be a place in another school or in alternative provision. ** For further information please contact the Services for Young People on telephone number 0191 424 6306.

Exceptions to the Duty to Offer a School Place

If there are more places available than applicants, the Admission Authority must accept all the applications except in the circumstances described below: -

1. Twice-Excluded Pupils
   Where a child has been permanently excluded from two or more schools parents can still express a preference for a school place, but the requirement to comply is removed for a period of two years from the date on which the latest exclusion took place. This does not apply to children with a statement of special educational needs; children who were below compulsory school age when excluded; children who were reinstated following a permanent exclusion; and children who would have been reinstated following a permanent exclusion had it been practicable to do so.
2. Pupils with Challenging Behaviour It is normally unacceptable for a school to refuse to admit a child on the basis of their behaviour elsewhere. It is also unacceptable for a school to refuse to admit a child thought to be potentially disruptive, or who has exhibited challenging behaviour, on the grounds that the child ought first to be assessed for Special Educational Needs. If a pupil, once admitted is found to be seriously disruptive then the school may consider disciplinary action, including exclusion procedures.
   
   Exceptionally outside the normal year of entry, and where an application is made outside arrangements covered by an In year Fair Access Protocol, admission authorities may decide to refuse to admit a child with challenging behaviour even though there are places available, on the grounds that admission would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources. This will normally only be appropriate where a school has a particularly high concentration of pupils with challenging behaviour or previously excluded children and one or more of the following exceptional circumstances exists, namely that the school:
   1. requires special measures or has recently come out of them (within the last 2 years);
   2. has been identified by Ofsted as requiring significant improvement and therefore given ‘notice to improve’
   3. is subject to a formal warning notice by the Council;
   4. is a Fresh Start school or Academy open for less than two years; or
   5. is a secondary school where fewer than 20 per cent of children are achieving 5 or more A* -C GCSEs including English and mathematics, or a primary school where fewer than 55 per cent of pupils achieve Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 in both English and mathematics for four or more consecutive years.
3. In Year Fair Access Protocols (Hard to Place Pupils) In Year Fair Access Protocols exist to ensure that access to education is secured quickly for pupils who have no school place, and to ensure that all schools admit their fair share of pupils with challenging behaviour. All schools in South Tyneside participate in the protocol in order to ensure that unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. The protocol ensures that no school, including those with places available is asked to take an excessive or unreasonable number of pupils who have been excluded from other schools. Pupils placed by the Fair Access Panel are given priority for admission over others on a waiting list or awaiting an appeal.
4. Pupils with Special Educational Needs
   The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice recommends that when a child is identified as having special educational needs the school should intervene initially through School Action. If concerns about a pupil’s progress continue then an outside agency such as the Education Psychology Service may be involved at what is termed School Action Plus. For a few pupils, the Council may make additional resources available through the Inclusion Panel or through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or Statement of Special Educational Needs. Most pupils with special educational needs are educated within mainstream school, some are in specialist units attached to mainstream schools and others are in special schools. Detailed information relating to special schools and units in South Tyneside can be obtained from the individual school or on our website www.southtyneside.gov.uk

SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs Information Advice and Support Service)

SENDIASS is an independent service offering impartial support and information to parents whose child(ren) have, or may have, Special Educational Needs (SEN). The service offers parents and carers information and advice about the following:

• How special educational needs (SEN) are identified and assessed by schools and the Local Authority
• How progress is monitored and reviewed
• Who to talk to in school about your concerns
• The SEN Code of Practice, Education Health and Care Plan process.
• Parents/Carers rights and responsibilities
• Someone to attend meetings and reviews with about your child’s needs
• Help with filling in forms and expressing your views in writing
• What to do if you are not happy with a decision made about your child’s SEN
• Details of local and national organisations, which may be able to offer help and support in relation to your child’s SEN

** To contact the service please telephone Gillian Harte on 0191 424 6345 or email Gillian.harte@southtyneside.gov.uk

Pupils with Disabilities

If your child has a disability he/she will be treated no less favourably than other applicants for admission. Schools are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that pupils with disabilities are not placed at a substantial disadvantage.

Admissions Outside the Normal Age Group

Most children will be admitted to a school within their own age group but it is possible for you to request a place outside your child’s normal age group. This might be because you have an exceptionally gifted and talented child, or your child has missed part of a year maybe due to ill health. In addition South Tyneside operates a flexible admission system particularly in Infant and Nursery schools to help pupils with special educational needs to be placed in the most appropriate year group. This might be because your child was born prematurely or has some degree of special educational needs and would be better placed within the following year group. This option should be discussed with the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and Educational Psychologist. We will consider such requests on the basis of the circumstances of each individual child and in consultation with the appropriate colleagues and with the written recommendation of an Educational Psychologist. If your application for a place outside the normal age group is refused, you have a right to appeal against the decision but this does not apply if parents are offered a place other than the year group in which they applied for.

Elective Home Education

It is the duty of parents to secure an appropriate education for their child(ren). This can be done either by regular attendance at a school or ‘otherwise’. For most children in South Tyneside this means that they will attend their local school, but for a wide variety of reasons a minority of parents decide to take on the ‘duty to educate’ their child at home. Parents are advised to carefully consider the decision to Home Educate, as it is a great responsibility and a considerable commitment of time and energy.

**For further information on Elective Home Education please contact telephone number 0191 454 6204.

Education for Children and Young People with Medical Needs

Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 provides that each Local Authority ‘shall make arrangements for the provision of suitable education at school or otherwise than at school for those children of compulsory school age who, by reason of illness, exclusion from school or otherwise, may not for any period receive suitable education unless such arrangements are made for them,’ Local Authorities also have the power to provide suitable education otherwise than at school for young people over compulsory school age but under the age of 19.

Access to education: All pupils should continue to have access to as much education as their medical condition allows so that they are able to maintain the momentum of their education and to keep up with their studies.

• Education for pupils who are unable to attend school because of medical needs is provided through the home education service. It is important that each of the component elements forms part of a strategic planning framework.
• Home teaching services, or discrete parts of services, which provide education in a unit or school type setting, must either be registered with the Department for Children Schools and Families as a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). It is good practice for PRUs that provide for pupils with medical needs to cater exclusively for them.
• Children, Adults and Families Directorate should in partnership with parents and health professionals ensure that:
  • Pupils are not at home without access to education for more than 15 working days.
  • Pupils who have an illness/diagnosis which indicates prolonged or recurring periods of absence from school, have access to education, so far as possible from day one.
  • Pupils educated at home receive a minimum entitlement of 5 hours teaching per week. This is a minimum and should be increased where necessary to enable a pupil to keep up with their studies. This is particularly important when a pupil is approaching public examinations.
  • Whether the child or young person is able to access this will depend on medical advice.

**For further information please telephone number 0191 454 6204.

Alternative Education Behaviour Support Service

A central team of specialist staff who provide education throughout South Tyneside for pupils who are not being educated within mainstream or special school for reasons of exclusion or in danger of exclusion, social and emotional difficulties, sick at home new to the borough who may be awaiting a specialist school placement. The Children, Adults & Families Directorate is the provider of Education Otherwise than at School (EOTAS).

**For further information please contact telephone number 0191 454 6204.

School Attendance

Improving school attendance is a major priority for the Council. Children who attend school regularly perform better and gain better qualifications than those who attend less regularly. By missing out on education children risk leaving school without qualifications and nothing to show for their time at school.

Parents have a moral and a legal duty to make sure that their children are properly educated. From time to time problems may arise that cause children to miss school; these include teenage rebellion, bullying at school, peer pressure, family problems or problems with studying.

Should problems arise help should be sought in the first instance from the school. In most cases the person to contact is the Head Teacher. Services for Young People can help sort out problems and offer independent advice and support. Your child’s school will be able to put you in touch with the Services for Young People or you can contact them directly by telephoning 0191 424 6306.

Pupils from Overseas

Families who are not entitled to remain permanently in South Tyneside may be granted leave to enter for a stay of several months or for a short holiday. It may be reasonable for an application for a school place not to be granted if the stay is so short that it would not be practicable to admit the child to school. Each application for a school place will be considered on its merits in terms of the educational welfare of the child.

Accessing your Child’s School Records

As a Parent/Carer you have a right to see or have a copy of your child’s educational records. You should put your request in writing direct to the Head Teacher of your child’s school.

School Uniform

For further information on school uniforms you should obtain a copy of the individual school prospectus.

Complaints about Schools

If you are not happy with what is happening at your child’s school you should obtain a copy of the schools complaints procedure (available from the school direct) and follow the procedure in the documentation.

Black and Minority Ethnic Children (BME)

South Tyneside Local Authority supports children from BME communities, including Travellers, to achieve success in our schools. The Ethnic Minority Traveller and Refugee Achievement Service (EMTRAS) helps children to overcome any barriers of language or racism preventing them from making progress.

Please be aware in making applications if you tick the refugee box, information may be shared with other agencies, this is to ensure your needs are met and you receive any support required.

** For further information please contact the EMTRAS Manager on telephone number 0191 426 8140

School Transport

The Council as part of its commitment to enhancing the Borough is proactive in promoting sustainable modes of transport for school and everyday journeys. This includes ongoing projects to reducing traffic congestion, improving road safety and lower air quality concerns.

The Council also promotes environmentally friendly, sustainable home to school transport. All schools within South Tyneside have, or are working towards an accredited School Travel Plan and there is an ongoing Healthy Schools initiative ran by Public Health to promote physical activity amongst children. Both programmes are interlinked and complement each other.

Furthermore to help staff, parents and pupils to make informed choices about the range of available travel options a range of tools and information is below;

Online Journey Planning

In order to plan your journey either by foot, bicycle or public transport there is the Go Smarter Journey Planner. This allows you to determine where and when various travel options are available and it’s very easy to use. To access it, please visit smartgo.co.uk/journey-planning

Public Transport

Discounted tickets are often available for young people and journeys to school. Depending on where your school is located you can contact individual Operators for more information. Alternatively discounted fares for young People are available for young people across Tyne and Wear from Nexus, Information on these can be found on their website; nexus.org.uk/pop

Walking and Cycling

In order for you to plan journeys with South Tyneside and beyond, a cycle map is also available. This outlines all of the advisory cycle routes in the Borough and many of these connect to schools. To download copies of the map please click on the links below;

South_Tyneside_North.pdf

South_Tyneside_South.pdf

The maps are also available on paper and available across the region free of charge, or by contacting the Strategic Transport Team.

Any questions

For more information on these links, ongoing transport projects in the Borough, or to request a paper copy of the map please contact the Strategic Transport Team at South Tyneside Council using the following email address; strategictransport@southtyneside.gov.uk

If you have a child who is due to move into Year 10 in September 2024 it’s important to know there are other opportunities for education in the North East area, which you may not be aware of. These schools have atypical admission ages, taking pupils at a different age to 11-16 or 18 secondary schools. This does not mean that you are required to move your child from their existing school if this is the best option for them.

Detailed below is a list of educational establishments within a reasonable travelling distance which you may wish to investigate and consider applying for a place for September 2023. In addition this information will be included on the Local Authority website from September 2022. You should also look at the GCSE curriculum in your child’s current school, to help consider the best option for your child’s education in the next two years.

• North East Futures UTC, Stephenson Quarter, Newcastle Upon Tyne, www.northeastfuturesutc.co.uk, info@northeastfuturesutc.co.uk
• UTC South Durham, Long Tens Way, Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham. Tel: 01325 430250, www.utcsouthdurham.org

All schools have a statutory duty to secure impartial careers guidance for all Year 8 to Year 13 students to inspire young people to fulfil their potential and to make them aware of all opportunities open to them. I would strongly recommend that your child discusses their options with a Careers Adviser in their current school or college.

If you decide that you would like to have more information or apply for a place at any of the educational establishments, I would suggest that you make contact using the information detailed above.

Travel Arrangements for Pupils of Statutory School Age

The statutory duties for free transport for children of compulsory school age are:-

Pupils Under 8 years of age.

Where any pupil who attends their nearest suitable school and lives more than two miles statutory walking distance from the school, the Council will meet the cost of travel to and from school.

Pupils aged between 8 and 11 years of age.

Where a child of a low-income family attends their nearest suitable school and lives more than two miles from that school the Council will meet the cost of travel to and from school.

Pupils aged between 11 and 16

Where any pupil who attends their nearest suitable school and lives more than three miles statutory walking distance from the school, the Council will meet the cost of travel to and from school. In addition to this, children of parents who are on low incomes will be able to benefit from Council transport assistance if their child is attending the nearest suitable school more than two miles away. To qualify for this benefit children of low-income groups are defined in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 as “those entitled to free school meals, or those whose families are in receipt of their maximum level of working tax credit.”

The provision of free transport does not extend to schools more than six miles away.

Children from low-income groups aged 11-16 attending the nearest suitable school based on a preference of religion or belief can benefit from local authority transport to a school not more that 15 miles distant.

Applications for travel passes must be made on the application form which can be obtained from Town Hall & Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE33 2RL telephone number 0191 424 7755. Upon completion the application will be assessed against the distance and suitability of the route to school, the age of the child and any additional needs they may have and family circumstances.

Where pupils qualify for free travel the authority will issue Nexus travel passes. Passes are valid for one school year and a fresh application should be made in June for the start of the next school year. Should your family circumstances; the route or the child’s needs have changed during the course of the year your child may no longer be entitled to free transport.

Post 16

Young people attending 6th forms or local college can obtain discounted travel passes from Nexus. For further information, please contact your local Nexus Travel Shop.

Transport arrangements for Pupils with Special Educational Needs and / or disability

Where any child is attending their nearest suitable school and, as a result of their SEN and/or disability is unable to walk to school, then the Council will make suitable travel arrangements. More information is available in the full SEN Transport Policy; this is available from the SEN Transport Unit.

Appeals

Should the Council decide that your child is not entitled to free transport you may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the Corporate Director, Children, Adults and Health Directorate, South Tyneside Council, Town Hall and Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RL. Your appeal should state why you disagree with the decision, appeals will be considered within 21 days of receipt.

Definitions

Suitable School

For a school to be “suitable” it must have places available.

Statutory walking distance

“Statutory walking distance” is two miles for children aged under eight and three miles for children aged eight and over. (Section 444(5) Education Act 1996)

The measurement of the “statutory walking distance” is not necessarily the shortest distance by road. It is measured by the shortest route along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk with reasonable safety. As such this may include footpaths, bridle ways and other pathways as well as recognised roads.

Routes between 3 and 6 or 15 miles.

These will be measured along routes that can be used by motor vehicles.

Home

Is the normal place of residence of the child.

Religion or Belief

Section 44(a) of the Education Act 1996 defines “religion” as “any religion”, a broad definition inline with the freedom of religion guaranteed by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It includes those religions widely recognised in this country and must have a clear structure and belief system.

Section 44(b) of the Education Act 1996 defines “belief” as “any religious or philosophical belief”. For a belief to be worthy of protection it must attain a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance; be worthy of respect in a democratic society; and not be incompatible with human dignity or the fundamental rights of the child.

School Leaving Date (year 11 pupils)

The school leaving date for year 11 pupils is the last Friday in June and for 2023 it will be 30th June. Young people will not be able to leave school before that date even if they are already 16 years old.

Fair Processing Notice

All Local Authorities are required to collect information on children and young people who are in need of services or who are “looked after” by the Local Authority. Some of this information is sent to the central government Department for Education (DfE) each year in what are called Statutory Returns, and some information is shared by the people working with children and young people to provide them with better services.

This notice, (called a “Fair Processing Notice”) is to inform you what the information will be used for. Information may be shared on an individual basis with other agencies as required by law, and to help us to provide better services for you/ your child. In these instances, personal information will be made available.

For a copy of the full Fair Processing Notice please visit our website at www.southtyneside.gov.uk or contact the Information Development Team in (0191) 424 7702.

Sixth Form Open Evenings

*Please note Open Evening dates below are correct as at time of print. We would encourage parents to check school websites for updates. If the schools make any changes to Open Evening dates and times then these will be posted on individual websites.

Harton Academy, St Joseph’s Catholic Academy, Northern Saints Catholic Trust - St Wilfrids RC College and Whitburn C of E Academy are designated as 11-18 schools and provide a full range of post 16 courses. Applicants refused admission are entitled to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel. Where a child is already attending a school and is refused permission to transfer to Year 12 at that school, they and their parents have the same right of appeal as an external candidate or their parents; where the pupil and parent appeal separately the appeal panel must hear the appeals together. An appeal panel would normally follow the process described in the appeals section.

**For further information please contact the Head Teacher for the courses available telephone numbers are available on page 65.

St Joseph’s Catholic Academy

Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2024-2025

St Joseph’s Catholic Academy Sixth Form was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for students of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic students in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and articles of association, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

The admission policy criteria will be dealt with on an equal preference basis.

The governing body is the admissions authority and has responsibility for admissions to this school. The local authority undertakes the coordination of admission arrangements.

Parishes served by the school:

St James & St Aloysius	(Hebburn)
St Matthew's	(Jarrow)
St Joseph's	(Jarrow)
St Alban's	(Gateshead)

Published Admission Number

The Planned Admission Number (PAN) for admissions to Year 12 from external applications is 150. It is expected that the maximum number of students in Year 12 in September 2024 will be 275.

Entry requirements

Both internal and external pupils wishing to enter the sixth form will be expected to have met the same minimum academic entry requirements for the sixth form. These are found in the Sixth Form prospectus, which should be consulted before making a formal application

In addition to the sixth form’s minimum academic entry requirements pupils will need to satisfy minimum entrance requirements to the courses for which they are applying. If either internal or external applicants fail to meet the minimum course requirements, they will be given the option of pursuing any alternative courses for which they do meet the minimum academic requirements.

Course requirements are published annually in the school’s prospectus and on its website.

When year 12 is undersubscribed all applicants meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will be admitted or permitted to progress.

When there are more external applicants that satisfy any academic entry requirements, priority will be given in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out below.

Application Procedures and Timetable

The sixth form is available for all existing pupils subject to pupils fulfilling the individual requirements of suitable courses.

Remaining places in the sixth form of the school will be offered in accordance with the oversubscription criteria, subject to applicants fulfilling the individual requirements of suitable courses.

Applications must be made on the Sixth Form Application Form, which can be obtained from the school together with the Sixth Form prospectus, which details the academic entry requirements for admission. Completed forms must be returned to the school by February 2024. A provisional offer of a place (subject to confirmation of meeting the required academic entry requirements) will be made by June 2023 before enrolment in August 2024.

If the application is unsuccessful the parent will be informed of the decision, related to the oversubscription criteria, and has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

If the parent is required to provide supplemental evidence to support the application (e.g. a baptismal certificate), this evidence should be provided at the time of application. If not provided, evidence may be sought by the governing body following the closing date for applications. This information must have been correct at the date of closing for applications.

Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (see note 1)

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other students.

Late Applications

Late applications will be administered in accordance with the home local authority coordinated admissions scheme. Parents are advised to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.

Admission of Students outside their Normal Age Group

A request may be made for a student to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the student is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the headteacher of the school. The governing body will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the student. In addition to taking into account the views of the headteacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the governing body will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out below and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. The waiting list for admission will operate until 31 December 2024. Inclusion on the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

In-Year Applications

An application can be made for a place for a student at any time outside the admission round and the student will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school. Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing.

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied.

If there are no places available, a request can be made that the student is added to the waiting list (see above).

The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a student, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the chair of governors at the school address.

Fair Access Protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of students who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the governing body is empowered to give absolute priority to a student where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by both the diocese and the governing body for the current school year. The governing body has this power, even when admitting the student would mean exceeding the published admission number.

False evidence

The governing body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a student is already attending the school, the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Oversubscription Criteria (for external applicants)

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority.

1. Catholic looked after and previously looked after Catholic children. (see Definitions)
2. Catholic students who live within the boundaries of the parishes served by the school.
3. Catholic students who live outside the boundaries of the parishes served by the school.
4. Other looked after or previously looked after students.
5. Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church.
6. Students of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader.
7. Students, who are members of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader.
8. Other students.

Tie Breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Distance will be measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school.

Notes and definitions

1. An Education, Health and Care Plan is a plan made by the local authority under section 37 of the Children and Families Act 2014, specifying the special educational provision required for a student.
2. A looked after student has the same meaning as in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, and means any student who is (a) in the care of a local authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by them in the exercise of their social services functions (e.g. students with foster parents) at the time of making application to the school.
   
   A previously looked after student is a student who was looked after, but ceased to be so because he or she was adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.
3. Catholic means a member of a Church in full communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church. For the purposes of this policy, it includes a looked after child living with a family where at least one of the parents is Catholic.
   
   For a child to be treated as Catholic, evidence of Catholic baptism or reception into the Church will be required. Those who have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest who, after consulting with the Diocese, will decide how the question of baptism is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church.
4. Catechumen means a member of the catechumenate of a Catholic Church. For the purposes of admissions this refers to the student on whose behalf the application is being made. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of reception into the order of catechumens.
5. Eastern Christian Church includes Orthodox Churches, and is normally evidenced by a certificate of baptism or reception from the authorities of that Church. Those who have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism or reception should contact the Diocese who will decide how the question of baptism or reception is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church.
6. Students of other Christian denominations means students who belong to other churches and ecclesial communities which, acknowledge God’s revelation in Christ, confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in obedience to God’s will and in the power of the Holy Spirit commit themselves: to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. An ecclesial community which on principle has no credal statements in its tradition, is included if it manifests faith in Christ as witnessed to in the Scriptures and is committed to working in the spirit of the above.
   
   All members of Churches Together in England and CYTÛN are deemed to be included in the above definition, as are all other churches and ecclesial communities that are in membership of any local Churches Together Group (by whatever title) on the above basis.
   
   Applicants must provide a baptismal certificate or where child baptism is not practised, a letter confirming their church membership from their minister or faith leader.
7. Students of other faiths means students who are members of a religious community that does not fall within the definition of ‘other Christian denominations’ at 6 above and which falls within the definition of a religion for the purposes of charity law. The Charities Act 2011 defines religion to include:
   • A religion which involves belief in more than one God, and
   • A religion which does not involve belief in a God.
   Case law has identified certain characteristics which describe the meaning of religion for the purposes of charity law, which are characterised by a belief in a supreme being and an expression of belief in that supreme being through worship.
   
   Applicants must provide a letter of support to confirm their faith membership from their minister or faith leader.
8. A child’s home address refers to the address where the child usually lives with a parent or carer, and will be the address provided in the Common Application Form (“CAF”). Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives for part of the week with each parent, the home address will be the address given in the CAF, provided that the child resides at that address for any part of the school week.
9. A parent means all natural parents, any person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility for a student, and any person who has care of a student (having care of a student means that the student lives with and is looked after by that person).

This policy should be read in conjunction with the local authority’s admission guidance for parents.

St Wilfrids RC College

Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2024-25

St Wilfrid’s RC College was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and instrument of government, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school , we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

Parishes served by the school

The school serves the parishes of:

• Ss Peter and Paul’s, South Shields
• St Oswald’s, South Shields
• St Bede’s, Jarrow
• St Gregory’s, South Shields
• Sacred Heart, Boldon
• Holy Rosary, South Shields
• St Bede’s, Jarrow
• St Mary’s, Jarrow

The Governing Body of St Wilfrid’s RC College is the admissions authority and has responsibility for admissions to this school. It has produced the following admissions policy to the school Sixth Form (Year 12) in September 2024.

Published Admission Number

The Governing Body of St Wilfrid’s RC College intends to admit up to 99 students to Year 12 in September 2024.

Application Procedures and Timetable

Applications are to be made using the St Wilfrid’s RC College Post 16 Application Form, which can be obtained by contacting the school. Students currently attending St Wilfrid’s RC College will receive these in house. Completed forms must be returned to the school by 31st May 2023. This will result in a provisional offer of a place (subject to confirmation of meeting the required academic entry requirements) and students will receive this offer by 9th June 2024.

Applications received after the closing date of the 31st of May 2024 will be accepted but considered only after those received by the closing date.

St Wilfrid’s RC College Sixth Form Entry Requirements

The expectation is that students will have achieved the following results:

• At least 5 grades at 5+, including mathematics and English.
• A minimum of a Grade 6 at GCSE in the subject they want to study at A Level. (A grade 7 or higher at GCSE will be required for science and mathematics).
• A minimum of a Merit in the subject they want to study in Vocational Subjects.

Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (see note 1)

The admission of students with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan where the school is named as the most appropriate educational setting for the student, and who meet the general criteria, will be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other students.

Admission of Students outside their Normal Age Group

A request may be made for a student to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the student is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the headteacher of the school. The governing body will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the student. In addition to taking into account the views of the headteacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the governing body will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out below and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the last day of the summer term. Inclusion on the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

In-Year Applications

An application can be made for a place for a student at any time outside the admission round and the student will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made by contacting:

Town Hall & Civic Offices
Westoe Road
South Shields
Tyne & Wear
NE33 2RL

Tel: 0191 424 7706
Email: school.admissions@southtyneside.gov.uk

Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing.

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out below, will be applied.

If there are no places available, a request can be made that the student is added to the waiting list (see above).

The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Rights of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a student, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the chair of governors at the school address.

Fair Access Protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the governing body is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by the governing body for the current school year. The governing body has this power, even when admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number.

False Evidence

The governing body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a child is already attending the school, the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Oversubscription Criteria

Students already on roll of St Wilfrid’s RC College, and who meet the general entry requirement and subject specific criteria (see above), will be offered a place in Year 12.

In the case of oversubscription either to the Sixth Form as a whole, or for particular courses, external applicants who meet the general entry requirements and subject specific criteria for the courses for which they have applied, will be considered for a place in St Wilfrid’s RC College Sixth Form according to the following criteria:

1. Looked after and previously looked after students (see note 2)
2. Catholic students who live within the catchment area (see below and note 3)
3. Catholic students who live outside the catchment area (see below and note 3)
4. Students with siblings in the school at the time of admission (see note 4)
5. Other students

Tie Breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Distance will be measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the school main entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS) (see note 5).

In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school.

Catchment Area

The catchment area for St Wilfrid’s RC College is defined by the boundaries of the parishes served by the school as listed on the first page.

Notes and definitions

1. Education, Health and Care Plan is a plan made by the local authority under section 37 of the Children and Families Act 2014, specifying the special educational provision required for a child.
2. A looked after child has the same meaning as in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, and means any child who is (a) in the care of a local authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by them in the exercise of their social services functions (e.g. children with foster parents) at the time of making application to the school. A previously looked after child is a child who was looked after, but ceased to be so because he or she was adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.
3. Catholic means a member of a Church in full communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church. For the purposes of this policy, it includes a looked after child living with a family where at least one of the parents is Catholic.
   
   For a child to be treated as Catholic, evidence of Catholic baptism or reception into the Church will be required. Those who have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest who, after consulting with the Diocese, will decide how the question of baptism is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church.
4. Sibling includes:
   1. all natural brothers or sisters, half brothers or sisters, adopted brothers or sisters, stepbrothers or sisters, foster brothers or sisters, whether or not they are living at the same address; and
   2. the child of a parent’s partner where that child lives for at least part of the week in the same family unit at the same home address as the child who is the subject of the application.
5. A child’s home address refers to the address where the child usually lives with a parent or carer, and will be the address provided in the Common Application Form (“CAF”). Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives for part of the week with each parent, the home address will be the address given in the CAF, provided that the child resides at that address for any part of the school week.

Whitburn Church of England Academy

Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2024-2025

Preface - Vision and values

‘But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete eagerness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving’ (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Our vision is rooted in this biblical teaching and is expressed through our school motto of ‘Excellence for All’. At Whitburn C of E Academy we embrace Jesus’ promise of ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10) and believe in this vision of human flourishing for all, permeated by key elements of wisdom, hope, community and dignity.

As Christians believe we are ‘created in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:26f ), Whitburn C of E Academy, as an Anglican school, is unequivocal in our view that a good education must educate the whole person; we strive to ensure that all young people and adults in our community develop spiritually, physically, intellectually, emotionally, morally and socially.

We act in accordance with the belief that God wants us to excel both in our individual character and in our actions. This means seeking to be the very best we can be in all aspects of our lives, grounded in Whitburn’s Christian ‘Be Values’ that are integral to our school community.

Light, a universal and powerful spiritual and divine symbol, is one that we embrace at Whitburn C of E Academy and, in harmony with our vision and values, we encourage all to ‘let your light shine before others’. (Matthew 5:16)

Whitburn Church of England Academy aims to develop its spiritual ethos in accordance with Christian principles and values. The Academy will work in partnership with the Church at Parish, Deanery and Diocesan level and under the guidance of the Church of England. We aim to serve our community by providing an education of the highest quality and encouraging an understanding of the meaning and significance of a spiritual dimension in our lives.

We will support the development of moral values and of a rich and fulfilling spiritual life for all. It will support those of Christian faith within the context of Christian belief and practice and will respect and encourage those of other faiths and no faith. We ask all parents applying for a place at our school to respect this ethos and its importance to the whole school community.

The Academy’s Vision and Values can be found here: whitburncofeacademy.org/about-us/academy-ethos. html

Introduction

The Whitburn Church of England Academy Trust Board are the admissions authority for the school. The Academy has a Sixth Form capacity of 240 students. The maximum number of Year 12 students admitted for any given year is determined by the number of Year 13 students in that academic year.

The Academy is required by the School Admission Code 2021 to set a planned published admission number (PAN) for external applicants who wish to join our sixth form in year 12. We welcome and encourage applications from external applicants and can offer a minimum number of 10 places to external applicants joining Year 12. This figure is a minimum and in previous years we have often been able to offer more places to external applicants where the number of internal students transferring into Year 12 is less than the overall capacity figure for the year group. The entry requirements are identical for external applicants as they are for internal and are set out below.

Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan naming Whitburn Church of England Academy will always be made conditional offer provided they meet the required entry requirements.

The academic admissions criteria are set out below:

For a programme of study consisting of A Levels only:

• Applicants must achieve at least eight GCSE grades at 9-1 or Level 2 Technical Award at distinction or merit.
• Applicants must achieve at least five GCSE passes at grades 9-5 or Level 2 Technical Award at distinction or merit, including English and Mathematics, and at least a grade 5 in each subject to be taken at A Level (see detailed course entry requirements listed in the Sixth Form prospectus as some subjects differ from this due to the level of academic demand they require).
• Students who do not achieve Level 4 in English and/or Maths may be offered a place if they meet the requirements to study other courses, but they would have to re-take English and/or Maths GCSE.
• In the event of oversubscription in individual subjects, or to the year group, GCSE average point score will be considered. Those who applied by the deadline and met the criteria above and who achieve the highest Average Point Scores for GCSE will be given priority when filling classes. We advise against students only focusing on those GCSE subjects they wish to progress to A Level as neglecting some GCSE subjects will negatively impact Average Point Score.

For a programme of study consisting of A Levels and vocational courses:

• Applicants must achieve at least eight GCSE grades at 9-1 or Level 2 Technical Award at distinction or merit.
• Applicants must achieve at least four GCSE passes at grades 9-4 or Level 2 Technical Award at distinction or merit, including English and Mathematics, and at least a grade 5 in any subject to be taken at A Level (see detailed course entry requirements listed in the Sixth Form prospectus as some subjects differ from this due to the level of academic demand they require).
• Students who do not achieve Level 4 in English and/or Maths may be offered a place if they meet the requirements to study other courses, but they would have to re-take English and/or Maths GCSE.
• In the event of oversubscription in individual subjects the GCSE average point score will be considered. Those who applied by the deadline and met the criteria above and who achieve the highest Average Point Scores for GCSE will be given priority when filling classes. We advise against students only focusing on those GCSE subjects they wish to progress to A Level as neglecting some GCSE subjects will negatively impact Average Point Score.

Details of the entry requirements and courses offered are available in the Sixth Form Prospectus which may be obtained directly from the website.

It should be noted that the availability of the courses is dependent upon the number of applicants and the financial sustainability of the course. We will contact applicants at the earliest opportunity – usually shortly after Easter – if it becomes clear that a course is not viable.

Continuation Requirements

It is envisaged that all students admitted to Year 12 will continue until the end of Year 13. Students intending to leave after Year 12 should talk to the Head of Sixth Form at the earliest opportunity to discuss possible AS entry, which may or may not be possible depending on coverage of the AS content.

The following criteria must be met in order to secure progression to Year 13:

• Students must achieve at least a D grade in any subject in which they wish to progress to Year 2 in the internal mock exams which take place at the end of Year 12. This is to ensure students have a reasonable chance of success in the full A level exam.
• Students must make a concerted effort to develop skills of independence such that they are seen to be managing independent study periods effectively.
• Students must demonstrate their commitment by maintaining a minimum 90% attendance.
• Students must meet our high expectations, uphold the ethos of the Academy and adhere to the terms of the learner agreement.
• Students will be treated as individuals and all circumstances will be considered when decisions are taken about continuation in Sixth Form.

Oversubscription Criteria

Students who have attended the academy in the previous academic year (Year 11) and who satisfy the specified entry requirements for the courses available will be offered a place in the sixth form.

In the unlikely event that the school receives more external applications than can be accommodated in Year 12 from students who meet our entry criteria for our courses, the following oversubscription criteria will be used:-

1. “Looked-after children and children who were previously looked after, but ceased to be so because, immediately after being looked after, they became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order (see note 1) including children previously in state care outside of England who have ceased to be in that state care as a result of 62 being adopted (see note 2) and who satisfy the academy’s entry requirements for the courses available.
2. Students who have a sibling link and are residing at the same address (brother or sister including adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, and long term fostered children) attending the academy during the academic year of intended admission to Sixth Form (see note 3)
3. Other children who live the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority (See note 4)

The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tiebreaker’ within each criterion if necessary. Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from the shortest distance measured as a straight line, from the Ordnance Survey coordinates for the parental home residence (including flats) to the main academy entrance, using South Tyneside Council’s Geographic Information System (GIS), with those living closer to the Academy receiving higher priority will be used. The Academy will seek proof of residency.

Final tiebreaker

Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tiebreaker will be a random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

In determining admissions, priority would be given to those applications where the application form is received by the published deadline date.

Once a place at the Academy has been offered, the Academy will require proof of identity to support the application. Where documents may not be available for students arriving from overseas, the Border Agency may be contacted to verify your details.

Note 1:

By a “looked-after child” we mean one in the care of a local authority or being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of its social services function. An adoption order is one made under the Adoption Act 1976 (Section 12) or the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (Section 46). A ‘child arrangements order is one settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live (Children Act 1989, Section 8, as amended by the Children and Families Act 2014, Section 14). A ‘special guardianship order’ is one appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian/s (Children Act 1989, Section 14A).

Applications under this criterion must be accompanied by evidence to show that the child is looked after or was previously looked after (e.g. a copy of the adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order).

Note 2:

Children previously in state care outside of England means children who have been looked after outside of England by a public authority, a religious organisation or another provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society. The care may have been provided in orphanages or other settings. In the case of children adopted from state care overseas, the admissions authority will require evidence that a child is eligible by asking the child’s parents or carers for appropriate evidence of their previously looked-after status.

If it becomes necessary to decide between applicants within the same criterion, the distance tiebreaker described above will be used.

Where two or more applicants meet the same admission criteria and the measured distance between home and school is the same to 3 decimal places, the tiebreaker will be a random allocation and will be by the drawing of lots to determine the rank order for each child. In order to ensure fairness the School Admissions Team will administer the random allocation system overseen by an independent adjudicator in accordance with the random allocation procedure.

Note 3:

By sibling we mean a younger brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent’s/carer’s partner where the child for whom the school place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling. The younger sibling must be attending Whitburn Church of England Academy during the academic year of intended admission to Sixth Form, the Trust Board will consider this as a sibling link. It is helpful if students make it clear on the application form where the sibling has a different family name. Where there is more than one sibling at the school, only the youngest should be listed on the application form.

Note 4:

The above distance measurement will also be used as a ‘tiebreaker’ within each criterion if necessary. A student’s home address is considered to be a residential property that is the child’s only or main residence, and is either:

By normal home address, we mean the child’s home address. This must be where the parent or legal carer of the child lives with the child unless it is proved that the child is resident elsewhere with someone else who has legal care and control of the child. The address should be a residential property that is owned, leased or rented by the child’s parent/s or person with legal care and control of the child.

To avoid doubt, where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility, each for part of a week or month, the address where the child lives will be determined having regard to a joint declaration from the parents stating the exact pattern of residence. If the residence is not split equally, then the relevant address used will be that at which we are satisfied that the child spends the majority of the school week. Where there is an equal split or there is any doubt about residence, we will make the judgment about which address to use for the purpose of determining whether or not to offer a place.

We will take into account, for example, the following:

• any legal documentation confirming residence
• the pattern of the residence
• the period of time over which the current arrangement has been in place
• confirmation from any previous school of the contact details and home address supplied to it by the parents
• where the child is registered with his/her GP
• any other evidence the parents may supply to verify the position.

We may ask for evidence of the normal home address in the form of a recent bill. This could be, for example, the most recent Council Tax bill, utility bill no more than three months old, a current TV licence, buildings and contents insurance, mortgage statement or rent book which shows the address concerned. Parents who are unable to provide this evidence should contact the school to discuss what evidence might be acceptable. If it becomes clear or if there is any doubt that the parents and child are not living at the address given on the application form, the school may seek further evidence. The school works closely with the Local Authority to ensure that places are not obtained at the school on the basis of false addresses, and, in cases of doubt, will take steps to verify the information provided.

If a place at the school is offered, and it later becomes clear that the offer was made on fraudulent or misleading information (e.g. a false claim to residency), and the school has denied a place to a child with a stronger claim, the school will withdraw the offer of a place. The offer can also be withdrawn even after the child has started at the school.

We regard a child’s home address to be where he or she sleeps for the majority of the school week (Monday to Friday). We may ask to see official documentation, such as a child benefit book or medical card if there are reasons why a child does not live at his or her parent’s address. For example, if he or she is resident with a grandparent, this needs to be made clear on the application form. If such arrangements are not declared or a relative’s address is used on the application, we may consider that a false declaration has been made, and withdraw the offer of a place. Childcare arrangements are not sufficient reason for listing another address.

If parents move house after the application has been made, but before any offer of a place has been made, the school must be informed.

We would not accept an address where the one given is that of a second home with the main home being elsewhere. If there are two or more homes, we will check which is the main home, and may refuse to base an allocation of a place on an address which might be considered only temporary. Nor would we accept an address where the child was resident other than with a parent or carer unless this was part of a fostering or formal care arrangement. We would not normally accept an address where only part of a family had moved, unless connected with a divorce or permanent separation arrangement, in which case we would require proof.

Withdrawing Offers of a School Place

When considering your application, only the address of the parent/carer with whom the student normally resides will be taken into account (a parent/carer means any person who holds parental responsibility, and with whom the child normally resides). We reserve the right to seek proof of your address and it should be noted that an offer of a place may be withdrawn if information supplied by you on your application is intentionally misleading or fraudulent (for example, a false claim to residence). Where a place is withdrawn, your application will be considered afresh, and the right to appeal offered if a place is refused.

Parental Responsibility

Who is a ‘parent’ in relation to education legislation? Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines the term ‘parent’ as:

• All natural parents married or not
• Any person who has got ‘parental’ responsibility (we will require documentary evidence)
• Any person without being a natural parent or having ‘parental responsibility’ who has care of the student (we will require documentary evidence)

Shared Parental Responsibility

When considering the application the Governing Body will use the address of the parent where the student resides for the majority of the school week. This will apply even where parents have shared responsibility for the student for equal parts of the week. Documentary evidence will be required (See note 4).

How and When to Apply

Applications must be made via the online application form which goes live on the website early in the Autumn term; a copy of the Sixth Form prospectus can be found on the website. Application forms must be fully completed by 12 noon on Wednesday 31st January 2024. Any applications received after this will be treated as late applications and will be dealt with after those received on time.

Offer Date

A provisional offer of a place will be made and this will be subject to confirmation that the required academic entry requirements have been met.

Other Units for Secondary age pupils

Alternative Education Service

The service caters for pupils, who have been excluded from school or have been referred to the service for respite.

Some parents arrange holidays during term time and this often leads to problems such as:

• Your child’s education can suffer
• Lessons and extra-curricular activities are missed
• Continuity of work is lost
• Friendship groups can break down
• The form group is disrupted

Every school will have its own policy regarding this matter and you must check with the school what the policy is and seek permission to take your child out of school before booking any holiday in term time. If parents fail to do this, or if permission is not granted and the child is taken out of school each parent will be liable to receive a Penalty Notice for each child kept away from school

Definitions and Explanation of Terms used in this Booklet

Academy

An academy in the education system in England is a school that is directly funded by central government (the Department for Education) and is independent of local government control. An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind. They must meet the National Curriculum core subject requirements and are subject to inspection by Ofsted. Academies are self-governing and most are constituted as registered charities or operated by other educational charities. Most are secondary schools, but some cater for children from nursery age upwards.

Acceptance Form

Form used for Parents to accept a school place at an oversubscribed school.

Admission Criteria/Policy

The arrangements, which govern the procedures and decision making for the purpose of admitting pupils to schools.

Admission Authority

The Admission Authority is responsible for pupil places and setting the admissions criteria; The Council is the Admission Authority for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools (except where the Authority delegates the responsibility to the Governing Body) for Voluntary Aided schools, the Admission Authority is the Governing Board.

Appeal

Any parent whose child is refused a school place(s) for which they applied has a statutory right of appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel.

Catchment Area

A defined geographical area linked to each school. When a year group is oversubscribed in Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, pupils living within the school’s catchment area will be given priority.

Class Size Limit

No Infant Class being taught by a single teacher can contain more than 30 pupils.

Community Schools

Schools wholly funded by the Council. The Council employs the school staff, owns the school’s land and buildings and has the primary responsibility for deciding the arrangements for admitting pupils.

Comprehensive School

Secondary school designed to educate children from the whole ability range.

Consultation

The Council should carry out full public consultations whenever options are being considered for a new policy or if a new regulation is planned.

Department for Education (DfE)

Central Government Department with responsibility for education.

Diocesan Board

The Christian denominations divide the country into church districts called Dioceses. Each Diocese will have a committee or a board to administer its church schools.

Efficient Education

Means providing a good standard of education.

Equal Preference

This means the Admission Authority considers all the preferences against the admission criteria without any reference to how the school applied for has been ranked. If you child can be offered a place at more than one school, we will refer to your original ranking and offer a place at the one you have ranked the highest.

Exclusion

When a pupil is removed from the school premises by the Head Teacher, either temporarily or permanently, on disciplinary grounds.

GCSE

General Certificate of Secondary Education, the common public examination at age 16.

Governing Body

A board of people appointed or elected to work with the Head Teacher to oversee the general conduct and curriculum of each Council maintained Community, Voluntary Controlled and Voluntary Aided School. It includes representatives of parents.

Governing Body Discipline Committee

Group of people from the Governing Board to consider pupil exclusions.

Independent Appeal Panel

An Independent panel established by the Council or in the case of VA or Academy schools, the governors to consider a parent’s appeal against the refusal for a school place or their child’s exclusion from school.

Indicated Admission Number

The calculated capacity of the school for a particular year group determined by dividing the school’s net capacity by the number of year groups. A school’s published admission number (PAN) should be equal to or greater than the indicated admission number. A school that wishes to set a PAN lower than the indicated admission number must go through a period of consultation.

Key Stages

The four stages of pupil’s progress in acquiring knowledge and skills as set out in the National Curriculum. Pupils are tested at the end of each stage.

Key Stage 1	pupils are aged 5 – 7
Key Stage 2	pupils are aged 8 – 11
Key Stage 3	pupils are aged 12 – 14
Key Stage 4	pupils are aged 15 – 16

Council / Local Authority

The Local Government board responsible for setting and financing education policy.

Local Government Ombudsman

The Local Government Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration by Local Council’s and other bodies. The Local Government Ombudsman investigates complaints about how the Council has done something, but cannot question what a Council has done because a person does not agree with it.

Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED)

The body that arranges and sets standards for school and Council inspections.

Online Application

A quick and easy way to apply for your school place by using a computer

Oversubscribed

Where there are more requests for admission to a year group in a school than there are places available.

Parent/Carer

Where there are more requests for admission to a year group in a school than there are places available.

Preference

The legal right of parents to state the school they would prefer their child to attend.

Prejudice the provision of efficient education

A legal term used to describe when a school is oversubscribed; it means it would have an adverse effect on providing a good standard of education.

Prejudice the efficient use of resources

A legal term used to describe when a school is oversubscribed; it means it would have an adverse impact on the resources already allocated at a school and or at neighbouring schools in the Authority.

Pro forma

Form used for parents to request to place their child’s name on a waiting list of any school they ranked higher on their application than the school place they have been offered.

Prospectus

A document required to be published annually by schools to provide information to parents on the school.

Published Admission Number (PAN)

The number of pupils a school can admit to the relevant age group in any one year. The Admission Criteria will only be applied if we receive more applications than the PAN.

Secondary School

A school for children aged 11 - 16+

Services for Young People

Staff employed to help pupils and parents where there are problems, particularly regarding attendance. They are a valuable link between home and school.

Special Measures

Judgement by OFSTED inspectors that a school is failing and requires measures, which are determined mainly through an Action Plan used to secure improvement in the school.

Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan

Document drawn up by a Council, which describes a child’s educational needs and the provision that should be made to meet them. Incorporates advice from teachers, educational psychologists, doctors, parents, social workers and others.

Surplus Places

Excess amount of space.

Technology College

Technology Colleges have direct commitment and support from their business sponsors and the DCSF to provide to a more focused curriculum around a specialism.

Trust School

A Trust School is a state-funded foundation school supported by a charity, referred to as a Trust. The Trust is made up of partners working together for the benefit of the school. The Governing Board decide their own admissions using their own admission policy, which may be different to Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools in South Tyneside.

Year Group

Name given to describe a pupil’s stage of schooling.

Youth Support Lead

Youth Support Leads are employed to help pupils and parents where there are problems, particularly regarding attendance. They are a valuable link between home and school.

Waiting List

A list of pupils who have been refused a school they ranked higher on their application than the school place they were offered. The list is kept by the Council in order of the Admission Criteria for oversubscribed schools until 31 December 2024.

Currency of Information

The information contained in this publication, which was prepared in July 2023, and relates to the academic year 2024/2025 which begins in September 2024. The information was accurate at the time of preparation but it must not be assumed that no changes will occur before the start of, or during the school year or in the subsequent years. Such changes could occur as a result of a variation in Government Policy or in Council Policy.