Admissions Criteria
From September 2011 places will be allocated in accordance with the following criteria:
1. Looked-after children from Catholic Families
2. Members of practising Catholic families, as confirmed by a reference from a Catholic Priest or Deacon.
Highest priority will be given to those who attend Mass at least once a month.
3. Members of Catholic families, with a reference from a Catholic Priest or Deacon
4. Other Looked-after children
5. Members of Eastern Christian Church families, with a reference from a member of their clergy
6. a) Baptised/Enrolled members of other Christian families, who are attenders of their Church at least
once a month, as confirmed by a reference from their Minister
b) Baptised/Enrolled members of other Christian families, who are attenders of their Church less than
once a month as confirmed by a reference from their Minister.
c) Baptised/Enrolled members of other Christian families, who are active participants in the worship at
their Primary School, as confirmed by a reference from their Headteacher.
d) Baptised/Enrolled members of other Christian families, who are annual or occasional attenders of
their Church, as confirmed by a reference from their Church Authorities.
7. Special consideration may be given to other children if suitably supported by an appropriate referee
(e.g. medical or social grounds/pastoral grounds which make the School particularly suitable for the
child in question. Strong and relevant evidence must be provided by an appropriate professional authority
(eg medical practitioner, education welfare officer, social worker, priest/minister)
8. Any other applicants
a). A brother or sister on the school roll at the time of admission. Evidence of the relationship may be required.
b). Social and medical needs which make the school particularly suitable for the child in question. Strong and relevant evidence must be
provided by an appropriate professional authority (eg qualified medical practitioner, education welfare officer, social worker, priest)
c). Distance from home to school is measured as a straight line from the home to the main gate of the school using the measurement
supplied by the local authority derived from their computerised mapping system. Those living closest to the school being given the
highest priority. For more information please see Notes below.
For Criteria 2-3 and 5-6 every applicant is asked to provide details of Baptism and current Church membership
In order for an application to be valid, you must complete the Local Authority’s Common Application Form. In addition, in order for the school to fully consider your application and rank it according to the published admissions criteria, you should complete the Supplementary Information Form and return this to the School.
‘Looked-After Children’ has the same meaning as in section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and means any child in the care of a Local Authority or provided with accommodation by them (eg children with foster parents)
‘Catholic’ means a member of a Church in communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. The evidence for this will normally be a certificate of Baptism or Reception.
‘Eastern Christian Churches’ includes the Orthodox Churches. The evidence for this will normally be a certificate of Baptism or Reception from that Church’s Authorities.
‘Practising’ means regular attendance at Mass or Sunday Worship, the basis for which is taken to be at least monthly. The Common Diocesan Reference Form will be used for this purpose when necessary.
Where appropriate, evidence of enrolment in the Catechumenate will be required.
Brother and sister includes all siblings whether by blood, marriage, foster or adoption.
Medical / Health and special Access Reasons will be applied in accordance with the school’s legal obligations, in particular those under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Priority will be given to children under this criterion whose health or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school. Medical/Health and Special Access Reasons must be supported with written evidence from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner. The evidence must demonstrate a special connection between the child’s needs and the particular school.
The distance is measured between the child’s permanent address and the school measured in a straight line using Ordnance Survey address point data. Distances are measured from a central point within the child’s home to a similarly defined point within the school as specified by Ordnance Survey. The school uses measurements provided by the LA and further information on how distances are calculated is available in the Admissions Booklets provided by the LA. The school uses distances as provided by Kent Local Authority. Further details of how measurements are made and how applications from pupils resident in blocks of flats will be measured are available in the “Admission to Secondary School in Kent 2012 booklet. This booklet will also provide further details of what constitutes main residence where a child may reside at more than one family home.
Applications for a place at the school in-year must be made using the common application form of the local authority (LA) where the child resides. This form must be returned to the LA. The school’s supplementary form should also be completed to enable the governors to rank the application in the event of there being more than one application for a place. The governors will use the same criteria to rank the application as that listed above. The offer of a place at the school will be made by the LA on behalf of the governors. In the event of the governors deciding that a place cannot be offered parents will be offered the opportunity of placing their child’s name on the waiting list. This does not prevent parents from exercising their right to appeal against the decision not to offer a place.
Parents of children who have not been offered a place at the school may ask for their child’s name to be placed on a waiting list. The waiting list, which will be maintained until 1st August 2012 will be operated using the same admissions criteria listed above. Placing a child’s name on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available. This does not prevent parents from exercising their right to appeal against the decision not to offer a place. It is possible that when a child is directed under the local authority’s fair access protocol they will take precedence over those children already on the list.
In September 2011 it is intended to admit 155 pupils into Year 7. Should a child not be offered a place and the parents/guardians consider that there is a positive reason to appeal against the Governors' decision; they have a right to do so under the 1980 Education Act. They should address their appeal to the Clerk to the Governors, c/o The School within 21 days of being refused a place, stating the full grounds of objection to the Governors' decision.
Priority will be given to existing pupils transferring from Year 11. The PAN for external candidates will be 20, but this figure may be exceeded in the event that this and the number of internal pupils transferring into Year 12 is less than the overall total figure for the year group, which is 100.
To download a copy of the 2011 admissions form, please click here .