Admissions Statement

Prospective parents seeking admission information should contact the Dorset Council Admissions department on 01305 221 060 or apply on-line at (www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/school-admissions). This policy should be read in conjunction with the Dorset Council Admissions Policy and Parents’ Guide which includes guidance for students with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)

Admissions policy and in the following order of priority:

1. A “Child in Care” or who was “previously a Child in Care”
2. Children who the authority accepts have an exceptional medical or social need and where there is a need for a place at one specific school
3. Children living within the school’s catchment area who will have a sibling(s) attending the school at the time of admission
4. Children living within the school’s catchment area who are attending the preferred school’s recognised maintained feeder school during the previous year and are on that school’s roll at the time of application
5. Children living within the school’s catchment area.
6. Children living outside the school’s catchment area who will have a sibling(s) attending the school at the time of admission.
7. Children living outside the school’s catchment area and who are attending one of the preferred school’s recognised maintained feeder schools during the previous year at the time of application.
8. Children living outside the school’s catchment area and whose parents wish them to attend a CE Voluntary Controlled school on denominational grounds
9. Children of staff with at least two years continuous service at the school or who have been recruited to a vacancy to meet a demonstrable skills shortage as at the date of application (in year) or relevant closing date under the LA co-ordinated scheme (normal year of entry) and who still intend to be employed at the school at the time of the child's admission. The term ‘children’ includes full, half, step, adopted and those non-blood related but resident through marriage, civil partnerships or family cohabitation.
10. All other children living outside the school’s catchment area (known as distance criteria).

Places will be allocated by applying the priority order. In the event of there being more children than places available in any of these categories, the child’s proximity to the school will be the determining (i.e. tie-break) factor (allocated on the basis of the shortest straight line measurement using a geographical information based system which identifies an Easting and Northing for the home address and the school and calculates the distance between the two locations). NB. School transport Is based on walking and driven distances.

Admission arrangements for students joining us at times other then the beginning of an academic year are made by the Headteacher after consultation with the Admissions Officer at County Hall.

A full transition programme is in place. In addition, an Open Evening is held each year in September for parents of future (and current) students. This is advertised in the local press, and details are sent out to the local schools. During the Summer Term a pre-transfer day and an evening parents’ meeting are held for Year 6 students. An annual ‘meet the tutor’ information evening is held for new year 7 students and their parents early in the Autumn term. Where transition events are not able to take place in school, opportunities for a remote offer will be in place.

SIXTH FORM ENTRY

There are currently two levels of course offered in the Sixth Form. Level 2 (GCSE equivalent level) and Leel 3 (A Level equivalent). Each individual’s particular abilities will determine which course is correct for them and the main guide to determining this is their Average GCSE Point Score. Access to level 3 courses requires at least 5 grade 4 passes or equivalent at GCSE level, including English language. Some courses have specific entry requirements listed in the sixth form course booklet. For entry to the level 2 programme students require 5 GCSE (or equivalent) passes at grade 2 or above.

The school has a very good record of Sixth Form success for all levels of entry. There is a high percentage of university entrants, including Oxbridge candidates. In addition, our students gain modern apprenticeships and F.E. places.

The admission number of Year 12 entry is 20 (over and above the number of students entering Year 12 from Year 11 within the school). Sixth Form admissions are at the discretion of the Headteacher and will normally be decided in the light of the student’s commitment to study, attendance data and his or her suitability for the course which is offered and applied for.

An Open Evening is held each year for parents of future (and current) students. This is advertised , on the school website and social media and details are sent out to all current year 11 students. Students will have a Sixth Form interview/discussion with the Head of Sixth Form or another member of SLT to look at suitability of courses and the offer of places.