Admissions Policy
for entry in
September 2020
Granby Road, Stretford
Manchester M32 8JB
0161 866 0130
admissions [at] stretfordgrammar [dot] com
Ratified by Governors : December 2018
Admissions Policy 2020
Date of Policy: November 2018
Member of staff with overall responsibility: Helen Dolphin
Governing Body Sub-Committee with reviewing responsibility: Admissions
Admissions Policy 2020
Stretford Grammar School is a foundation mixed Grammar School. The student admission number is 160 for Years 7 – 11. The School has no religious affiliation.
Definitions (for the purpose of this Admissions Policy)
‘Looked after children’ has the meaning set out in the Education Act 2002
‘Residence’ means the address where the child normally and permanently lives
‘The School’ means Stretford Grammar School
‘Sibling’ means any person (full, half, step, adopted or foster brother or sister) of admissions age who is residing permanently at the same address as the candidate and will be in attendance at the School at the time of the proposed admission.
‘Pupil Premium’ is funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers. Schools receive funding for each child registered as eligible for free meals at any point in the last 6 years as well as funding for children who have a parent serving in the armed forces.
Attachments:
Appendix A Special Circumstances Form
Appendix B Local Review Form 3
Admission at Age 11
The number of admissions into Year 7 for the year commencing 1st September 2020 will be 160. Candidates who attain the required standard in the School’s testing arrangements for selection by ability (as set out in this Policy) will be eligible for admission to the School.
Applicants must have a date of birth between 1st September 2008 and 31st August 2009.
Provision for Admission outside a Child’s Normal Age Group
Younger candidates may be considered for a place providing they are studying in a Year 6 class prior to the Entrance Test and they obtain an examination score of 360 or above. Applicants who are studying in a Year 5 class, but whose date of birth is between the dates given above must sit the Entrance Examination with applicants of the same age. Decisions as to their year of entry to the School would be made on an individual basis.
iii) The applicant and his/her parents/carers became resident at the new home.
Applicants who move further away from the School after the date of application will be considered from their new address with immediate effect. 4
The Equality Act 2010 requires the School to make reasonable adjustments where a candidate, who is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, would be at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to someone who is not disabled. Whether an adjustment will be considered reasonable will depend on a number of factors which will include, but are not limited to:
the needs of the disabled applicant;
the effectiveness of the adjustment;
the cost of the adjustment; and
the likely impact of the adjustment upon the applicant and the other applicants.
The evidence of need required by the School will vary depending on the disability and the access arrangement(s) being applied for. Each case will be considered on its own merit. Information must be forwarded to the School by parents at the time they register their child for the Entrance Test or as soon as possible thereafter but MUST be before the closing date for the Entrance Test. Access arrangements must not give an applicant an unfair advantage over other applicants. Where a request for 25% extra time is made, therefore, it will only be granted where there is evidence of substantial impairment or exceptional circumstances. In order to evidence such circumstances, parents should provide the School with a Local Authority Statement of Special Educational Needs, an Education, Health and Care Plan or primary school SEND support information. Information from the primary school should also be provided which details the applicant’s normal way of working; the primary school may be consulted.
All reports and documentation must be current and dated no more than 2 years before the testing date. All documentation provided must also show the Assessors full details including qualifications and how the assessment results were reached and be on official letterhead.
An automatic review is conducted for all candidates who score between 324 to 333 (inclusive). In the review process the following will be considered:
The test score achieved by the applicant.
Any special circumstances that the School have been advised of on or prior to the date of the Entrance Test or in the week immediately after the testing (if your child is ill immediately prior to or on the day of the exam, please do not bring them, alternative arrangements can be made). (Appendix A)
The invigilator’s Report – This is a record of the testing process including any events that may have taken place during the test.
Those candidates whom are deemed to have qualified following review will have their score amended to 334R.The result letters for automatic review candidates will be communicated by the School to parents/carers prior to the 31st October 2019.
No results will be given over the telephone or via e-mail. The result for any other testing will be when it is available.
A Local Review is conducted for all candidates who score between 324 to 333 (inclusive) but have not had their result overturned at Automatic Review.
A local review will be heard by the Review Panel upon receipt of the Local Review Form (Appendix B) along with optional supporting documentation detailing the challenge. The Review Panel will consist of the Headteacher, the Deputy Headteacher, the Head of English, the Head of Mathematics and a current primary school Headteacher
Those candidates whom the Local Review Panel deem to have qualified for admission will have their Test score amended to 334R
The decision of the Local Review Panel will be notified by post after the closing date for the submission of the Common Application Form, 31st October 2019. Parents awaiting the results of the review are advised to include Stretford Grammar School as a preferred school on the Common Application Form.
This process does not replace your statutory to appeal to an Independent appeal Panel – see “Right of Appeal” section. 6
3Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a ‘special guardianship order’ as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).
If there are more successful applicants than can be accommodated at the School in criterions 1 to 6 places will be offered to those children in each criteria whose place of residence is nearest to the School as defined in criterion 7. This will be measured using property co-ordinates provided through a combination of the Trafford Local Land and Property Gazetteer (557666), other LA data and Royal Mail Postal Address Information. In the case of a child living in a block of flats, the distance will be measured in the same manner.
Random allocation will be used as a tie-break to decide who has the highest priority for admission where the qualifying score and the distance between two applicants’ home and the school is the same.
Parents/carers should note that although Stretford Grammar School will inform them of their child’s assessment result prior to 31st October 2019, allocation letters will be sent on National Allocation Day, the 1st March 2020 (or the next working day) by their home authority on behalf of the Governing Body of the School. 7
Please Note: The child’s home address means the address where the child normally and permanently lives on a full-time basis, not the address of any child-minder, grandparent or any other relative. In the case of parents/carers who are separated or divorced and where child-care arrangements are shared between two addresses in the priority admissions area, the average of the distances of the two addresses from the School will be used for the purpose of determining priority for admission. Where one of the addresses is outside the priority admission area the applicant will be regarded as living outside this area and the average of the distance of the two addresses from the School will be used for the purpose of determining priority. You are required to provide proof of residency. Failure to do so may result in the offer of a place being withdrawn.
The School may withdraw a place at a later date if false, incorrect or misleading information has been provided which has advantaged the applicant in the priority order for over-subscription. Parents/carers must inform the School of any changes to their address or circumstances.
Following the allocation of places on 1st March, the School will commence a waiting list for Year 7 admissions in September. The waiting list will continue through Years 7 to 12. Applicants for in year admission may join the waiting list if a place is not available within the relevant year group, providing they have qualified through the School’s Entrance Test or have met the criteria to be considered for admission to the Sixth Form. Applicants who have not been tested in the normal admissions round will be tested and if successful will be placed on the waiting list if a place is not available. Each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the published oversubscription criteria. Priority must not be given to children based on the date their application was received or their name was added to the list. Should a place become available, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to those on the waiting list.
Under the terms of Education Act 1998, all parents/carers of candidates refused admission have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel against any decision made by the School. The decision of the Independent Appeals Panel is binding on both the School and parents/carers. An appeals timetable is published on the School website by 28th February each year.
Appellants considering making a complaint regarding an appeal may contact: The Local Government Ombudsman PO Box 4771 Coventry CV4 0EH 8
In Year Admissions – Years 7 to 11
candidates will receive a Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) which comprises verbal, quantitative and non-verbal sections and their score will be standardised
the school will ask for a letter from the candidate’s current school, setting out the candidate’s current level of attainment and progress and asking for the results of any nationally-taken tests or exams
a scrutiny of the candidate’s work, including Maths, English, Science, Modern Foreign Languages, History and Geography. Candidates may bring work in other subjects if they wish.
Admission to the Sixth Form 9
before 21st August will be allocated a place in the Sixth Form, on courses of their choice, within the option lines available.
Over-Subscription Criteria for Sixth Form Places
Where eligible applications for admission exceed the number of places in the Sixth Form, or the number of applications for a course exceeds the places available on that course, the following criteria will apply:
Progression to Year 13
Students who fail to achieve a record of continuous effort to make good progress in their Y12 studies, at the end of Year 12, will be invited, with their parents/carers, to a consultation to discuss whether progression to Year 13 is in the best interest for their continuing education. The school may advise that the student should retake Year 12 or seek alternative qualifications more suited to their individual needs.
Please Note: Proof of qualifications, identity and residence may be required from applicants. The School may withdraw a place at a later date if false, incorrect or misleading information has been provided. Parents/carers must inform the School of any changes to their address or circumstances.
Right of Appeal
Under the terms of Education Act 1998, all candidates and parents/carers of candidates refused admission have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel against any decision made by the School. The decision of the Independent Appeals Panel is binding on both the School and parents/carers. Appeals will be heard within 40 school days and acknowledged within 30 days. 12
APPENDIX A
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES FORM
Please make us aware of any special circumstances which explain why your child may not have performed to their usual level on Monday 16th September 2019. Please complete this form and return to the Admissions Officer by noon on Thursday 19th September 2019 at the latest to bring to our attention:-
If there are special circumstances prior to the test you wish to make us aware of
If there are special circumstances which could have affected your child’s performance on the day
If they may not have performed to their usual level on the testing day
If your child is ill immediately prior to or on the day of the exam please do not bring them. Please complete this Special Circumstances Form and return with a Doctor’s note by noon on Thursday 19th September 2019. We will then advise you of an alternative date.
Name of Child:
Date of Birth:
Primary School:
Test Room:
Candidate ID:
Signature of Parent(s)/Carer(s) ………………………………………Date: ………………………….
Please print name: ………………………………………………………………………………………….
Continue overleaf if necessary … 13
APPENDIX B
REQUEST FOR
STRETFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
LOCAL REVIEW
Please return by noon on Friday 8th November 2019
Please print all details clearly Child’s Name: | Date of Birth: |
Candidate Number: | Score achieved: |
Home Address: | |
Mobile Number: | Home Number: |
E-Mail address:
(Please print) |
|
Parents/Carers Names: | |
Current Primary School: | |
Did you advise of any Special Circumstances at the time of the testing or in the immediate week of the testing? YES / NO | |
If yes – please advise: |