Harris Academy Falconwood

Year 7 Applications

Harris Academy Falconwood admits 200 students in Year 7 each year.

For admissions into the next year’s Year 7, parents and carers are required to complete an application form known as the “Common Application Form” (CAF); either a paper copy or online at the eAdmissions website. No applications direct to the Academy can be accepted.

Parents are strongly advised to read carefully the full Academy Admissions Policy and the information and advice from their Local Education Authority. The main points to remember are:

• You must submit an application to your Local Education Authority by the deadline, a place at any secondary school can only be offered if an application has been received
• Think carefully about the order in which you place your chosen schools on the form, you should enter your most preferred school first on the list
• Please remember to enter the full name of Harris Academy Falconwood, there are several different Harris Academies, and an entry of simply “Harris Academy” will be ignored
• Be sure to include at least 3 different schools on your preference form
• All applicants who have named the Academy on the CAF will be invited to the Harris Testing Day at the Academy, this is a non-verbal reasoning test and ensures places are offered to all bands of ability
• Additionally, if your son/daughter requires extra support on the Harris Testing Day, please contact the Academy Admissions Manager to request a Supplementary Information Form, or download a copy at the bottom of this page, and return to Admissions at the Academy

Allocation of Places

Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admissions number, applications in each band will be considered against the criteria set out below, using inner and outer catchment areas (zones) with agreed allocations of places to each.

After the admission of pupils with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) and/or Statement of Special Educational Needs where the Academy is named, the criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below:

• Looked after or formerly looked after children
• Siblings of students in years 8 to 11 at the date of admission
• Children of staff
• 90% of the remaining places to children residing in priority zone A, selected by lottery
• Any remaining places to children residing in outside priority zone A, selected by lottery

Note: Priority Zone A will include all addresses falling within a radius of 1.75 miles from the main entrance to the Academy as from time to time determined and published by the Governing Body.

The Local Education Authority will notify you of the school where your child has been offered a place. If you are offered a place at Harris Academy Falconwood and are happy to accept, you MUST ACCEPT the place by returning the acceptance to the Local Education Authority.

In-Year Admissions

If you are looking for a place at the Academy because you have recently moved into the area, or your child is at another secondary school and you feel that a change of school would benefit their education and/or general well-being, you are entitled to apply for a school place.

Please contact the Academy Admissions Manager to request an In-Year Admissions Form, or download a copy at the bottom of this page. The following information will need to be included with the application form:

• Proof of residence (e.g. copy of council tax or tenancy agreement)
• Proof of child’s age (e.g. copy of birth certificate or passport)
• Copy of your child’s latest school report

Please note that there is no guarantee that a place will be available, but you have the right of appeal if you are refused a place.

Admissions Appeals

If you are unhappy that you did not receive an offer of a school place at Harris Academy Falconwood, you have the right to lodge an independent appeal with us.

Those wishing to appeal against the Academy’s decision on admissions should read the information contained in the Academy Admissions Appeal Form & Guidance document at the bottom of this page, and then complete the Admissions Appeal Form stating the reason for the appeal, based on the published Admissions Criteria.

The completed Admissions Appeal Form should then be sent to: Clerk to the Appeals Panel, Harris Academy Falconwood, The Green, Welling, Kent DA16 2PE. Completed forms must be received at the Academy by 29th March.

The appeal will be held by an Independent Appeals Panel. The Clerk to the Appeals Panel will make an appointment within a reasonable time.Appeals may be made in English or the parent/carer's first language.

• Only one appeal per application is allowed
• Appeals are conducted in person, and you may bring a representative

The Appeal Hearing

The Clerk to the Appeals Panel will arrange for an Independent Appeals Panel to consider the Academy's reasons for refusal and your reasons for wanting to attend the Academy.The Panel will consist of 3 people (2 will have education experience and one will be an independent person with no education experience).

The Panel will consider the case put forward by you and the Academy. They must consider the admission arrangements for the Academy and the reasons why you want to attend. The Panel must exercise its discretion by balancing the weight of your argument (for wanting to attend) against the Academy’s reasons for refusal i.e. the prejudice that one more student would cause to the education of the students already offered and the Health and Safety of all the students already attending the Academy, also taking into account the Academy's published admission arrangements.

The decision of the Independent Appeals Panel is binding on the Local Education Authority, the Academy and the parents.