Duke's Aldridge Academy

Application Process

Normal Round – Secondary (Year 7)

Applications for a place at the academy are administered through the Haringey Council application process. Parents resident in Haringey can apply online at https://www.haringey.gov.uk/children-and-families/schools-and-education/schooladmissions; parents’ resident in other areas must apply through their home local authority.

The Local Authority’s timetable will be used for all normal round applications each year (exact dates within the months may vary from year to year).

The academy publishes information about the arrangements for admission, including oversubscription criteria, in February for the following September.

Secondary application timetable

The academy has an agreed PAN of 210 in Year 7

September/October: The academy provides opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents/carers to visit the academy. 31st October.National closing date for Secondary applications. Deadline for the Common Application Form to be completed and submitted to the relevant Local Authority. November – February. The academy and Local Authority coordinate to process all applications. If more applications are received than places available they will be ranked according to the oversubscription criteria published in this policy, see section 4 below. PLEASE NOTE: schools are not able to provide any information regarding specific applications during this process. 28 February. Deadline for the academy to publish its appeals timetable on their website.

Allocation of places

• Where the academy is named on a child’s EHCP or Statement of Special Educational Needs, that pupil will be admitted to the academy.
• The academy will consider all applications for places. Where fewer applications are received than places available, the academy will offer places to all those who have applied.
• If the number of applications for admission is greater than the PAN (places available), all applications will be considered, and places offered according to the oversubscription criteria in the order set out below.
• Where an application has been unsuccessful due to a place not being available, applications will be put onto a waiting list which will be maintained until the end of the admission year. The waiting list will be ranked solely according to the oversubscription criteria detailed in this policy (not date of application) and updated each time an unsuccessful application is added. See section 6 below for more details on waiting lists.
• Where an application has been unsuccessful parents/carers have the right to appeal the decision to an Independent Appeal Panel. See section 7 below for detailed information on the appeals process.

Oversubscription Procedure and Criteria (All applications)

If the number of applications received for any phase or year group is greater than the number of spaces available, places will be allocated according to the oversubscription criteria and order below.

A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order2 including those who appear to the Trust to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).

• Children of staff at the academy who have been recruited to, a post where there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Aldridge Education must approve the Principal’s assessment process and designation of such posts to confirm the staff members’ eligibility under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year
• Children who, at the time of admission, have a sibling who attends the academy. For this purpose, “sibling” means a whole, half or step-sibling or an adopted child resident at the same address.
• Children of staff at the school who have been employed at the academy for two or more years at the time the application is submitted. Aldridge Education must approve the Principal’s decision to allocate places to staff under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year.

Tie breaker

• If Aldridge Education is unable to distinguish between applicants using the published oversubscription criteria, including those who live in blocks of flats within the same building, places will be offered via a random draw which will be supervised by someone independent of the academy.
• In the case of multiple births or siblings in the same year group, where there is only one place available in the academy, all will be considered together as one application.

‘In-Year’ Application Process

• The ‘In-Year’ application process is relevant to applications for places in any year group that does not have a PAN (e.g. Years 8 - 11), starting at the beginning of the academic year or for any year group starting at any other point throughout the academic year.
• The Local Authority holds information on which schools in their area have spaces for each year group. Contact Haringey Council via the link below for further information. https://www.haringey.gov.uk/children-and-families/schools-andeducation/school-admissions

Waiting Lists

• Any child refused a place at the academy will automatically be put on a waiting list (unless a higher preference school has been offered.) A waiting list will be maintained until the end of the academic year after which it will be cleared.
• The waiting list is maintained in the order of the oversubscription criteria only (not application date). This means that names can move down the list if, e.g. someone moves into the area and is higher placed under the oversubscription criteria.
• Parents/carers have the right to request their child is removed from the waiting list at any time. Once removed, the child cannot be reinstated on the waiting list without submitting a new application.
• If a place becomes available it will be allocated to the first child on the waiting list, in accordance with the oversubscription criteria. If that offer is declined the place will be offered to the next child on the waiting list.