Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy Throughout this document the terms ‘Mossbourne Victoria Park’ and ‘the academy’ refer solely to the academy school located at Victoria Park Road, Hackney. It should be noted that Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy acts as its own admission authority. Hackney Education is the name used by Hackney Council for the part of the Council that provides education services. Hackney Education is not a separate entity and is part of the Children and Young People’s Directorate of Hackney Council. All references to Hackney Education means Hackney Council. Hackney Education co-ordinate admission to all secondary schools in Hackney, as part of the PanLondon agreement. Siblings Brothers and sisters living at the same address as the child for whom the application is being made. This includes half-brothers and half-sisters, and step brothers and step sisters, who live at the same address.
Geographic Information System The Geographic Information System (GIS) refers to the computer software by which straight line distance measurements are calculated from the academy’s front gate to the home address of applicants. CAT test – The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) produced by GL assessments which is designed to test a child’s ability in four areas: verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative. CAT score The mean result attained by an individual pupil on the CAT test. Band The ability group into which an applicant is placed on the basis of their CAT score. Looked after child (LAC) - 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. Previously looked after child (PLAC) - A child who was previously looked after but, immediately after being looked after, became subject to a child arrangement order or special guardianship order.
This policy will be administered fairly and impartially and accords with the School Admissions. Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy opened in September and its admission arrangements form part of Hackney Education’s co-ordinated admissions scheme. The academy intends to use the following timetable for applications each year (exact dates within the months may vary from year to year). These are agreed by Hackney Education and are intended to secure a co-ordinated approach to admissions for parents/carers and pupils: Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and children in public care who are unable to take the test will be allocated to the appropriate band on the basis of an alternative appropriate assessment. Where an applicant is unable to take the test, the applicant will be allocated an appropriate band on the basis of an assessment from the child’s current primary school.
Having received a band allocation, on the basis of their CAT score, and after the oversubscription criteria (I) to (V) below have been applied, each pupil will then be ranked on the basis of the proximity of their home address to the academy using a GIS system. The academy will not normally undertake measurements for individual parents upon request.
Of the 168 places available at the Academy, 25% will be available to each of the four bands. This will give 42 places for each band. Band A – 42 places Band B – 42 places Band C – 42 places Band D – 42 places Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), for whom the Academy is named on the EHCP are admitted ahead of other applicants but will be included in the band allocation in which they fall. Places in each band shall be allocated according to the following oversubscription criteria:
All remaining places in each band will then be allocated amongst remaining applicants in that band admitting first, those who live closest to the school. If the total number of applicants meeting oversubscription criteria I-V in any one band exceeds the stated number then then those applicants offered places will be decided at random from within that criterion. All remaining places in each band will then be allocated amongst remaining applicants in that band admitting first, those who live closest to the school. In the case of twins or multiples, if one child is given a place in any band, their sibling(s) will automatically be allocated a place from the band within which they have been placed. Random computerised allocations, which will be independently verified, will be used in any tie-break situations.
Parents seeking a place outside the normal age group at transfer from Year 6 to Year 7, or any other time of the school year (in-year transfer) and wish this to continue, should read the guidance regarding out of normal age group admissions in “Hackney Education’s Secondary Schools Admission Guide for Parents”. This is available at https://education.hackney.gov.uk/ Please note: such requests will only be agreed in very exceptional circumstances.
The academy will participate in the arrangements published by Hackney Education, which provide for the allocation of places, in line with the academy's admissions policy and the maintenance of a waiting list of pupils applying to the academy, should no vacancies be available at the time of application. In September, banded waiting lists will be maintained for one term in Year 7 only, using pupils’ band positions from secondary transfer. Pupils who have not taken the banding test will be allocated to the appropriate band on the basis of an alternative assessment, where possible KS2 SATs results will be used. Pupils will be admitted according to vacancies arising within each year and band and will be prioritised in the following order:
If there are no pupils meeting criteria I-IV, then places shall be allocated by admitting first to those who live closest to the academy. Random computerised allocations, which will be independently verified, will be used in any tie-break situations.
The academy’s published admission number for Year 7 is 168. The academy will consider all applications for places. Where fewer than 168 applications are received, the academy will offer places to all those who have applied. Notwithstanding the above paragraph, the academy may refuse admission, outside the normal admission round, to particular applicants in cases where fewer than the published admission number have applied. The ability to refuse applications applies to applicants who have been permanently excluded from two or more other schools and the ability to refuse admission runs for a period of two years from the date of the last exclusion. Exclusions that took place before the child concerned reached compulsory school age do not count for this purpose and this provision does not apply to children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), children who were reinstated following a permanent exclusion, and children who would have been reinstated following a permanent exclusion, had it been practicable to do so.
The academy may also, outside the normal admissions round, refuse admission to pupils where the academy considers that the admission of a child with challenging behaviour would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources at the school. In this situation, the case would be referred to the local authority for action under the fair access protocol. Procedure for Allocating Places, Including Dealing with Over-Subscription The academy’s published admission number is 168. The academy will consider all applications for places. Where fewer than 168 applications are received, the academy will offer places to all those who have applied.
All pupils applying to the academy will be asked to sit the CAT test as detailed in Hackney Education’s secondary transfer information. If the number of applications to the academy in a particular year exceeds the number of places available, then the results of this test will be used for the purpose of assisting the academy in placing applicants into one of four ability bands.
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