Hillcrest School and Sixth Form Centre

Students are admitted to Hillcrest each year with regard to the authority admissions policy up to the standard limit of 120 places. The criteria for admissions are as follows:

• Students who are looked after by the Local Authority (Children in Public Care); who will be guaranteed a place at their nearest community school if it is not possible to meet any of their preferences.
• Students who have elder brothers and sisters who will still be in attendance at the school in September of the current academic year.
• Students who live nearest the school by straight line measurement.

Students with a statement of special educational needs/EHC plan is required to be admitted to the school that is named in the statement/plan. This gives such children overall priority for admission to the named school.

To learn more about the Birmingham LEA admissions policy visit their website here: Birmingham School Admissions and Appeals Service

Please refer below to the Hillcrest School Admissions Policy. We are currently in the process of consulting stakeholders on the Admissions policy. The consultation process will take place between 1st October- 31st. If you would like to participate in this process and express your views on the proposed policy, please email sconnor-hemming@hillcrest.bham.sch.uk

Admissions Policy

Hillcrest School is an 11-18 all girls’ comprehensive school. The main principle of admission is to provide for the educational needs of young people in the surrounding area and across the city. We are an inclusive school and welcome all applications. We have a non-selective admissions policy. We are happy to take all children into our nurturing environment to allow them to develop their unique skills and abilities

Students are admitted to Hillcrest each year with regard to Birmingham Education Authority’s policy. Hillcrest follows the procedures laid down by Birmingham City Council in respect of Admissions and Appeals.

Criteria for Admissions

For all community schools in Birmingham, Birmingham City Council is the admission authority and has set its oversubscription criteria. When a community school receives more applications than it has places available, the places at that school will be offered based on the following order of priority:

• Looked After Children (in public care) or previously Looked After Children.

A Looked After Child is a child who is in the care of a local authority or is being provided with accommodation by a local authority as set out in s22(1) of the Children Act, 1989. A previously looked after child is a child immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order.

• Siblings

A sister who will be in attendance in September of the year of admission including in the sixth form where a sister is defined as: having the same two natural parents; having one common parent; having a ‘step’ sibling relationship; legally adopted or fostered by the same parent(s)

In Year Admissions

Applications made outside the normal admissions round (in-year admissions) should be made directly to the school. Parents/carers can apply for a place for their child at any time and to any school. On receipt of an in-year application, the school will notify the local authority of both the application and its outcome, to allow the local authority to keep up to date with figures on the availability of school places in Birmingham.

As part of the in-year admissions process the following steps will be adhered to:

• Parent/carer contact the school via telephone or email to request application form.
• Parent/carer complete application form and return it to school (the application will only be considered after the parent has completed and returned the application form)
• School will contact parent/carer to arrange a meeting to discuss admissions process Step 4 - School will contact previous school to obtain information on child’s background,
• Academic progress, attendance, behaviour, safeguarding concerns, contacts details of external agencies involved with the family, i.e. – Social Care, Family Support Worker, Police, Courts, etc
• Parent/Carer will be invited to attend meeting at school with the Deputy Headteacher.

Parent/Carer is required to bring following documentation to meeting:

Child’s birth certificate and passport
Parent/carer proof of identity, i.e. – passport, driving licence, etc Parent/carer Visa (if newly arrived in the country)
Child’s Visa (if newly arrived in the country)
Proof of address, i.e. – utility bill, tenancy agreement, etc
Court orders against parental mother / father or other family members (if relevant)

• The pupil will be invited into school to undertake age appropriate assessments (English, Reading, Comprehension, Mathematics, French, Science)
• The pupil will start school the following week providing relevant information has been Obtained from the child’s previous school.

For some children, it may not be possible to secure admission under the in-year admission process. Where this is the case, Birmingham City Council will apply the Fair Access Protocol to secure the most appropriate educational provision.

For children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, the in-year admission process does not apply. Parents should contact the Local Authority Special Educational Needs Team. The child is offered a place if the Local Authority Special Educational Needs Team names the school in the Education, Health and Care Plan.

The school will notify the Local Authority of every in-year application and its outcome as soon as reasonably practicable. The school will aim to do this within 2-5 school days to allow the Local Authority to keep up-to-date figures on the availability of places.