Admission to secondary school - A guide for parents

For children born between 1 September 2003 and 31 August 2004 dates: Important

opens: registration st Te y a w d Me June, 2014 Monday, 9 on closes: st registrati Medway te ly, 2014 Friday, 4 Ju ns open: l applicatio o o h sc ry a Second r, 2014 Septembe Monday, 8 tions close: ool applica ch S ry a d n Seco 014 October, 2 Friday, 31 r day: school offe Secondary 15 March, 20 Monday, 2

September 2015 entry

Admission to secondary school A guide for parents

Apply online:

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

apply online it ticks all the boxes

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions Make a note of your log in details you will need this information every time you visit the website.

Online Admissions is the quickest, easiest and safest way to apply for your secondary school place.

If you give us your email address when applying you will: n receive

confirmation your application has been received;

n receive

details of the school offered on the offer day, without having to wait for your offer letter.

Contacts

Contents

l Medway Council Student Services Admissions Team

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

The Admissions Team, based at Gun Wharf in Chatham, co-ordinates all Year 6 transfers to secondary school and organise the Medway Test (11+).

Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR Phone: 01634 331110 Email: admissions@medway.gov.uk

Key dates for the secondary transfer 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Section one Introduction and general information . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Section two The Medway Test and other testing arrangements . .11 Section three The school application process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

l Medway Council Student Services Operations Team

Section four The online admissions process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

This Operations Team deals with free school meals, transport to school (except for those attending special schools) and casual admissions.

Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR Phone: 01634 331155 Email: schoolstransportandfreemeals@medway.gov.uk casualadmissions@medway.gov.uk

Section five The school offer process and next steps . . . . . . . . . .24 Section six Free school meals and home to school transport . . . . .28 Section seven Common oversubscription criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Section eight Other information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Section nine The schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

l Medway Council Initial Contact

Location and access areas of schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm.

Calls to Initial Contact may be recorded or monitored for security and staff development purposes.

Phone: 01634 333333 Text relay: 18001 - 01634 333333

Medway UTC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

l Kent County Council

Nearest appropriate school confirmation request . . . . . .63

Kent County Council Admissions and Transport Room 2.24, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ Phone: 03000 41 21 21 Email: kent.admissions@kent.gov.uk

How to use the school pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Medway Primary School DFE numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Disclaimer The information given in this booklet relates to the academic year, September 2015 to August 2016.

Details are correct at the time of going to print.

Welcome Dear parent/carer,

Dear parent/carer,

The move from primary to secondary school is a very exciting time for you and your child and Medway offers young people a wealth of opportunities in their education.

The transfer from primary to secondary education is an exciting time for young people and their families. There is a wide range of opportunities available to your child as we have a diverse mix of schools open to all children, these include grammar schools, academies, single sex schools and faith schools. All of these schools have a single aim, which is to ensure that all young people have a happy and successful time at their secondary school.

There are a wide variety of secondary schools and academies to consider, but all of them have a common aim: to ensure that every young person has a happy and successful secondary school career and goes on to achieve their full potential.

Secondary education in Medway is about aiming high and, equally important, it’s about building on young people’s talents and interests to ensure they are confident, capable students and citizens.

I would encourage you to visit as many of our schools and academies during their open sessions and you will see why young people in Medway are achieving so highly.

All schools and academies are keen to ensure that every lesson counts, and to make use of the latest technology to enhance students’ learning and enjoyment of a wide range of educational experiences. They are committed to high-quality teaching and learning, which has led to an impressive improvement in GCSE results over the past few years.

The Student Services Admissions Team is available to offer you all the help and support you require during the admissions process. I strongly advise you to read all the information they have provided, attend one of their presentations and speak with your child’s current school when deciding which schools to name on your application.

I wish you and your family every success and your child a happy school career.

Cllr Mike O’Brien Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services (Lead Member)

4

All of our schools are committed to providing high quality teaching and learning for all students, to make the best use of technology available and provide young people with a full education experience. Whilst we all want young people to achieve the best exam results that they can, we equally want young people to build on their talents, skills and interests to ensure that they leave education as capable and confident young adults.

I would actively encourage you to go along to all the secondary schools you are interested in during their organised open sessions to ensure that you have as much knowledge of the schools when you are deciding which to name as preferences on your application.

I would also encourage you to attend one of the presentations being offered by the Student Services Admissions Team to hear about the admissions process first hand and to ask any questions you may have. This information booklet will give you all of the information you need for the admissions process and I encourage you to read it carefully. The Student Services Admissions Team is also available to offer you the help or support you need and to guide you through the whole process, so please contact them if you have any questions or need any advice.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your child all the best for their secondary school career.

Barbara Peacock Director of Children’s and Adult Services

Key dates

for the secondary transfer 2015

By Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Registration for the Medway test opens. Online registrations open at 9am

Monday, 9 June 2014

Student Services admission presentations for Year 5 parents/carers

Tuesday, 10 to Thursday, 12 June 2014

Closing date and time for Medway Test registration

4pm - Friday, 4 July 2014

‘14

Booklets and paper Medway Test registration forms to primary and junior schools

By Friday, 5 September 2014

Secondary applications open. Online application open at 9am

Monday, 8 September 2014

Medway Test date The Medway Test is for admission to Medway grammar schools only.

For grammar schools in another local authority, children must sit that local authority’s test.

Tuesday, 16 / Wednesday 17 September, 2014 (in school for children in Medway primary/junior schools) Saturday, 20 September 2014 (in school for Medway schools that opt for Saturday testing and in test centres for children not in Medway primary/junior schools)

Assessment Decision Letters posted to parents/carers (emails sent after 4pm to those who registered online)

Friday, 3 October 2014

Deadline for Medway Test Review Requests

Friday, 10 October 2014

Deadline for primary and junior schools to submit review work to the council

Tuesday, 14 October 2014 (10am)

Medway Test Reviews

Wednesday, 15 / Thursday, 16 October 2014

Review decisions posted to parents/carers

By Friday, 24 October 2014

Closing date and time for applications (online and SCAFs) - National closing date

4pm - Friday, 31 October 2014

Offer emails and letters sent to parents/carers - National offer day (emails sent after 4pm to those who applied online)

Monday, 2 March 2015 (as 1 March, 2015 is a Sunday)

Places must be accepted/refused and requests to go on a waiting list and appeals must be submitted

By Monday, 30 March 2015

The Council re-allocates any places that have become available to those who have asked to go on the waiting lists for each school

w/c Monday, 6 April 2015 until Friday, 30 October 2015

‘15

Secondary application information sent to primary and junior schools

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

5

Section one

6

Introduction and general information

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Making the right decision about which secondary school is right for your child can be an anxious time for families. Medway Council’s Student Services Team is here to help you understand and guide you through the process.

It is very important that you read carefully, and understand, the information in this booklet regarding how the admissions process works, and how school places are allocated, before you submit your school application.

Throughout this booklet we have provided useful information to help you make the most informed decisions possible. We encourage you to use this information, do your own research on schools and visit all of the schools you are interested in during their open sessions. Most importantly, please discuss your decisions with your child to ensure that they are fully involved and happy about the transition from primary to secondary education.

l Where can I hear about the admissions process?

Student Services is giving all parents of children in Year 5 the opportunity to attend a presentation session. These sessions are designed to go through the admissions process from start to finish and give you the chance to ask any questions you may have.

The table below provides details of the dates, times and venues for these presentations. They

Medway Council works within the guidelines set out in the School Admissions Code published by the Department for Education. Details of the School Admissions Code can be found at www.education.gov.uk

The presentations will take place at two venues on each date with two sessions at each venue.

If you are unable to attend one of these sessions and have any questions, please contact Student Services or speak to your child’s primary school.

Summary of Student Services admissions presentations Date

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Area

Venue

Time

Peninsula and Strood

The Hundred of Hoo Academy, Main Road, Hoo, Rochester ME3 9HH

4.30pm and 6.30pm

Walderslade

Greenacre Academy, 157 Walderslade Road, Chatham ME5 0LP

4.30pm and 6.30pm

Gillingham

Brompton Academy, Marlborough Road, Gillingham ME7 5HT

4.30pm and 6.30pm

Rochester

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, Maidstone Road, Rochester ME1 3EL

4.30pm and 6.30pm

Chatham

Bishop of Rochester Academy, Magpie Hall Road, Chatham ME4 5JB

4.30pm and 6.30pm

Rainham

Rainham Mark Grammar School, Pump Lane, Gillingham ME8 7AJ

4.30pm and 6.30pm

If you have any questions, please contact Student Services or speak to your child’s primary school.

Student Services Admissions Team Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham ME4 4TR. Phone: 01634 331110 Email: admissions@medway.gov.uk

are drop in sessions so there is no need to book an appointment.

Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Thursday, 12 June 2014

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

7

Bishop of Rochester Academy

l

2

Brompton Academy

l

3

Chatham Grammar School for Boys

4

Chatham Grammar School for Girls

5

Fort Pitt Grammar School

6

Greenacre Academy

7

Rainham Mark Grammar School

8

Rainham School for Girls

9

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School

v

l

v v v v v l v

v v v v

l v

l v v v v v

10 St John Fisher Catholic School

v l

12 The Howard School

v v v l

v v

v v v v v l

v l

v v v

15 The Rochester Grammar School 16 The Thomas Aveling School

Friday 31

Friday 24

Thursday 23

v v v v v l

14 The Robert Napier School

Wednesday 22

v v v v v v v v v v

13 The Hundred of Hoo Academy

Tuesday 21

v v v l

11 Strood Academy

Monday 20

Friday 17

Thursday 16

Wednesday 15

Tuesday 14

Monday 13

Saturday 11

Friday 10

Thursday 9

Wednesday 8

Tuesday 7

Monday 6

Saturday 4

v v v

v v v v v v l

17 Walderslade Girls’ School

l

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS

1

Friday 3

Thursday 2

OCTOBER Wednesday 1

Tuesday 30

Saturday 20

Monday 29

Wednesday 17

SEPTEMBER Saturday 13

Thursday 10

v Morning sessions l Evening sessions

Thursday 17

JULY

Tuesday 16

Summary of open sessions

v v v l v v v

For details of the above sessions please refer to the individual school pages later on in this booklet.

8

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l Can I visit the secondary schools I’m interested in?

In addition to the presentations being offered by Student Services, each school will hold their own open sessions. These are an opportunity for you to tour the school, speak to staff and students, listen to presentations about the school and ask any questions you may have.

These are a valuable opportunity for parents and children. We encourage you to visit as many schools as you can to help you make the most informed decisions when applying for schools.

The table on page 8 provides a brief overview of when each school’s open sessions are scheduled.

Further details can be found on the individual school pages later in this booklet and from the school directly. l What happens if my child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SSEN) or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?

If your child has one of these, they will not go through this admission process. You will discuss your school preferences with the Special Educational Needs Team to determine which secondary school is right for your child.

If you wish your child to be considered for selective (grammar) schools, you will need to ensure that they have gone through the Medway Test process (see section 2).

For more information, please contact the Special Educational Needs Team on 01634 331123. l What does it mean?

A guide to some of the terms used in the admissions process The following information will help you to

understand the meaning of some of the terms you will read or hear about throughout the admissions process.

There may be other terms we haven’t listed here.

If you are unsure of the meaning of anything in this booklet, please contact Student Services who will be happy to help you. l Oversubscription criteria Any application for a school is ranked (prioritised) against the school’s oversubscription criteria. This is a set of criteria that details the order of priority in which places will be offered.

Each school has its own criteria and details can be found on the individual school pages later in this booklet. l Equal Preference Scheme This means that school places are not offered based on the order of preferences you provide.

Your application will be considered and ranked against the school’s oversubscription criteria.

The schools you name will not be told by Medway Council which preference you named them.

The order of your preferences is between you and Student Services only.

When allocating places, Student Services will look to offer your child a place at the highest named school where a place can be offered.

It is important to list the schools in your preferred order. l Published Admission Number (PAN) The number of places in the year group available to be offered for September 2015.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l Home local authority This is the local authority where the child lives and is the local authority to which applications must be made for school places.

The easiest way to determine which local authority you live in is to identify the authority council tax is paid to.

For example, if you pay council tax to Medway Council, you must apply for schools through Medway Council.

If you pay your council tax to one of the 12 district councils of Kent (for example, Tonbridge and Malling or Swale) you must apply for schools through Kent County Council.

You can name schools in any local authority, but you must apply through your home local authority. l School specialism A number of secondary schools and academies have specialisms in certain areas.

This usually means that they can offer enhanced facilities and opportunities in this particular area.

Details of each school’s specialism can be found on the individual school pages later in this booklet. l School status All schools have a particular status which describes the type of school it is.

You will hear about academies, community schools, foundation schools, voluntary aided schools and voluntary controlled schools.

They are all secondary schools but offer different 9

opportunities for learning and deliver these in different ways.

The status of each school will be shown on its individual page.

Please speak to the school to find out more about what they can offer your child. l Selective schools These are grammar schools. To meet the entry requirements of the school, a child must be assessed as selective (grammar) under the Medway Test procedures. l Non-selective schools Children are not required to be assessed for entry to these schools.

Please be aware that Brompton Academy, Strood Academy and The Robert Napier School operate a Fair Banding test - this is not a pass or fail test, it is to ensure that children across the ability range are admitted. l Testing before preference This means that if you wish your child to be considered for a Medway grammar school, they will need to sit the Medway Test.

In Medway we give your child the opportunity to do this and have the result before the closing date for school applications.

Full details of the Medway Test procedures are provided in section 2 of this booklet.

Summary of schools School

Type

Status

PAN

1

Bishop of Rochester Academy

Academy

Academy

2

Brompton Academy

Academy

Academy

3

Chatham Grammar School for Boys

Grammar

Academy

4

Chatham Grammar School for Girls

Grammar

Academy

Languages

142

5

Fort Pitt Grammar School

Grammar

Academy

Science and Mathematics

120

6

Greenacre Academy

Academy

Academy

7

Rainham Mark Grammar School

Grammar

Academy

8

Rainham School for Girls

Academy

Academy

270

9

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School

Grammar

Academy

168

Comprehensive Voluntary Aided

180

10 St John Fisher Catholic School

180 Science and Arts

210 120

160 Science

175

11 Strood Academy

Academy

Academy

Business and Enterprise and Mathematics

240

12 The Howard School

Bi-lateral

Foundation

Physical Education, Sport and ICT

256

13 The Hundred of Hoo Academy Academy

Academy

Media Arts

270

14 The Robert Napier School

Academy

Academy

Humanities

150

15 The Rochester

Grammar

Academy

Mathematics, Computing and Music

175

16 The Thomas Aveling School

Academy

Academy

Technology

190

17 Walderslade Girls School

Academy

Academy

Humanities and The Arts

160

Grammar School

PAN: Published admission number Details for all Medway Secondary Schools can be found in section 9.

10

Specialism(s)

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Section two

The Medway Test and other testing arrangements

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

11

The first thing you need to think about is whether you want your child to be considered for admission to a Medway selective (grammar) school. If you do, then they will need to sit the Medway Test (also referred to as the 11 plus).

Your child’s primary school teacher and headteacher will be able to help you decide if a selective school is right for your child, and advise you on whether they feel your child is best suited to sit the Medway Test. However, it is ultimately your decision whether you register your child to sit the test or not.

We do not advise that children sit the test who are not working consistently at the levels required or who will not be considering applications to Medway grammar schools. We also advise against children sitting the test as an ‘experience’ or to help measure them against their peers.

Medway operates a testing before preference system. This means that your child will sit the Medway Test and receive their result before the closing date for secondary school applications.

This is to help you make the most informed decision you can when selecting which schools to name on your application.

Therefore, you must ensure that your child is registered to sit the Medway Test. More details on how and when to do this are listed on page 13. l Which schools does the Medway Test apply to?

In Medway, we have six selective (grammar) secondary schools. These are: Chatham Grammar School for Boys Chatham Grammar School for Girls Fort Pitt Grammar School Rainham Mark Grammar School Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School The Rochester Grammar School In addition to these, The Howard School will also provide places for children assessed as suitable for admission to a Medway grammar school.

These children will be placed into the grammar stream after places have been allocated.

Further details can be found on page 55.

12

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l Can I use my child’s Medway Test result for a grammar school in another area?

The Medway Test result can only be used for entrance to one of the Medway grammar schools, as listed above.

If you are considering grammar schools in another area (for example, Kent), then you will need to contact them directly to find out what their testing arrangements are. If your child sits a selective test for another area, you cannot use that result for Medway grammar schools (unless it is stated in the schools’ oversubscription criteria).

The Medway Test is for Medway grammar schools only. The Kent Test is for Kent grammar schools only. l What does the Medway Test consist of?

The Medway Test consists of three separate papers: 1 An extended writing exercise 2 A mathematics paper 3 A verbal reasoning (VR) paper These tests are specifically written for Medway and are designed to select 23 per cent of children in the year group as assessed suitable for grammar school education. A further two per cent are selected through the review process. l When and where is the Medway Test being held?

This depends which school your child currently attends. The table on page 16 lists the dates and venues for each Medway primary/junior and independent school. Each Medway school decides where and when to undertake the testing for their children. If you have any

questions regarding your school’s decision, please speak with the school directly.

Children from, who live and/or attend primary/junior and independent schools outside of Medway (for example, Kent schools) will be invited to sit the test in a test centre on Saturday, 20 September 2014.

Test invitation letters will be sent to all children who have registered to sit the Medway Test to confirm the venue and other details by the end of August 2014. l How do I register my child to sit the Medway Test?

Registration is open from 9am on Monday, 9 June 2014 until 4pm on Friday, 4 July 2014.

You can register your child online at www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions Alternatively you can complete a registration form and return it to your child’s primary school (if a Medway school) or to the Student Services Admissions Team details can be found on page 3. l Are there any benefits to registering online for the Medway Test?

When registering online, you will receive an email confirmation that your registration has been received. Registrations made on paper forms will not be acknowledged over the telephone or in writing.

Parents who register their child online to sit the Medway Test, and provide us with an email address, will be sent an email after 4pm on the day that results are posted advising them of their child’s result.

l I live outside Medway. How do I register?

If you live in another area but wish your child to sit the Medway Test, then you can register your child in either of the ways previously mentioned. If you complete a paper registration form it must be returned to the Medway Council Student Services Admissions Team by the closing date. l I live in Medway, but want my child to sit a selective test in another area. What do I do?

You must contact the local authority concerned to find out how and when to register for their test. l Can my child sit selective tests in more than one area?

You can register your child for as many tests as you wish if you are considering schools in more than one area. We advise that you contact the local authorities concerned to register your child for their tests.

As all selection tests are specifically written for that local authority, we do not advise that children sit multiple tests as practice tests. l My child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP. Can they sit the Medway Test?

The Medway Test is open to all children currently in Year 5 who wish to be considered for a Medway grammar school place.

If your child is statemented or has an EHCP you will have already started discussions with the Special Educational Needs Team regarding which schools you wish your child to be considered for.

If these include Medway grammar schools, then you will need to ensure that you register your child to sit the test in the same way as other applicants.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Your child will not go through the main admissions process, but their assessment decision will be taken into account when being considered for schools through the special educational needs process. l I feel my child needs special arrangements for testing. Is this possible?

If a child has a disability, health condition or learning need that may affect how they perform under testing conditions, we have a process that allows for this to be considered.

Firstly, you will need to register your child to sit the Medway Test in the normal way. You will then need to discuss with your child’s headteacher whether they feel you child’s needs fall under the special arrangements process.

You may ask your child’s headteacher to submit a special arrangements request.

A panel of specialist advisors will consider all requests received and will determine what the appropriate arrangements should be for your child. Please be advised that special arrangements are not granted if the panel does not feel it would be appropriate. There is no opportunity to appeal against the panel’s decisions as this is not a statutory process.

All special arrangements requests must be submitted by 9am on Friday, 11 July 2014. The panel will consider them, and we will write to parents and schools by the beginning of the autumn term.

Any requests made after 11 July may not be processed.

13

l I need to advise you of special access arrangements for the day. What do I do?

If you or your child has a disability that may affect access to the test centre please contact the student services programme officer by email admissions@medway.gov.uk as soon as possible after registration. l How is the Medway Test marked?

Each paper is marked based on the number of correct answers (for maths and verbal reasoning) and against specific criteria (for extended writing). These marks provide the raw scores.

The raw scores are then standardised. This means that the scores are weighted to reflect the child’s age at the time of taking the test. It enables a child’s scores to be compared with those achieved by other children taking the Medway Test and allowance made for age, so that the youngest children are not at a disadvantage.

The minimum standardised (weighted) score for each paper is 70 and the maximum is 140.

Each year, a minimum weighted score is set to determine those assessed as selective. This score is set to select 23 per cent of the children in the year group and differs from year to year dependent on the size of the year group and the number of children taking the test. Medway Council will not know what this score will be for 2015 admissions until after all test papers have been marked and standardised.

For 2014 admissions, the minimum weighted score was 528.

14

For 2013 admissions, the minimum weighted score was 509.

For 2012 admissions, the minimum weighted score required was 505.

We strongly advise you to discuss your decision on whether to submit a review request with your child’s school. However, it is ultimately a parental decision. l What is the review?

To calculate the total weighted score, the following calculation is used: Extended writing exercise = standardised score x 2 Maths = standardised score x 2 Verbal reasoning = standardised score x 1 The minimum total weighted score that can be achieved is 350 and the maximum is 700. l When will I receive my child’s test results?

For children who registered on time to sit the Medway Test, assessment decision letters will be posted by 1st class post on Friday, 3 October, 2014. These letters will provide full details of your child’s result and what to do next.

Those parents who registered their child online, and provided an email address, will also be sent an email after 4pm on Friday, 3 October 2014. This email will advise you of your child’s assessment decision, and you will also receive a letter with full details of your child’s result and what to do next. l If I’m not satisfied with my child’s result, what can I do?

If your child has not been assessed as selective following the Medway Test, and you feel that your child is of selective ability, you can request a review of your child’s academic work by a panel.

All the information you need on how to do this will be included with your child’s assessment decision letter.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Once you have submitted your review request, your child’s school will be asked to provide work in three areas (English, maths and science). The review is of academic work only and any comments made by parents or schools are only for context.

The panel will review this academic work to decide if it demonstrates that your child is of selective ability.

Each year a number of children are found to be selective as a result of the review process. The number of successful reviews normally equates to two per cent of the children in the year group and differs from year to year dependent on the size of the year group and the number of children taking the test. l When do I need to request a review by?

Full details of how to request a review will be included with your child’s assessment decision letter. Review requests will need to be submitted to the Student Services Admissions Team by Friday, 10 October 2014.

The reviews will take place on Wednesday, 15 and Thursday, 16 October 2014. l When will I know the review decision?

The result of the reviews will be posted to parents

by Friday, 24 October 2014. This is before the closing date for school applications, which is Friday, 31 October 2014 (this is a national date).

l Do I have to request a review?

This is a parental decision. Even if you do not request a review, you will still be able to appeal for a Medway grammar school place, as long as you have named Medway grammar schools on your application for schools. l If I am not happy with the review decision or I did not request a review, what else can I do?

If your child is not assessed as selective as a result of the Medway Test or the review process, or you did not request a review, you will need to wait until after the allocation of school places on 2 March 2015 before you can lodge an admissions appeal.

and objective manner for all children and for your child in particular. Only if they feel there is evidence to prove that the review was not carried out in a fair, consistent and objective manner can they then consider all the factors you put forward in your appeal case that may have affected your child’s performance and why you wish them to attend the school you are appealing for.

If your child has not been through the review process, the independent appeal panel will consider all the factors you put forward in your appeal case. l What happens if I miss the closing date for Medway Test registration?

You can only appeal for a school if you have been refused admission, so you will need to ensure that your have named Medway grammar schools on your application in order to allow you to appeal for a place after 2 March 2015.

Late registrations to sit the Medway Test will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances or for good reason (for example, serious illness, bereavement, late move to the area, etc). A letter explaining the reasons for the late registration must accompany any late registration request.

The appeal will be heard by an independent appeal panel. You can appeal for more than one school, but they must have been named on your application.

Late registrations for good reason and for families who have just moved into the area will be accepted up until Friday, 8 August 2014.

Full details of how to appeal will be included with your child’s school offer letter. l Will the appeal panel know if my child has had a review or not?

The panel will be made aware if you have had a review or not. This is because it will affect the way they consider the appeal.

If your child has gone through the review process then the independent appeal panel will consider if the review was carried out in a fair, consistent

This test is to assess a child’s level of ability and is used to help the school ensure that they admit an all ability intake of pupils. It is not a pass or fail test and is used to ensure that students from across the ability range are admitted.

If you are considering naming Brompton Academy, Strood Academy or The Robert Napier School as one of your preferences on your school application, you will need to register your child to enable them to sit the Fair Banding Test.

You will need to contact them for more information. Medway Council is not involved in these Fair Banding Tests.

The decision on whether a reason for late registration is acceptable will be at the discretion of the Student Services Management Team. Any late registrations received after the above dates may not be able to be tested until after the allocation of places on 2 March 2015. l Are there any other testing arrangements for Medway secondary schools?

Brompton Academy, Strood Academy and The Robert Napier School require all applicants to sit a Fair Banding Test.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

15

Medway Test centre locations September 2014 The test centres for out of area children will be advised nearer the time.

School name

Test date

All Faiths Children's Community School All Saints CE Primary School Allhallows Primary Academy Balfour Junior School Barnsole Primary School Bligh Federation - Juniors Brompton Westbrook Primary School Bryony School Burnt Oak Primary School Byron Primary School Cedar Primary School Chattenden Primary School Cliffe Woods Primary School Cuxton Community Junior School Deanwood Primary School and Children’s Centre Delce Academy Elaine Primary Academy English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School Fairview Community Primary School Featherby Junior School The Gordon Schools Federation - Juniors Halling Primary School Hempstead Junior School High Halstow Primary School Hilltop Primary School Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and Marlborough Centre Horsted School - Juniors Kingfisher Primary School Kings Rochester Lordswood School Luton Junior School Maundene School Meredale Independent School Miers Court Primary School Napier Community Primary and Nursery School

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school

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In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Sat 20 Sat 20 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school In school In school In test centre In school In school In school In school In school

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Sat 20

apply online

Test venue

In school

School name

Test date

New Road Primary School Oaklands School Oasis Academy Skinner Street Park Wood Junior School Phoenix Junior Academy Riverside Primary School and Children’sCentre Saxon Way Primary School St Andrews School St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School St Benedict's Catholic Primary School St Helen's CE Primary School St James' CE VA Primary Academy St Margaret's at Troy Town CE (VC) Primary School and Children’s Centre St Margaret's CE Junior School St Mary's Catholic Primary School St Mary's Island CEA Primary School St Michael's RC Primary School St Thomas More RC Primary School St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School St William of Perth RC Primary School Stoke Community School Swingate Primary School Temple Mill Primary School Thames View Primary School The Pilgrim School Twydall Primary School Nursery and Children’s Centre Wainscott Primary School Walderslade Primary School Warren Wood Community Primary School and Language Unit Wayfield Community Primary School and Nursery Unit The Academy of Woodlands – Woodlands Primary School

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20

In school In school In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20

In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17 Tues 16 / Wed 17 Sat 20

In school In school In school

Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school

Sat 20

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Tues 16 / Wed 17

In school

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Test venue

Section three

The school application process

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

17

l When can I apply for school places?

Medway Council’s secondary school applications are open from 9am on Monday, 8 September 2014 until 4pm on Thursday, 31 October 2014. l Who do I apply to?

You must submit your school application to the local authority where your child lives.

If your child lives in Medway, and you pay your council tax to Medway Council, then you submit your school application to Medway Council.

If your child lives in Kent, and you pay your council tax to one of the 12 district councils of Kent, then you must submit your school application to Kent County Council.

If your child lives in any other local authority area and you pay council tax to them, then you submit your application to that local authority. l How do I apply for secondary schools?

You can apply online at www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions Alternatively, you can complete a secondary common application form (SCAF) and return it to your child’s primary school (if a Medway school) or to the Student Services Admissions Team details can be found on page 3.

Please note that you should only use one of these methods. We cannot accept more than one application per child. If you apply online, please do not complete a paper form and vice versa. l Are there any benefits to applying online?

Parents who apply online for schools, and 18

provide us with an email address, will be sent an email after 4pm on 2 March 2015 advising them of the school place offered, as well as being sent a formal offer letter which provides information on what to do next.

When applying online, you will receive email confirmation that your application has been received. Applications made on paper forms will not be acknowledged over the telephone or in writing.

Please also see page 22. l I live in Medway. What schools can I apply for?

Details of the Medway secondary schools are provided later in this booklet.

Medway residents can also apply for schools outside Medway, but these must be named on your Medway application.

You can name any school you wish your child to be considered for. Medway invites parents to name up to six schools on the Medway application.

You do not have to name six, but it is important to understand that naming only one school does not give you a stronger claim to a place.

Please only name each school once. If you name a school more than once it will only be considered as one preference.

If your child has been assessed as non-selective, but you wish to pursue a place at a Medway grammar school at appeal, then you must name the Medway grammar school on your

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

application. If you do not name the school, you will not have the right of appeal after the school offers are made on 2 March 2015. l I live in Medway, but want to apply for schools outside Medway. What do I do?

You must submit your school application to Medway Council. You can name schools outside Medway and we will liaise with the relevant local authority to see if a place can be offered. l I live outside Medway. How do I apply?

If you live in another area you must submit your school application through the relevant authority. You can still name schools in Medway, but the application must go through your home local authority. If you require information on their schools, please contact the relevant local authority to ask for a copy of the secondary admissions booklet or visit their website. l My child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care Plan. Can I apply?

No. If your child has one of these you will have already had discussions with the Special Educational Needs Team regarding which schools you wish your child to be considered for.

Your child will not go through the main admissions process.

If you have any questions regarding the special educational needs admissions process, please contact the Special Educational Needs Team on 01634 331123.

l Is the order I name schools important?

Medway operates an equal preference scheme, which means that school places are not offered based on which preference you name the school.

Your application will be considered and prioritised against the named school’s oversubscription criteria.

Medway Council will not tell the schools which preference you named them. The order of your preference is between you and Medway Council.

When school places are being offered, Medway Council will look to offer your child a place at the highest named school where a place can be offered.

It is important that you name the schools in your preferred order. l I need to apply for more than one child, or children of multiple birth for example twins, what do I need to do?

You will need to complete a separate application for each child.

You need to ensure that you tick the appropriate box on the application to indicate that your children are of a multiple birth.

Please see the oversubscription criteria section, later in this booklet, for more details on how places are allocated for children of multiple birth. l Why is my address important?

The address you give on your secondary school application is very important and will be used to

calculate the home to school distance for the schools you have named. This will have an effect on your child’s application when it is considered against the school’s oversubscription criteria.

It is important that the address you provide is your child’s main place of residence. This means that they must live at this address permanently, or, in the case of separated families, it must be the address where your child spends the majority of the school nights. Please be aware that only one address can be used on the application. We can send duplicate correspondence to another address as long as all parties are in agreement. l How do you define the majority of school nights?

For the purposes of the admissions process, school nights are defined as Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This is because children will be going to school on the following morning. To determine how many school nights your child spends with each parent, please use this definition.

For example, if your child sleeps Sunday, Monday, Tuesday at your address and Wednesday, Thursday at their other parent’s address, the admission process would determine that your address is where your child spends the majority of the school nights. This is because they will be going to school from your address on three school days and from their other parent’s address on two school days.

If you are unsure of how this will be defined in your personal circumstances, please contact the Student Services Admissions Team for advice and assistance.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

If you are unsure of the address to be used in your circumstances, please contact the Student Services Admissions Team who will be happy to help you. l My child comes from a separated family. What happens if you receive an application from me and one from my child’s other parent?

If Medway Council receive two applications for your child (one from each parent), we will contact both parties to seek written agreement on the following: 1 The child’s main address to be used for the application.

2 The schools to be considered on the application.

3 The preference order of the schools to be considered.

Whilst awaiting written agreement from both parties, the applications will be removed from the process and held pending.

Once written agreement is received from both parties, your child’s application will be included in the process with the agreed details.

If written agreement from both parties is not received your child’s application will continue to be held pending until the matter is resolved. In these situations parents may wish to seek their own independent legal advice on how to resolve the situation.

It is important to understand that, if both parties cannot reach agreement and the situation remains unresolved, your child may not be offered a school place on 2 March 2015 or until the matter is settled. This means that your child could be disadvantaged because agreement on the application has not been reached.

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l I am moving shortly. What address do I use?

You must use the address you are living at on the closing date for school applications (31 October 2014).

If you are moving after you have submitted your application, you will need to provide the Student Services Admissions Team with proof of your move. This proof can be in the form of a copy of your exchange of contracts, completion documents or signed tenancy agreement.

Any request for a change of address can be accepted up until 4pm on Friday, 14 November 2014 if accompanied by sufficient evidence. l What happens if I give false information?

If you deliberately provide false information on your school application, such as an address, and a place is granted on the basis of this information that would not have otherwise been offered, we can and will withdraw the offer of a school place.

If you believe that someone has provided false information on their school application, we ask that you contact the Student Services Manager at Medway Council. All such contacts will be treated in confidence and we will not disclose any of your personal information.

If any part of your application is thought to be false we will investigate, and the emphasis will be on parents to provide satisfactory evidence proving the point being queried. l What do Medway Council accept as proof of address, if required, for the admissions process?

If Medway Council request you to provide proof 20

of the address where your child is living for the admission process, a copy of one of the following will be acceptable: • A Child Benefit leter • A Child Tax Credits award letter • A copy of your child’s medical card showing the address they are registered at with their GP. • A copy of your most recent Council Tax Bill.

Copies of any letters or bills provided must be dated during the application period (8 September to 31 October 2014). Any evidence provided dated outside the application period may not be accepted as you wil be requested to prove your child’s address at the time of application. l What happens if I miss the closing date for applications?

The closing date for applications is 31 October 2014.

Late applications cannot be made online. All late applicants must complete a secondary common application form (SCAF) and return it direct to the Student Services Admissions Team. l By Friday, 14 November 2014 As far as reasonably practicable, late applications will be accepted to be processed on time, provided they are received by Medway Council by the above date.

Such applications must be accompanied by a written explanation of the reasons for late submission. Only exceptional circumstances can be considered by the Student Services Management Team.

Exceptional circumstances may include serious illness, bereavement, late move to the area, etc.

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Late applications received from families that have just moved into the area must be accompanied by sufficient proof of move. This can be a copy of a signed tenancy agreement, exchange of contracts or completion documents.

The decision on whether a reason for late application is acceptable will be at the discretion of the Student Services Management Team. If it is decided that the reason for late submission is not exceptional, the application will be held until after allocation on 2 March 2015 and will be considered at re-allocation. l After Friday, 14 November 2014 All applications received after this date (for whatever reason) will not be considered for places on 2 March 2015.

They will be held pending and included in the ongoing reallocation of vacant places after 6 April 2015 and after consultation with the relevant admission authority for the named schools/academies.

The child’s name will automatically be placed on the waiting list for any schools/academies they named that are unable to offer a place. l Can I change my preferences after the closing date?

Changes to preference are not allowed after the closing date for applications (31 October 2014) other than in exceptional circumstances. If you feel that your circumstances fall into this category, please submit your request in writing to the Student Services Management Team for consideration. However, no changes can be made to your application after 14 November 2014.

Section four

The online admissions process

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www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

21

Medway Council would like to encourage all parents/carers of children resident in Medway to submit their secondary school application online.

Applying online offers you a quick, easy and secure option for submitting your application.

You can apply online at www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions l When can I apply online?

You can access the online admissions system during the following periods: To register your child to take the Medway Test – registration is open from 9am on Monday, 9 June 2014 until 4pm on Friday, 4 July 2014.

To submit your child’s secondary school application – applications are open from 9am on Monday, 8 September 2014 until 4pm on Friday, 31 October 2014.

We cannot accept any online applications made outside these periods. l What are the benefits of applying online?

You can submit your application at a time that suits you, anytime, day or night, during the periods shown above.

The online system provides a secure, fast and easy method of sending us your application and provides you with confirmation that it has been received.

After 4pm on 3 October 2014, parents who have registered their child online for the Medway Test and provided an email address, will receive their child’s test result by email.

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After 4pm on the offer day, 2 March 2015, Medway Council will send details by email, of which school has been offered to parents who successfully submitted an online application and provided an email address. l Can I submit an online request for my child to sit the Medway Test?

Yes. You can submit your Medway Test registration online.

Online test registration is open to everybody, whether you live in Medway or not.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

If you live in Medway and pay your council tax to Medway Council and have registered for the Medway Test online, your username and password will allow you to update your information with your school preferences, and re-submit the application during the application period as shown above.

We strongly advise you to wait for your Medway Test result before submitting your school preferences.

l What do I need to do to apply online?

If you make changes and do not re-submit the application for processing your changes will not be included when the application is processed.

Firstly, you will need to register with the website.

You will be asked to create a username and password for yourself. We suggest that you make these easy to remember and keep a note of them (space is provided on the inside front cover of this booklet), as you will need these in the future to access your application.

l Will I still get a letter telling me my child’s school offer?

You will then need to enter your details and your child’s details (if you are registering for the Medway Test – you will need to submit the application at this stage). You can add your school preferences later, then re-submit your application during the periods shown above.

l Can I submit an online application and a paper application?

If you provide an email address in your information, you will receive email confirmation of the application you have submitted. This will be a copy of the information you have provided.

l How do I register for the Kent Test or apply for schools because I live in Kent?

l Can I change my application or my information after I have submitted it?

Yes. You can make changes to your application up until the closing date for the relevant submission (4 July for Medway Test registration and 31 October for secondary school applications).

Yes, all applicants receive the formal offer letter.

Online applicants, who have provided an email address, also receive an email advising them of the school place offered.

No. We can only process one application for each pupil. If you have applied online, do not complete a paper application as well and visa versa.

You will need to apply directly to Kent County Council. This can be done online at www.kent.gov.uk/ola or by obtaining a paper form from Kent County Council. Phone 03000 412121.

You will need your username and password to re-enter your application and make any changes.

It is vitally important that you remember to re-submit your application after you have made your changes as we can only process the last submitted application as at the closing date.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

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Section five

24

The school offer process and next steps

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l When will I find out my child’s school offer?

Secondary school places are offered on 2 March 2015. This is a national date when all secondary school places in England will be offered.

All parents will be sent a formal offer letter advising them of the school offered and what to do next. These letters will be posted by Medway Council by 1st class post on 2 March 2015 to be received in the following few days.

If you apply online, and provide an email address, you will also receive an email after 4pm on 2 March 2015 advising you of your child’s school offer. You will still receive a formal letter and will need this to take the next steps.

and schools and working with schools to prioritise applicants. l How does Medway Council work out what priority my child has for a place at the schools I have named?

All school places are allocated in accordance with the individual school’s published oversubscription criteria. Full details of each school’s criteria can be found on the individual school information pages later in this booklet.

Student Services Admissions work in partnership with each school to ensure that all applicants are prioritised (ranked) correctly against the published oversubscription criteria.

l How does Medway Council work out which school is to be offered to my child?

Medway operates an equal preference scheme, which means that school places are not offered based on which preference you name the school.

Your application will be considered and prioritised against the named school’s oversubscription criteria.

Medway Council will not tell the schools in which preference you listed them. The order of your preference is between you and Medway Council.

When school places are being offered, Medway Council will look to offer your child a place at

We cannot give offer details out over the phone. l Who will I receive my offer from?

You will receive your school offer letter from your home local authority. This means, if you live in Medway and pay your council tax to Medway Council you will receive your letter from Medway Council.

If you live in Kent and pay your council tax to one of the 12 district councils of Kent then you will receive your offer letter from Kent County Council. l Why does it take so long from applying for schools to receiving the school offer?

The closing date for school applications (31 October) and the offer date for school places (2 March) are national dates set by central government. There are many procedures that need to be undertaken to process applications, including exchanging data with other councils

apply online

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25

the highest named school where a place can be offered. l What happens if more than one of the schools I name can offer my child a place?

You will only receive the offer of one school place on 2 March 2015 and Medway Council will look to offer your child a place at the highest named school where a place can be offered. l What about children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs?

Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs do not go through this admissions process and any places being offered to a statemented child at a school will be allocated before all other places.

The school’s published admission number (PAN) will be adjusted to take account of any statemented children offered, and Student Services Admissions will offer up to the remaining number of places available at the school. l Am I guaranteed to get one of the schools named on my application?

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that we can offer a place at one of your named schools. It will depend on how oversubscribed the named schools are and where your child is prioritised against the school’s over subscription criteria.

We strongly advise you to name more than one school on your application to give you the best opportunity to receive the offer of a place at a school you are satisfied with. Medway residents can list up to six preferences.

received the offer of a place at a school named on their application form on 3 March 2014.

81.2 per cent of children received the offer of a place at their first preference school. l What happens if you can’t offer my child a place at a school named on my application?

Medway Council has a duty to ensure that a school place is offered on 2 March 2015 to every child who has applied for a school place.

If we are not able to offer a place at one of your preferences, we will look to allocate a place at the nearest appropriate school to your home address that has a place available.

Appropriate school means a Medway grammar school for children assessed as selective and a Medway non-selective school for children assessed as non-selective. l If my child is assessed as selective, will I definitely be offered a grammar school?

Although the vast majority of selective assessed children are offered places at a grammar school, sometimes we offer them a place at a nonselective school because it is named as a higher preference on the application. l If I am not happy with the school place offered, what can I do?

Full details of the next steps you can take following the school offer made on 2 March 2015 will be with the offer letter. You have a number of options, including requesting to be placed on a waiting list to be considered at re-allocation and lodging a school admission appeal. Brief details of some of these options are listed below:

For 2014 admissions, 95.98 per cent of children 26

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www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l Waiting lists / Re-allocation: You will be sent a waiting list request form along with your school offer letter on 2 March 2015.

Using this form you can request to be placed on the waiting list for any of the schools you originally named on your application* and/or any other Medway secondary school* Your child will not automatically be added to a waiting list unless you have submitted a request form. The only exception to this is where an appeal has been lodged. Children who have appealed will also be added to the relevant school’s* waiting list. *Please note that you can only request to go on the waiting list for a Medway grammar school if your child has been assessed as selective under the Medway test procedures.

Student Services Admissions will then collate all waiting list requests and look to re-allocate (offer) any vacant school places that may become available to children who have requested to be placed on the waiting list.

A child’s position on a school’s waiting list will be decided in accordance with the school’s published oversubscription criteria. Places are not held on a first come, first served basis.

It is important to understand that a child’s place on the waiting list may change (up or down) dependent on the eligibility of other children who have requested to be on the waiting list.

Waiting list requests must be submitted by 30 March 2015.

Vacant places will be re-allocated after 6 April 2015.

Please note: If you are offered a school place at one of the schools you have named on your waiting list request, any other school offer will be automatically withdrawn to be reallocated to another child. You will not have a claim on the original place offered if you change your mind and will need to be added to that school’s waiting list for consideration at future re-allocation.

l Appeals: You have the right of appeal to any of the schools you have named on your application that has not been able to offer your child a place. This can include grammar schools, even if your child has not been assessed as selective, as long as you named them on your application.

l Can I go on the waiting list and lodge an appeal for the same school?

Yes. You can submit a waiting list form and lodge an appeal for the same school. The two processes are independent of each other, and being on the waiting list will not affect your appeal and vice versa. l How do I accept or refuse the school place offered?

You will receive an acceptance/refusal form with your school offer letter on 2 March 2015. You will need to complete this form and return it to the school being offered with your decision.

l If I refuse the place offered, do I have a better chance of being offered a place from the waiting list or being successful at appeal?

No. Vacant places are only offered from waiting lists in accordance with the school’s oversubscription criteria. They are not dependent on whether you are holding the offer of a school place or not. In a similar way, appeal decisions are based on the cases heard by the independent appeal panel and not on whether you are holding a school place or not.

Acceptance/refusal forms must be returned to the schools by 30 March 2015.

You cannot lodge an appeal for a school you have not named on your application.

Full details of how to appeal and an appeal form will be included with your school offer letter on 2 March 2015.

You can submit more than one appeal at the same time.

Who you submit your appeal request to will depend on the school being appealed for, and details of where you need to send your form will be included with your letter on 2 March 2015.

An independent appeal panel will hear admission appeals. They are independent of the school and the council and their decision is binding on the school and the council.

Appeal requests must be lodged by 30 March 2015.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

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Section six

28

Free school meals and home to school transport

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

l How do I apply for free school meals?

The following information on free school meals and home to school transport is correct at the time of going to print.

Please note that there may be changes to Medway Council’s policies as a result of changes to central government legislation.

This may mean that changes may be made before your child is due to start secondary school in September 2015.

Please check the Medway Council website www.medway.gov.uk for the most up to date information nearer the time of your child starting secondary school.

Free school meals l Will my child be entitled to free school meals?

Your child may qualify to receive free school meals if you receive certain qualifying benefits.

At the time of printing this booklet, these are: l Income Support; l Jobseeker’s Allowance (income based); l Employment and Support Allowance (Income related); l The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit; l Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; l Child Tax Credit, but not entitled to Working Tax Credit, and whose annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) does not exceed £16,190.

As the government is looking to change the benefits system, please be aware these could have changed by September 2015.

You will need to complete the free school meals application form.

If applying during the school holidays, you will need to send the completed form to the freepost address on the bottom of the form. If applying at any other time, as well as this option, you can also take your completed form into your child’s school office.

You can obtain an application form by calling the Student Services Operations Team on 01634 331155, or collecting one from your child’s school office, Medway Council’s Community Hubs in Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester, Strood and Rainham Contact Points and Strood and Rainham libraries. l Do I need to provide proof of benefit with my application?

l Do I have to renew my application for free school meals and if so, when?

No, you do not have to renew your application if all your details have remained the same.

The Student Services Operations Team will carry out regular reviews and contact you for further proof of benefit, if required. l Who do I contact if any of my and/or my child’s personal details change, or I stop receiving benefit, once I am receiving free school meals?

Please contact the Student Services Operations Team on 01634 331155 to update your details.

If you have moved address, you will be asked to complete a new application form.

If you do not notify the team, it could result in you having to repay the cost of any free school meals that your child has received.

You do not need to provide proof of benefit at this time. By signing the form you are allowing the Student Services Operations Team to verify your claim.

If free school meals cannot be verified, the team will ask for an up to date, full copy of the proof of benefit you are receiving, to reassess your claim. l Do I need to complete the application form for all Medway schools?

A number of academies in Medway are now processing their own free school meals and therefore Medway Council are unable to deal with your entitlement. Please contact the school direct to make your application. For a list of schools and academies please visit www.medway.gov.uk and search free school meals.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

29

Home to school transport l How do I know if my child is eligible for free home to school transport?

Following the offer of a school place on 2 March 2015, the Student Services Operations Team will automatically assess all Year 6 pupils to see if they are eligible for free home to school transport to the school they have been offered.

If your child may qualify for free home to school transport you will be sent confirmation in writing.

You will be asked to check the information and to provide a passport sized photograph of your child to enable us to process the application, or provide proof of low-income where necessary.

If you have not received written confirmation from the Student Services Operations Team by the beginning of July 2015, it is likely that your child is not eligible for free home to school transport.

l What is the current transport policy?

At the time of going to print, the basic qualifying criteria to be eligible for free home to school transport is that you must live more than three miles from the secondary school your child will be attending and it must be deemed as the nearest appropriate school to your home address. l What does nearest appropriate school mean?

This means the school geographically nearest to your home address that is suitable for a child’s age, ability and aptitude.

We can only distinguish between non-selective and selective schools and cannot take into account the individual specialist status of a school. When deciding which is the nearest appropriate school, we do not take into account a parent’s preference for a single sex, mixed or specialist school.

l What if I don’t agree with the decision?

If you feel that the decision that your child is not eligible for free home to school transport is incorrect, or that your child’s circumstances warrant an exception to be made, you can submit an application form enclosing a letter explaining the reason why you wish your child’s case to be looked at further. The Student Services Management Team will look at this. l Where can I get an application form?

You can get an application form from any Medway school, Medway Council’s Community Hubs in Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester, Strood and Rainham Contact Points and Strood and Rainham libraries. Alternatively, you can contact the Student Services Operations Team on 01634 331155.

30

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Please note: Medway Council do not grant transport to independent schools and only to an out of area (ie. Kent) school in exceptional circumstances.

Only one school can be the nearest appropriate school from your home address.

If you express a preference for a school that is not the nearest appropriate school and you are offered a place, you will not qualify for free transport, even if the school is more than three miles from your home address.

A nearest appropriate school form is available at the back of this booklet for you to request details of the schools deemed the nearest appropriate from your home address. Please note, these forms cannot be responded to prior to the beginning of September.

l Can I get free home to school transport if I am on a low income?

Yes. If you are on a low-income you can qualify for free home to school transport if you live more than two miles, but not more than six miles, from one of your three nearest appropriate schools.

Low-income families are defined as where the children are entitled to free school meals (see details on page 29), or if parents receive the maximum level of working tax credit.

When returning the application form you will need to provide an up to date full copy of your proof of benefit in order for us to assess your claim. l Can my child get free home to school transport from two addresses if the parents are separated and they live part time with each parent?

No. Medway Council can only issue one travel pass for one return journey from home to school each day. We can only assess a transport application from the address that is the child’s main place of residence. If you have any specific questions regarding these situations, please contact the Student Services Operations Team on 01634 331155. l Will my child receive free home to school transport automatically if they have medical or special educational needs?

If a child has specific medical needs for transport, you will need to provide medical evidence for assessment by the Student Service Operations Team. This evidence must provide sufficient detail to enable an assessment to be carried out.

If a child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care Plan, you will need to discuss their transport needs with the Special Educational Needs Team on 01634

331123. They will advise what information they need to assess the case. l How are distances measured for home to school transport?

It is important to understand that the school admissions policies and the home to school transport policies are completely separate and do not interlink.

Distances for home to school transport are calculated using the geographical information software available to Medway Council. The distance is calculated from the home address to the school address by the shortest available walking route. It may take account of footpaths, public rights of way, etc.

The shortest available walking route is one along which a child can walk to school, accompanied as necessary, with reasonable safety. l I have chosen a school on faith grounds.

Can I get free home to school transport?

If your child is attending St John Fisher Catholic School or Bishop of Rochester Academy on religious grounds, Medway Council will count these schools as the nearest appropriate for a child of the Roman Catholic or Church of England faith respectively.

You will be entitled to free transport if you live more than three miles from the school, and your child is a regular practising member of a church of the same religion as the school. This needs to be confirmed in writing by the church.

If you are on a low-income, you will be entitled to free transport if you live between two and 15 miles from the school and your child is a

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

regularly practising member of a church of the same religion as the school. This needs to be confirmed in writing, by the church. Please note this can include some Kent church schools. l How do I find out what bus routes and companies cover the journey to my child’s chosen school?

Arriva Bus Company operates the majority of bus routes in Medway. You can contact them for advice on 01634 283600 or visit their website www.arrivabus.co.uk to find out the service numbers, times and boarding points.

Tenders for bus services are often renewed, so at the time of printing this booklet, the following bus companies also operate in certain parts of Medway. To find out if they operate near you, please contact them on the numbers below: l Nu

Venture Bus Company 01622 882288 Coaches 01634 201065 l Red Route 01474 353896 l ASD Coaches 01634 726412 l Farleigh

31

l If my child does not qualify for free home to school transport, are there any other schemes available in Medway? l Medway

Youth Pass (young persons half-price bus fare scheme) - this entitles all young people who live in Medway to pay half the adult fare at all times when travelling on any local bus service. The journeys must start in Medway and can be to any destination in Medway or Kent, as long as any changes of bus are in Medway. This pass is not valid on the subsidised yellow buses run by Medway Council or companies who already offer a child fare.

Passes expire after three years or when the young person becomes 16-years-old, whichever is sooner. A new pass is needed for 16-18-yearolds, this will expire when the young person reaches the end of the academic year after their eighteenth birthday.

You can apply for this scheme and find out the cost by ringing the Student Services Operations Team on 01634 333333, or collecting a form from your child’s school office, Medway Council’s Community Hubs in Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester, Strood and Rainham Contact Points and Strood and Rainham libraries.

l Vacant

Seat Payment Scheme Children who do not qualify for free home to school transport may apply for a vacant seat on a hired school vehicle, if one operates on the route required, at a cost. It is important to understand that the seat on the transport may be withdrawn at any time if it is required by a child eligible for free home to school transport or if the transport is withdrawn. Further information on this scheme can be obtained from Medway Norse Transport on 01634 793908.

l If we are refused free transport, is there a right of appeal?

If your application for free home to school transport is refused by the Student Services Operations Team and you believe that your circumstances warrant an exception being made, please put your reasons in writing to the Student Services Operations Manager, to be reconsidered.

l Yellow

Bus Scheme Medway Council provides the Yellow Bus Scheme, which supplies school buses for pupils living in certain parts of Medway to travel to specific schools. If you are interested in this service, please contact Medway Council on 01634 334438.

32

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

If it is still refused, you may wish to make a formal appeal to Members of Medway Council against this decision. We will provide details of how to do this at that time. l If my child has a free bus pass and misbehaves on the bus, will the pass be taken away?

All transport provided is subject to your child behaving in an acceptable manner while travelling. If, however, the transport company feels that your child’s behaviour is unacceptable, their ticket can be withdrawn. In such cases, Medway Council will cease to accept liability for travel arrangements and you will have to make your own arrangements from then on.

Section seven

Common oversubscription criteria

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

33

This table provides some of the most common oversubscription criteria used by schools. The definitions quoted are those of Medway Council and may be different for an individual school.

Please ensure you read each individual school’s information page to ascertain exactly what their over subscription criteria are and what these mean for your child.

*Please note that, at the time of going to print, Student Services Admissions are researching the use of new distancing software.

Please check the website www.medway.gov.uk and look at ‘Co-ordinated Admission Scheme for Secondary Admissions – September 2015’ for the most up to date information on how distances are calculated.

34

Criteria

Definition

Children in public care/looked after children and previously looked after children

Looked after children are children who are (i) in the care of a local authority, or (ii) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (as defined in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making the application for a school.

Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (under the terms of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, Section 46) or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order (under the terms of the Children Act 1989, Section 8 and Section 14A).

Please note that Medway Council will ask for evidence of looked after or previously looked after status and a copy of the adoption/residence/special guardianship order to validate this criterion.

Current family association/sibling

Sibling means children who live as brother/sister in the same house and includes natural siblings, adopted siblings, foster siblings and step siblings. Extended family, for example cousins, living in the same house do not qualify as siblings. The sibling must be attending the named school at the time of application and at the time the younger child would start (September 2015).

Child’s health reasons

Medical evidence from a GP or consultant must be provided to Student Services Admissions Team. This evidence must demonstrate a specific link between the child’s medical conditions and needs, and how the named school can meet these needs. Please note not every school/academy has this as a criterion.

Residence in an access area

If a school operates an access area, children living within the area receive a higher priority for a place than other applicants from a lower listed criterion and those living furthest from the school within the access area receive higher priority than those that live closest.

Nearness of child’s home/distance*

Applicants are prioritised in order of nearness to the school. The distance calculated is the shortest available safe walking route known to the geographical information software (GIS) used by Student Services Admissions Team. This software may not know all footpaths that are in existence and certain new roads may not be known. Where a footpath or new road is not known to the software an alternative route will be used. Where a child’s home is situated on a new road the distance calculation will begin from the nearest available known road plotted in the software. New developments may be subject to this. In certain cases it may not be possible to calculate a distance where the entire route is deemed as a safe walking route. In these circumstances the distance calculated is used purely to prioritise an application for admission. There is no expectation that the walk should be taken.

Score

Some grammar schools elect to prioritise applicants based on their test scores. This means that all applications will be prioritised from highest score to lowest score. It is important to understand that these schools are not permitted to give any priority to siblings.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Section eight

Other information

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

35

l Individual school’s published oversubscription criteria/admission arrangements The oversubscription criteria detailed in section nine of this booklet are the published determined admission arrangements for each school/academy.

If any party feels that the published admission arrangements are unlawful or are not compliant with the provisions of the School Admission Code, they may make a referral to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator www.schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk Any such referral must be made by 30 June 2014.

Please be aware that if any referrals have been made, and dependent on the outcome of such referrals, a school’s arrangements may be subject to change. Medway Council will publish details of any changes on the website www.medway.gov.uk

l Choosing to educate at home You may choose to educate your child at home.

If you elect to do this, the council has a duty to ensure that your child is receiving suitable and effective full time education.

If you wish to consider educating your child at home, please contact the Inclusion Team on 01634 332572 for more information.

You will be asked to provide full details on the arrangements you are making. l School term dates Full details of term dates for the academic year September 2015 to July 2016 can be found at www.medway.gov.uk

l Independent and impartial advice Medway Council’s Student Services Admissions Team is able to offer you impartial advice on the admissions process, Medway schools and academies. You can contact the team on 01634 331110 or email admissions@medway.gov.uk If you want specific detail on what an individual school/academy can offer your child, you can contact them directly. Contact details can be found for every Medway school and academy in section nine.

36

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Please be aware that some schools may operate different term dates to the Medway Council defined ones and you will need to speak to individual schools about their arrangements. l Sustainable School Travel Strategy Medway Council is keen to ensure that their own plans support school travel plans (STP), so that the schools can develop a long-term commitment to implementation, monitoring and development. Working with schools, Medway Council has developed a number of initiatives.

Further information can be found at www.medway.gov.uk/schoolsandeducation/ schoolsandcolleges/gettingtoschool.aspx

Section nine

The schools

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

37

Location and access areas of schools l What is an access area?

Six Medway schools include an access area within their admissions criteria. Applications received for pupils that reside within the school’s access area will receive a higher priority for a place at that school than applicants that do not reside in the access area. Those applicants that live furthest from the school within the access area receive higher priority than those that live closest within the access area. Please note that applicants residing in an access area with valid sibling links or higher criterion will be prioritised under the higher criteria.

If you are unsure if you live in an access area for one of these schools, please contact Student Services Admissions who will be able to help you.

You can either phone on 01634 331110 or email admissions@medway.gov.uk l Access areas The following schools have access areas, shown on the map opposite:

A B - The Thomas Aveling School C - Walderslade Girls’ School

- The Hundred of Hoo Academy

Medway secondary schools Page

1

Bishop of Rochester Academy

41

2

Brompton Academy

42

3

Chatham Grammar School for Boys

44

4

Chatham Grammar School for Girls

45

5

Fort Pitt Grammar School

46

6

Greenacre Academy

47

7

Rainham Mark Grammar School

48

8

Rainham School for Girls

49

9

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School

50

10 St John Fisher Catholic School

51

11 Strood Academy

53

12 The Howard School

55

13 The Hundred of Hoo Academy

56

14 The Robert Napier School

57

15 The Rochester Grammar School

59

16 The Thomas Aveling School

60

17 Walderslade Girls’ School

61

and Greenacre Academy

D - Rainham School for Girls E - The Howard School 38

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Allhallows

Cliffe

B2 00 0

Grain

B2 00 0

es ha m T r Rive

A2 28

River Medway

13

A22 6

Hoo

Londo n

Jct 1

Medway

Medway Tunnel

Strood A2

A28 9

11

Medway Park

Gillingham

M

Rochester

2

Jct 2

5

A2

2 14

Chatham

Motorway Bridge

9

15 16

10 3 1

4

B2 00 4

A289

A2

Rainham A2 Tesco Superstore

7 12 8

M2

Maidstone

A2

Sittin

gbour n

e

17 6 Asda Superstore store

Jct 3

Splashes Leisure Centre

Jct 4

Ca nt M2 erbu ry/ Do ver

39

How to use the school pages Department for Education unique school number

Published admission number for 2015

School type (grammar, high, academy etc)

Area of Medway

School status (academy, foundation, community, voluntary aided)

Map reference number, see page 39

School contact details

School specialist status

Open sessions, times and dates Introduction to school by headteacher/principal

Criteria for admission and oversubscription Total number of preferences expressed for the school

Preferences breakdown for 2014

40

Number of places offered on the offer day of relevant year

apply online

Furthest distance or lowest score offered as applicable. If the school was undersubscribed (not full) on offer day this section will show N/A

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Expected school roll for September 2015

Access area see page 39

1

Bishop of Rochester Academy DFE number: 887 6907

PAN: 180

We are a Christian Academy based in an exceptional learning environment with the high standards your child will need to be successful in the 21st century.

We have a dynamic curriculum in place which will underpin the skills needed for a global marketplace. Our passion is to find and nurture the talents of our students, giving them a broad range of subjects that allow them to experience creativity, culture and numeracy in real life contexts across a range of lessons.

Our staff are committed to ensuring that your child’s development is central to all we do in the Academy. A safe and inspiring environment that enhances the academic life of all of our students.

Our extra-curricular activities include music, dance, drama, rugby and football as an example. We do not expect our parents to finance instrumental lessons and we are the only school in the borough which is developing its own full orchestra. Free breakfast is offered to all of our students regardless of their ability to pay. We are a forward looking Academy with a strong commitment to the community.

We welcome visits from potential applicants.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 250 213

Type: Academy

Area: Chatham

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Principal: Ms Kuljit Rahelu

Admission: Entry is without testing

Magpie Hall Road, Chatham ME4 5JB

Oversubscription: There will be two broad groups: 100 open places and up to 80 foundation places. Open places will be open to anyone; foundation places will be for students from three local Church of England primary schools. These are All Saints’ C of E Primary School, Chatham, St Mary’s Island C of E Primary School, Chatham and St Margaret’s C of E Junior School, Rainham. If there were not enough students applying for the foundation places, then any left will become open places.

Where the Academy is oversubscribed, places will be allocated to applicants in the following priority order: 1. Looked after children(as defined in the Medway co-ordinated admission scheme) 2. Siblings (pupils living as brothers and sisters, etc) 3. Child’s health reasons. Medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires the child to attend the preferred school.

4. Those living nearest the Academy based on the measured distance using Medway Council’s GIS system and procedure.

5. Children of a member of staff working in the Academy for 2 or more years at time of application for admission or appointed to a skill shortage subject

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 97 64 37 21 16 15

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 146 107

apply online

01634 303005 Email: office@boracademy.org www.boracademy.org

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 2 October, 4 – 7pm Open mornings: Tuesday, 14, Wednesday 15, Thursday 16 October, from 9am by appointment.

For admission enquiries please contact office@boracademy.org

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

980

41

2

Brompton Academy Specialism: Science and Arts DFE number: 887 6906

PAN: 240

Brompton Academy is an all ability, dynamic 11-18 school, with specialisms in science and arts, and a grammar stream, under the leadership of the University of Kent.

The academy delivers high quality education leading to university entrance and equivalent progression routes. Entry to the academy is via a Fair Banding Test. The academy offers a vibrant learning environment, where all students have the opportunity to study a core academic English Baccalaureate curriculum, consisting of English, Maths, Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), Languages, History, Geography plus a range of other subject qualifications leading to GCSE and A level. Many learning programmes are enhanced by curricular inputs from the University of Kent.

Students in Year 7 undertake a foundation programme to support their academic and personal development in becoming skilled, confident, happy, robust and successful young people with a passion for learning.

The academy boasts high standards of behaviour.

If you are looking for a highly effective all ability academy that will offer the best educational opportunities for a young person together with wrap around care, support and guidance, then the future has to be Brompton Academy.

The academy resides in a state-of-the-art new building with brand new Apple learning technologies, including a student one to one iPad Mini scheme, to support student motivation and learning.

Further information is available on our website.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 669 556

42

Type: Academy

Area: Gillingham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: All applicants for a place at the academy, including those with a SEN statement or EHCP, will be required to take the Fair Banding test. See page 43 for details.

Fair Banding test dates: Saturday, 13 September, 2014 Saturday, 18 October, 2014 See page 43 for further details of oversubscription criteria and fair banding test.

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Principal: Judy Rider BA (Hons), MA Marlborough Road, Gillingham ME7 5HT 01634 852341 Email: office@bromptonacademy.org.uk www.bromptonacademy.org.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 2 October 5.30 – 8pm Principal’s presentation at 5.45pm Open morning: Saturday, 4 October 10am – 12noon Principal’s presentation at 10.15am Morning tours: Tuesday, 7 Wednesday, 8 Thursday, 9 October *Please phone to book an appointment slot For admission enquiries please contact the Admissions Manager on 01634 583512

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 350 155 92 30 24 18

Places allocated (on offer day) Furthest distance offered (on offer day) Access area 2014 2013 2013 2014 210 210 no Allocation criteria - Fair Banding plus criteria

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Expected roll 1200

Oversubscription: Places are first offered to students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP, where Brompton Academy is named on the statement and after agreement with the academy.

If the number of applications for admission to the Academy received via the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered against the criteria set out below. All applicants who have taken the NFER Fair Banding tests will be split into one of five ability bands based on their scores achieved within the national profile range.

Within each band the criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: a) Children in public care or previously looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order). b) Current family association (i.e. elder brother or sister in the Academy at time of application who will still be attending when the applicant child is admitted). In this context, brother or sister means: a. A natural brother or sister (including adopted siblings) b. Step brother or sister c. Foster brother or sister d. Those who live as brother or sister in the same house. c) Children of staff (where the member of staff has been employed for two years or more at the time at which the application for admission to the Academy is made and/or where the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage). d) Nearness of children’s homes e) Random selection within bands

Fair Banding Test Brompton Academy is an all ability school, and in order to secure an all ability intake that is representative of the national ability range, all applicants for admission must take a Fair Banding test which is prescribed by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). This is not a pass or fail test this is just to ensure that young people across the ability range are admitted.

All applicants for places in the academy will be banded according to the principles of fair banding, using the national profile.

Medway operate an equal preference system which means that parents/carers who intend to put Brompton Academy down on the preference form either first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth choice will need to take the Academy Fair Banding test, which will determine what banding group their child should be placed in should they gain a place at the academy.

The test will be administered during September/October – a year ahead of entry. Parents and Carers can access the test for their child by filling in and returning a test registration form which will be available via the academy website at www.bromptonacademy.org.uk and from the Academy reception from Monday 9th June till Friday, 18th July 2014. The test registration form should be returned within the prescribed deadlines as indicated on the registration form together with the preferred test date.

A second registration period will be available from 8th September – 10th October 2014. All applicants for an Academy place, including those with a SEN statement, will be required to take the Fair Banding test. Following the test, applicants will be split into five bands based on their NFER scores within the national profile, including those with SEN statements or EHCP and Looked After Children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or because they were subject to a residence order or special guardianship order). There are two opportunities to take the Fair Banding tests – either Saturday 13th September or Saturday 18th October 2014.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Students who have not taken the banding test (apart from children in care and statemented students where the academy is named in the statement who must always be given priority) will be considered after children who have sat the banding test.

All applicants who register for the test will be offered fair access to the test and reminded of the dates and times of the test.

43

3

Chatham Grammar School for Boys DFE number: 887 4068

PAN: 120

At Chatham Grammar School for Boys (CGSB) our aim is that students develop into successful, well rounded, confident young men who are equipped with the academic and life skills necessary to thrive in the modern world.

Students at CGSB are given the academic and intellectual tools to help them structure their thinking and learning effectively thus enabling them to successfully engage in their academic studies. The school is committed to becoming a Thinking School, accredited by Exeter University, and passionately believes in providing students with the appropriate learning tools to be successful.

Every individual at CGSB is encouraged to achieve their personal best and there is an emphasis on celebrating student progress as well as outright attainment. Whilst many students go on to achieve places at Oxford, Cambridge and other Russell Group universities we also support able students with Additional Educational Needs to successfully engage with an academic curriculum and find a successful independent path beyond school.

We offer a very successful and diverse range of sports with two football teams reaching Kent cup finals last season and the 1st XI winning their league title. In addition we regularly win local athletics meetings and successfully participate in rugby, hockey and cricket fixtures and tournaments.

CGSB has an outstanding sense of community with each student taking an active part within the House system.

The House system is central to the school’s pastoral system which provides continuity of care and support for students throughout their time here at CGSB.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 426 483

44

Type: Grammar

Area: Chatham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: Entry is with testing (either the Medway Test or Kent Test or after 2 March, other nationally recognised entrance test).

Oversubscription: Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, applications will be allocated in the priority order set out below: 1 Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where the Chatham Grammar School for Boys is named on the statement.

2 Children in public care as defined in the Medway Council co-ordinated admission scheme.

3 Current family association (i.e. elder brother or sister in Chatham Grammar School for Boys or Chatham Grammar School for Girls) at time of application who will still be attending when the applicant child is admitted. In this context, brother or sister means: i) A natural brother or sister (including adopted siblings) ii) Step brother or sister iii) Foster brother or sister iv) Those who live as brother or sister in the same house 4 Child’s health reasons. Written medical evidence from a GeneralPractitioner or hospital consultant must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires the child to attend Chatham Grammar School for Boys.

5 Nearness of children’s home measured by the shortest available safe walking distance between the home address and CGSB as measured by the Medway Council Geographical Information System and determined by Medway Local Authority.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 81 182 103 40 14 6

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 81 74

apply online

Single sex/mixed: Boys

Headteacher: Mr Stuart Gardner Holcombe, Maidstone Road, Chatham ME4 6JB 01634 830083 Email: office@cgsb.co.uk www.cgsb.co.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Tuesday, 7 October, 6 – 9pm Open mornings: Monday, 13 October Thursday, 23 October For admission enquiries please contact office@cgsb.co.uk There will be a right of appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel for any pupils refused admission. Any decision made by an Independent Appeals Panel will be binding on the academy and over-rides the admissions number of 120 in Year 7.

From the 1 March (National Offer Day), any available spaces remaining will be allocated on the basis of results of nationally recognised selection tests taken, including the Medway or Kent Test.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Status: Academy

Access area

Expected roll

no

900

4

Chatham Grammar School for Girls High Performing School for Modern Foreign Languages DFE number: 887 5429

PAN: 142

At CGSG we provide a friendly and supportive environment where able students can achieve their academic potential and develop a range of skills that will equip them effectively for the future. Our record of high academic achievement and our success in guiding students to higher education are due to the expertise of our well qualified and experienced teaching staff and the care, guidance and support provided by our dedicated pastoral team.

Our broad and balanced curriculum provides numerous opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to access a wide range of opportunities in the future. It ranges from the traditional to the modern, such as Latin and three foreign languages to GCSE Computer Science.

The curriculum is designed to develop responsible citizens of the future who will contribute actively to the communities in which they live and work.

Whilst we encourage our students to aim for high academic achievement, it is equally important to us that they enjoy their experience at CGSG. To this end, our curriculum is complemented by a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities designed to provide rich experiences and to inspire a life-long passion for learning.

Type: Grammar

Area: Chatham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: Entry is with testing (either the Medway Test or Kent Test) Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Chatham Grammar School for Girls is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: a) Children in public care or children who have previously been in public care b) Current family association (i.e. elder brother or sister in Chatham Grammar School for Girls or Chatham Grammar School for Boys at the time of application or who will be still attending when the applicant is admitted. In this context, brother or sister means: - A natural brother or sister (including adopted siblings) - Step brother or sister - Foster brother or sister - Those who live as brother and sister in the same house c) Distance from the pupil’s home as determined using Medway Council’s GIS.

Single sex/mixed: Girls

Status: Academy

Headteacher: Mrs Christine Probin Rainham Road, Chatham ME5 7EH 01634 851262 Email: postbox@chathamgirlsgrammar. medway.sch.uk www.chathamgirlsgrammar.medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Tuesday, 14 October, 6 – 8.30pm Open morning: Saturday, 11 October, 10am – 1pm Daytime tours: Monday, 20 to Friday, 24 October* *tours start at 9.15am For admission enquiries please contact Mrs D Simmonds, PA to Headteacher

Mrs Christine Probin, Headteacher Total number of prefs 2014 2013 453 474

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 100 162 137 38 12 4

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 74 84

apply online

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

800

45

5

Fort Pitt Grammar School Specialisms: Maths and Science. A Leading Edge School. A National Support School.

DFE number: 887 4069

PAN: 120

Fort Pitt is an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ grammar school with academy status.

We are an innovative school and have a very clear vision of what we want to achieve; this we do through our four “excellences”: academic excellence, excellent community, excellent appearance and excellent environment.

There is no doubt that our main focus is academic excellence – our students regularly achieve some of the highest grades in Medway and Kent – but we also encourage our students to develop their full creative and sporting abilities. We are proud of the accomplishments of all of our students and we acknowledge and reward excellence in all fields.

Our belief that students flourish and succeed when they feel happy and secure means that we place great emphasis on community and support.

Relationships throughout the school are based on mutual respect and focus firmly on the learning process.This ethos has led to national recognition for the outstanding progress made by our students during their time with us.

We are a forward thinking and fast moving community but have a real commitment to traditional values and beliefs.

We look forward to welcoming you to Fort Pitt.

Carol Winn, Headteacher Total number of prefs 2014 2013 463 438

46

Type: Grammar

Area: Chatham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: Entry is with testing via the Medway Test Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Fort Pitt Grammar School is specifically named, the following oversubscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where applications for admission of eligible girls exceed this number, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below, to decide which girls who satisfied the selection requirements should be offered places: 1. Looked After Children / Children in local authority care as defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme 2. Siblings. The sister of a girl who will still be attending the school at the time the student would be admitted. In this context ‘sibling’ means children who live as sisters in the same house, including natural sisters, adopted sisters, stepsisters and foster sisters.

3. Students who attend a school within the Fort Pitt Academy Trust.

4. Children of staff (where the member of staff has been employed for three years or more at the time at which the application for admission is made and/or where the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage).

5. Girls residing within 2 miles of the school measured by the Medway Council GIS. 6. Girls residing in one of the named parishes below. Should it be necessary these places will be allocated according to nearness of home to school, using the shortest, safe walking distance, measured by the Medway Council GIS. Allhallows; Cliffe and

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 151 177 77 42 7 9

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 120 119

apply online

Single sex/mixed: Girls

Headteacher: Carol Winn Fort Pitt Hill, Chatham ME4 6TJ 01634 842359 Email: office@fortpitt.medway.sch.uk www.fortpitt.medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Wednesday, 15 October, 6 – 9pm Headteacher talks at 6.45 and 7.45pm Open mornings: Monday, 20 to Thursday, 23 October inc, 9 – 11am Last tour 10.15am For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Jeffreys, Admissions Officer

Cliffe Woods; Cooling; Cuxton; Frindsbury Extra; Halling; High Halstow; Hoo St Werburgh; St James, Isle of Grain; St Mary Hoo; Stoke. Please note that the prospective student’s address must be where they are living at the time of the application and this will be checked. If the address is not the student’s normal place of residence and an offer of a place has already been made, it will be withdrawn.

7. All other eligible girls seeking a school place and these will be allocated according to nearness of home to school, using the shortest, safe walking distance, measured by the Medway Council GIS.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 9.04km n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Status: Academy

Access area

Expected roll

no

800

6

Greenacre Academy DFE number: 887 4174

PAN: 160

Greenacre is an oversubscribed, well equipped academy set in extensive grounds. Amongst recent improvements to the buildings include an all weather sports pitch and a food technology hall.

In February 2014 Ofsted inspectors concluded that the academy was GOOD in all areas. The report states “Students in the academy make good progress at all key stages, from lower than average starting points, and achieve well. Students behave well, say they enjoy being at the academy and feel safe”.

The maximum number of boys in a teaching group is 30 with many operating at 15 or less. In academic subjects, boys are placed in sets of similar ability including fast tracked groups in English and Mathematics throughout the academy. Learning mentors work with small groups or individuals as required. Strategies such as these are ensuring that GCSE results continue to improve year on year.

In partnership with Walderslade Girls’ School, the view of Ofsted is ‘The sixth form is good, as the academy’s students progress well from their starting points and their achievement is good’.

Andrew Reese, Headteacher

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 280 271

Type: Academy

Area: Walderslade

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: Entry is without testing Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Greenacre Academy is specifically named, the following oversubscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below: 1. Children in public care - (as defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme) 2. Sibling - (a brother attending Greenacre Academy or a sister attending Walderslade Girls School at the time of application and who will still be attending in September 2014. Sibling means children who live as brother/sister in the same house and includes natural siblings, adopted siblings, foster siblings and step siblings. Extended family, for example cousins, living in the same house do not qualify as siblings).

3. Historical Sibling – To give priority to boys with an older sibling who attended Greenacre Academy but who has now left. This situation to remain until the older sibling has been left for 5 years. Sibling means children who live as brother/sister in the same house and includes natural siblings, adopted siblings, foster siblings and step siblings.

Extended family, for example cousins, living in the same house do not qualify as siblings).

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 141 57 41 19 14 8

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 160 160

apply online

Single sex/mixed: Boys

Headteacher: Mr Andrew Reese 157 Walderslade Road, Chatham ME5 0LP 01634 861593 Email: office@greenacre.medway.sch.uk www.greenacre.medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Tuesday, 14 October, 5.45pm Headteachers talk at 7.30pm Daytime tours: Monday, 6 to Friday, 10 October 2, 9.15am For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Susan Bond 4. Child’s health reasons – Medical evidence must be provided to Medway Council. This evidence must demonstrate a specific link between the child’s medical condition and needs and how the named school can meet these needs.

5. Residence in the Greenacre Academy access area 6. Nearness of children’s home – (as defined in Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme using Medway Council’s GIS Tiebreaker – in the event of a tie within any criterion, places will be allocated to those living closest to the school measured by the short available walking route.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 6.1km 2.7km

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Status: Academy

Access area

Expected roll

yes

930

47

7

Rainham Mark Grammar School Specialism: Science DFE number: 887 5420

PAN: 175

At Rainham Mark Grammar School (RMGS) we provide a co-educational selective education of the highest quality.

Ofsted report, October 2008 stated ‘Rainham Mark Grammar School provides good quality education for its pupils. It also has many outstanding features to its work....Standards in GCSE examinations are exceptionally and consistently high.’

Excellent facilities include: • A new sports hall, comprising a dance studio, fitness suite and main hall with three full-length cricket nets.

• Specialist teaching suites for all subject areas.

• A purpose-built music block with a recital hall, recording studio and new Sixth Form study suite.

Our strengths: • Outstanding pastoral care and careers guidance.

• Excellent relationships between staff and pupils with discipline firmly based on a tradition of mutual care and respect.

• Boys and girls make exceptional progress in a caring, co-educational and academically rigorous environment.

• Broad curriculum choice and sensible acceleration for the most gifted students.

• A strong tradition of extra-curricular activities and trips • 20 “Good Schools Guide” Awards.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 595 537

48

Type: Grammar

Area: Rainham

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Headteacher: Mr S Decker MSc, MSc(Ed)

Admission: Entry is with testing via the Medway Test

Pump Lane, Gillingham ME8 7AJ

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Rainham Mark Grammar School is specifically named, the following over- subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: (i) If the number of RMGS preferences received, via the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme, from parents of children achieving selective standard exceeds the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following priority order. Children in Public Care, as defined in the Medway Coordinated Admissions Scheme to include children who are adopted and were previously looked after. (ii) Children who are designated as receiving ‘Free School Meals’. Applicants under this criterion must complete a Supplementary Information Form so that checks can be made to determine eligibility. (iii) In rank order of score as determined by Medway’s Selection Procedures. (iv) In the event of two or more pupils having equal ranking for the last place the deciding factor will be the shortest available safe walking distance between the home address and RMGS as measured by the Medway Council Geographical Information System and determined by Medway Local Authority.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 254 141 113 56 21 10

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 205 205

apply online

01634 364151 Email: office@rmgs.org.uk www.rainhammark.com

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 9 October, 5 – 7pm Headteacher talks at 6.30pm Open morning: Saturday, 11 October, 10am – 12noon Headteacher talks at 11.30am Tours of the school during a working day can be taken from 9am to 3pm from Monday 13 to Friday, 17 October. We are unable to offer additional tours after 17 October. Please contact the school to make an appointment.

For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Bourne, Head of Lower School

Lowest score offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 535 509

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1250

8

Rainham School for Girls An academy as part of The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT) DFE number: 887 4199

PAN: 270

Do you want your daughter to be happy, develop her interests, talents and achieve academic success?

Then look no further than Rainham School for Girls.

We pride ourselves on offering an education that balances academic challenge, support for each individual and an innovative and exciting curriculum. Our students develop their talents in creative and academic areas and we cater for students of all abilities, from those who lack confidence to the highest achievers who remain in our sixth form and progress to university.

In Year 7 classes are organised to support students’ abilities, including two fast track “Stellar” groups aimed at the most able and following an accelerated curriculum. Our transition arrangements are second to none. Before transferring we liaise closely with primary schools to ensure students are placed appropriately for their individual development. Our well qualified, experienced staff and excellent facilities support your daughters in developing their potential.

Pastoral care is equally important to us.

Relationships within school are very good with high expectations of behaviour firmly based in a tradition of mutual respect. We are committed to ensuring success for all and very much value partnership with parents.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 528 480

Type: Academy

Area: Rainham

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Girls

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Headteacher: Ms K Roberts

Admission: Entry is without testing

Derwent Way, Rainham, Gillingham ME8 0BX

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Rainham School for Girls is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: If the number of preferences for the school, in any year, is more than the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following priority order: • Children in public care, and those who have been in care and have been subsequently adopted or have been made subject of a residence order or special guardianship.

• Children who at the time of application have a sibling (including children living as siblings in the same family unit) on the roll of the school and who will be on roll at the time of the siblings admission, or were on roll in the preceding five years.

• Child’s health reasons. Medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires the child to attend the preferred school.

• Children of a member of staff working at this school for two or more years at time of application for admission, or appointed to a skill shortage subject.

• Residence in an access area.

• Nearness of student’s home. The distance calculated is the shortest available safe walking route between the child’s home and the school using roads and footpaths known to the mapping layer used by the Medway Council GIS.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 263 119 87 29 19 11

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 270 270

apply online

01634 362746 Email: admin@rsg.org.uk www.rsg.org.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Wednesday, 8 October, 6 – 8pm Headteacher talks at 6 and 7pm Open morning: Saturday, 13 September, 10am – 12noon Headteacher talks at 10 and 11am Daytime tours: Monday, 6 to Friday, 10 October* *Two sessions 9 – 10.30am and 11.15am – 12.45pm By appointment For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Lee, Executive Administration Support.

Tiebreaker – in the event of a tie within any criterion, places will be allocated to those living closest to the school measured by the shortest available walking route.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 4.98km 5.79km

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

yes

1600

49

9

Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School A member of The Williamson Trust DFE number: 887 4530

PAN: 168

In November 2008, we received our second ‘outstanding’ judgement from Ofsted, with the lead inspector noting in her report that ‘a buzz of excitement pervades the school.’

Five core values underpin our work: • We ensure the highest standards of achievement.

• We provide all students with an exciting, challenging and enjoyable curriculum that will prepare them for a rapidly changing, technology dominated world.

• We promote courtesy, tolerance and respect for others.

• We place great emphasis on personal development and well-being.

• We work in partnership with parents and the wider community.

We have excellent facilities. The school has been extended over the years by the provision of a Sixth Form Centre, Mathematics Block and a larger Music suite. A new building for Design Technology and Art was opened in April 2012 and our refurbished English Block opened in September 2012.

With highly-qualified teaching staff, responsive pupils and supportive parents, we believe we can develop the young people in our care into young adults of whom both the parents and the school can be justifiably proud.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 515 427

50

Type: Grammar

Area: Rochester

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Boys

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Executive Principal: Dr G Holden

Admission: Entry is with testing via the Medway Test

Headteacher: Mr E Hodges

Oversubscription: If the number of preferences for the school exceeds the number of places available at the school, the LA will allocate places in the following priority order: • Looked after children (children in public care) and previously looked after children in the same family unit) on the roll of the school at the time of the sibling’s admission • Child’s health reasons, supported by medical evidence, which required the child to attend this school • Children who at the time of application have a parent who is a member of staff at the school (where the member of staff has been employed for three years or more at the time at which the application for admission is made and/or where the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage).

• Nearness of children’s homes Distance will be measured by the shortest available safe walking route between home and school as measured by the council’s geographical information system. Those living closer to the school will receive the higher priority. Medway Council’s Geographical Information System measures the start point, end point and distance of each route.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 250 152 70 27 9 7

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 168 168

apply online

Maidstone Road, Rochester ME1 3EL 01634 844008 Email: office@sjwms.co.uk www.sirjosephwilliamson@medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 23 October, 6 – 9pm Open days: Monday, 13 to Friday, 17 October* *tour times 9am and 2.15pm For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Jacqueline Harrison, PA to Headteacher

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 6.16km 14.93km

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1220

10

St John Fisher Catholic School

DFE number: 887 5436

PAN: 180

St John Fisher has a strong Christian ethos and seeks to develop the whole child as well as enabling them to reach their full academic potential. The school mission statement amplifies this further as we seek to encourage students to develop individually and collectively a way of life modelled on Christ.

St John Fisher Catholic School is within a selective area, which caters for all abilities including the more able within a Christian ethos.

Students of all faiths are welcomed into our school. All children in our school are safe, happy and successful. We have a dedicated Lower School for years 7 and 8 only. This creates a caring and nurturing small school which makes transition from primary to secondary much easier for children.

Type: Comprehensive

Area: Chatham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Voluntary Aided

Headteacher: Mrs C L Burnett Lower school: 79 Maidstone Road, Chatham

Admission: Entry is without testing.

ME4 6DP

Please note that applicants should complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) as well as the application. This is available from and must be returned to the school by the closing date for applications. The SIF is also available on the Medway Council website at www.medway.gov.uk/admissions See page 52 for further details on oversubscription criteria.

01634 335787 Upper school: Ordnance Street, Chatham ME4 6SG 01634 335757 Email: office@st-johnfisher.medway.sch.uk www.st-johnfisher.medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open morning: Saturday, 11 October, 9am – 12noon For admission enquiries please contact Mrs A Bovis

All prospective parents need to complete both the Medway form and the St John Fisher supplementary admission form.

C L Burnett, Headteacher

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 299 266

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 83 73 65 32 29 17

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 178 134

apply online

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1050

51

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where St John Fisher Catholic School is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where the number of applications exceeds (n) the Governors will offer places using the following criteria in the order stated: 1. Looked after Catholic children or looked after children in the care of Catholic families and previously looked after Catholic children who have been adopted or who have become the subject of a residence or guardianship order.

2. Catholic children, a baptismal certificate or evidence of reception into the Catholic Church must accompany the supplementary information form. See note a.

3. Children enrolled in the catechumenate. Evidence of enrolment in the catechumenate will be required.

4. Other looked after children and other previously looked after children who have been adopted or who have become the subject of a residence or guardianship order.

5. Non Catholic children who have attended a Catholic primary partner school, that is: • English Martyrs’, Strood • St Augustine of Canterbury, Rainham • St Benedict’s, Lordswood • St Edward’s, Sheppey • St Mary’s, Gillingham • St Michael’s, Chatham • St Peter’s, Sittingbourne • St Thomas More, Walderslade • St Thomas of Canterbury, Rainham • St William of Perth, Rochester.

6. Children of families who are members of other Christian denominations that are part of Churches Together in England. Evidence of Baptism (or dedication) provided by a priest or minister of a designated place of worship will be required.

7. Children who are members of other faiths. Evidence of membership of the faith provided by a priest, minister or religious leader of a designated place of worship will be required.

8. Any other children.

52

The following order of priorities will be applied when applications within any of the above categories exceed the places available and it is necessary to decide between applications.

I. A brother or sister on the school roll at the time of admission. Evidence of the relationship may be required.

See note b.

II. Social, pastoral and medical needs which make the school particularly suitable for the child in question. Strong and relevant evidence must be provided by an appropriate professional authority (eg qualified medical practitioner, education welfare officer, social worker or priest).

III. Proximity to the School from the child's home address.

See note c.

Notes a. Catholics include members of the Ordinariate and the Latin and Oriental Rite Churches that are in union with the Bishop of Rome. Reference to other Christian denominations refers to denominations that are full members of Churches Together in England. b. A “brother or sister” means children who live as brother and sister including natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers or sisters. It would not include other relatives eg cousins. c. Home refers to the permanent home address at which the child lives for the majority of his/her time and with the parent who is in receipt of child benefit. The distance calculated is the shortest available safe walking route known to Medway Council’s GIS. This graphical information software may not know all footpaths that are in existence and certain new roads may not be known. Where a footpath or new road is not known to the software an alternative route will be used. Where a child’s home is situated on a new road the distance calculation will begin from the nearest available known road plotted in the software. New developments may be subject to this. In certain cases it may not be possible to calculate a distance where the entire route is deemed as a safe walking route.

In these circumstances the distance calculated is used purely to prioritise an application for admission. There is no expectation that the walk should be taken.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

d. Looked after children are those in the care of a public authority and are in public care. Applications made under this criterion must be accompanied by details of circumstance and professionally supported evidence (eg from an appropriate social worker).

11

Strood Academy Specialism: Mathematics and Business and Enterprise

DFE number: 887 6905

PAN: 240

Strood is the first of Medway’s new academies with new buildings that opened September 2012, providing exceptional accommodation for teaching and learning.

Our lead sponsor is the University for the Creative Arts and our specialist subjects are mathematics and business and enterprise. These compliment our existing strengths in English, science, sports and the arts, providing outstanding opportunities for young people.

Our academy is for children of all abilities, providing a safe and well managed learning environment. Since opening, academic performance has risen very sharply at GCSE, doubling the number of young people achieving five ‘good’ GCSE grades. Our sixth form continues to grow year on year with students progressing to university, college or employment. All children are monitored closely with reports to parents every six weeks and an open door policy to meet with our staff.

We set high standards for academic performance and have equally high expectations for positive attitudes and behaviour. Prospective parents are very welcome to visit the academy in session.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 524 489

Type: Academy

Area: Strood

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Principal: Mrs Kim Gunn BA (Hons), MBA

Admission: All applicants for a place at the academy including those with an SEN statement or EHCP will be required to take the Fair Banding Test.

Carnation Road, Strood, Rochester ME2 2SX

Fair Banding test dates: Saturday, 13 September 2014 Saturday, 18 0ctober 2014

www.stroodacademy.org

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 240 240

apply online

Email: office@stroodacademy.org

Open sessions

Oversubscription: After the admission of students with Statements of Special Educational Needs where Strood Academy is named on the statement, the oversubscription criteria shall be applied in the order in which they are set out below. Within each band the criteria will be applied in the following order: a) Children looked after (in the care of, or accommodated by, the local authority) or previously looked after who immediately after being looked after were adopted or subject to a residence or special guardianship order(as further defined in paragraph 1.7 of the School Admissions Code) b) Current family association (i.e. elder brother or sister in the Academy at time of application who will still be attending when the applicant child is admitted. In this context, brother or sister means: 1. Natural brother or sister (including adopted siblings) 2. Step brother or sister 3. Foster brother or sister 4. Those who live as brother or sister living together as a family unit at the same address

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 261 137 58 36 18 14

01634 717121

Open evening: Wednesday, 1 October, 6 – 8pm Open mornings: Tuesday, 7 to Thursday, 9 October, 10.30 – 11.30am For admission enquiries please contact Reception or the PA to the Principal c) Nearness of children’s homes to the school d) Random allocation will be used as a tie-break in category ‘c’ above to decide who has highest priority for admission if the distance between two children’s homes and the school is the same. This process will be independently verified.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 2.62km 3.83

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1400

53

Fair Banding: Strood Academy is an all ability school, and in order to secure an all ability intake that is representative of the national ability range, all applicants for admission must take a fair banding test which is prescribed by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). This is not a pass or fail test this is just to ensure that young people across the ability range are admitted.

All applicants for places in the academy will be banded according to the principles of fair banding, using the national profile.

Medway operate an equal preference system which means that parents/carers who intend to put Strood Academy down on the preference form either first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth choice will need to take the Academy Fair Banding test, which will determine what banding group their child should be placed in should they gain a place at the academy.

The test will be administered during September/October – a year ahead of entry. Parents and Carers can access the test for their child by filling in and returning a rest registration form which will be available via the academy website at www.stroodacademy.org and from the Academy reception during term 6 of year 5. This test registration form should be returned within the prescribed deadlines a indicated on the registration form together with the preferred test date. All applicants for an Academy place, including those with a SEN statement, will be required to take the Fair Banding test. Following the rest, applicants will be split into five bands based on their NFER scores within the national profile, including those with SEN statements and Looked After Children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or because they were subject to a resident order of special guardianship order).

Students who have not taken the banding test (apart from children in care and statemented students where the academy is named in the statement who must always be

54

given priority) will be considered after children who have sat the banding test.

All applicants who register for the test will be offered fair access to the test and reminded of the dates and times of the test.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

12

The Howard School Specialism: Physical Education, Sport and ICT

DFE number: 887 5457

PAN: 250

The Howard School is unique to Medway and one of just five 11 – 18 bilateral* schools in the UK. We are able to admit both grammar and high school students. Students have genuine opportunities to achieve success and we are able to offer the flexibility for promotion for high school students into our grammar school.

We are a top performing, extremely popular and successful school. This was clearly recognised in a tremendous Ofsted report in November 2013.

Attainment and achievement levels are impressive at all key stages. We have an open and mixed sixth form and many of our students progress to university. Success extends beyond the classroom; we regularly dominate Medway, county and national sporting competitions in an incomparable range of sports including soccer, rugby (union and league), table tennis, basketball, badminton, athletics and cricket. Achievement in drama and music are second to none in the area. Our pastoral care is excellent and we have effective partnerships with the community.

We offer an incredible range of extra-curricular activities, a most able programme, and an elite athletes group. The school was a training base for the 2012 Olympics. ICT provision is impressive and our learning support department is excellent. The atmosphere is friendly and links with parents/carers are strong. We work together to encourage students to succeed socially and academically.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 480 447

Type: Bi-lateral*

Area: Rainham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Single sex/mixed: Boys

Headteacher: The Hon Paul Morris BA (Hons), PGCE, DipEd, NPQH, LLE

Admission: Entry is without testing.

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where The Howard School is specifically named, the following oversubscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: If the number of preferences for The Howard School received via the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme is more than the number of places available, places are allocated in the following priority order: i) Looked After Children as defined in Medway Council’s co-ordinated admission scheme. ii) Where a child has a natural brother (including adopted siblings), stepbrother, foster brother and those who live as a brother in the same house currently attending the school and will still be on roll at the time of entry. iii) Child’s health reasons. Medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires a child to attend the preferred school. iv) Where the child resides within the access area. Priority given to those nearest the school. v) Nearness of child’s home. Distance will be measured by the shortest available safe walking route between home and school as measured by Medway Council’s GIS.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 239 94 72 53 17 5

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 255 250

apply online

Status: Foundation

Derwent Way, Rainham ME8 0BX 01634 388765 Email: office@thehowardschool.co.uk www.thehowardschool.co.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Tuesday, 7 October, 5.30 – 8pm talks at 5.30 and 6.30pm Open mornings: Thursday, 9 and Friday, 10 and Monday, 13 October, 8.35 – 10.30am No appointment required for any of the sessions For admission enquiries please contact Mr M Capelin, Assistant Principal, Student Services * Following the allocation of places, children who have been assessed as selective under the Medway Test process will be placed in the grammar stream.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 4.83km 5.4km

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

yes

1550

55

13

The Hundred of Hoo Academy

DFE number: 887 4000

PAN: 270

The Hundred of Hoo is a member of The Williamson Trust and is dedicated to improving the life chances of young people by focusing on every child as an individual, helping them to build a better future.

We are committed to the creation of a vibrant, diverse and innovative learning community in which children are encouraged to develop a sense of self-discipline and self-belief enabling pupils to achieve their goals. We ensure: • The highest standards in achievement, shown by our rapidly improving results and praise by Ofsted in 2012.

• Nationally recognised by SSAT Educational outcomes by being in the top 20% of schools nationally.

• A challenging and enjoyable curriculum for all, including a ‘grammar’ stream and a specialist provision for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

• Access to outstanding learning resources and sporting facilities.

• Excellent pastoral care and outstanding partnership with parents and the wider community.

Our aim is to ensure that pupils aspire to the highest standards, achieve to the best of their ability and excel in all that they do, so that when they leave us, we and you can be justly proud of them.

Mr G Vyse, Headteacher Total number of prefs 2014 2013 414 319

56

Type: Academy

Area: Hoo

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Executive Principal: Dr G Holden

Admission: Entry is without testing.

Headteacher: Mr G Vyse

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where The Hundred of Hoo Academy is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where applications for admission received via Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below to decide which children to admit: a) Children in public care, as defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme. b) Children who at the time of application have a brother or sister (including children living as siblings* in the same family unit) on the roll of the Academy and who will still be on roll at the time of the sibling’s admission. *Sibling means brother or sister, step brother or sister, foster brother or sister and those who live as brother or sister in the same house. c) Child’s health reasons. Medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason which requires a child to attend the preferred school. d) Residence within the access area (see page 39). e) Nearness of children’s homes to The Hundred of Hoo Academy. Nearness to The Hundred of Hoo Academy will be measured using Medway Council’s GIS based on the shortest distance from home to school.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 226 87 50 32 9 10

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 270 203

apply online

Main Road, Hoo, Rochester ME3 9HH 01634 251443 Email: office@hohschool.co.uk www.hundredofhooacademy.co.uk

Open sessions Open morning: Saturday, 11 October, 10am – 1pm Daytime tours: Monday, 29 September to Friday 3 October Please contact the Academy to make an appointment for a tour For admission enquiries please contact the Main Academy Office

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1385

14

The Robert Napier School Specialism: Humanities College

DFE number: 887 4001

PAN: 150

Robert Napier is a co-educational academy committed to academic excellence for all students.

Our aims are to: • embrace students of all abilities, enabling each one to achieve and aspire to excellence in all they do; • provide inspirational teaching and learning for all young people at our school; • reward all achievements; • develop qualities of self-discipline, integrity, respect, honesty, trust, and compassion; • develop an effective partnership with all parents; • encourage links with, and an understanding of industry and commerce • prepare students for the responsibilities, opportunities and experiences of adult life.

In order to achieve these aims the school has developed a highly successful pastoral system, ensuring all members of staff are responsible for the progress and well-being of every student.

Our curriculum encourages students to value themselves and others, and to develop their intellectual, spiritual and creative talents. We believe that we can offer your child a safe and stimulating environment in which to reach their full potential.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 373 428

Type: Academy

Area: Gillingham

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Headteacher: Miss Fiona Miller BA (Hons), MSc Oxon

Admission: Entry is without testing.

Third Avenue, Gillingham ME7 2LX 01634 851157

Fair Banding test dates: Saturday, 6 September, 2014 Saturday, 11 October, 2014

Email: trns@robertnapier.org.uk www.robertnapier.org.uk

See page 57 for further details on oversubscription criteria and fair banding test.

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 17 July, 6 – 8.30pm Open mornings: Tuesday, 7 to Thursday, 9 October, 9am – 12noon For admission enquiries please contact Miss F Miller

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 73 174 64 29 19 14

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 187 161

apply online

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 n/a n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1240

57

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where The Robert Napier School is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: If the number of applications for admission to the school received via Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered against the criteria set out below. a. Children in public care, or previously looked after b. Current family association (i.e. elder brother or sister in the school at time of application who will still be attending when the applicant child is admitted.

This means: • A natural brother or sister (including adopted siblings) • Step brother or sister • Foster brother or sister • Those who live as brother or sister in the same house c. Children of staff (where the member of staff has been employed for three years or more at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made and/or where the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage). d. Nearness of children’s homes e. Random selection within bands Students who have not taken the banding test (apart from children in care and statemented students who must always be given priority) will be considered after children who have sat the banding test. They will be prioritised on the basis of criteria a to e above.

58

Fair Banding Test Robert Napier accepts students of all abilities, and in order to secure an all ability intake, all applicants for admission should take a Fair Banding test which is prescribed by NFER. (National Foundation for Educational Research). This is not a pass or fail test. It determines which band each child will be placed in, should they be successful in gaining a place at Robert Napier. All applicants for places in the school will be banded according to the principles of Fair Banding, using the national profile. Children in public care (Looked After Children) including those with a SEN statement, will be required to take the Fair Banding test.

Medway operate an equal preference system which means that parents/carers who intend to put Robert Napier down on the preference form as either first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth choice will need to take the school Fair Banding test.

The test will be administered during September/October – a year ahead of entry. Parents and Carers can access the test for their child by filling in and returning a test registration form which will be available via the school website http://portal.robertnapier.medway.sch.uk and from the school reception from Monday, 2 June to Friday 18 July 2014. This test registration form should be returned by the deadlines indicated on the registration form together with the preferred test date. All applicants will be offered fair access to the test, and reminders of when and where the tests are being held.

The applicants will be split into 5 equally sized bands based on their NFER results. Within each band places will be offered in the following order: a. Children in public care or previously looked after, but no longer so because they have been adopted (or become subject to a residence order or special guardianship order). b. Statemented children Then the order will be as described in the oversubscription criteria.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

15

The Rochester Grammar School A designated National Teaching School, Lead School in the Thinking Schools Academy Trust and National Support School

DFE number: 887 5445

PAN: 175

Ofsted Outstanding: “A key feature of this school and its success is the ethos for learning” – Ofsted.

Our students are happy and feel supported; they love to learn and want to think and discover for themselves.

The Rochester Grammar School (RGS) is committed to the highest standards in education. Our academic results are outstanding and we consistently appear in The Times top 30 State Schools. We provide a world-class education including a world qualification – International Baccalaureate. The RGS is the lead school in a growing and successful family of Thinking Schools that share a commitment to the development of cognitive education.

We celebrate the achievements of all our pupils in a wide range of enrichment activities, with numerous clubs and educational visits both in the UK and Europe. Our students regularly undertake World Challenge and we are one of the largest Duke of Edinburgh Award centres.

At The Rochester Grammar School we have high expectations for all our pupils and we believe that each girl has a particular talent to offer. Our mission statement of transforming life chances is a testament to our ambition and dedication to every one of our children and young people.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 479 444

Type: Grammar

Area: Rochester

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Girls

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

CEO: Ms D Shepherd, MA, NPQH, NLE

Admission: Entry is with testing via the Medway Test

Principal: Mr G Bassan, BA(Hons), NPQH

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where The Rochester Grammar School is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: If the number of RGS preference selective girls received via Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme exceeds the number of places available at the school, places will be allocated in the following priority order: (a) Children in public care – as defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme. (b) Where a pupil can demonstrate a specific musical aptitude, as assessed by graded examinations. Parents/carers should write to the Chair of Governors using the Expression of Interest form with details. Two places annually will be awarded, given eligible candidates. (c) In rank order based on the scores achieved in the tests.

In the event that two pupils have equal ranking for the last place, priority will be given to the pupil whose permanent address is the nearest to The Rochester Grammar School, as measured by using Medway Council’s GIS.

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 199 132 102 37 6 3

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 175 175

apply online

Maidstone Road, Rochester ME1 3BY 01634 843049 Email: office@rochestergrammar.medway.sch.uk www.rochestergrammar.medway.sch.uk

Open sessions Open morning: Saturday, 11 October, 9am – 1pm Daytime tours: Monday, 13 to Friday, 17 October* *Tours at 9am, 11.15am and 2.10pm Please phone the school to book For admission enquiries please contact Mrs J Smith, the Principal’s PA

Lowest score offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 529 514

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

no

1180

59

16

The Thomas Aveling School An academy for success

DFE number: 887 5451

PAN: 190

Thomas Aveling is a popular and consistently oversubscribed school with outstanding facilities and resources, offering an excellent education for all, including the most able. We provide exciting and challenging learning opportunities in a creative and happy environment, with the highest expectations for children in every aspect of school life. Our broad curriculum provides a smooth transition from primary school, with most students following a three-year Key Stage 4, leading to the widest possible choice at age 16 and beyond. Our results have risen steeply over the past eight years and our last Ofsted inspection recognised us as a good school with a happy and lively atmosphere and a sense of shared purpose. We offer a wide and exciting range of out-of-hours activities, fully utilising our purpose built sports hall, performing arts centre, sixth form suite, science laboratories and community library.

We believe that partnership with parents is pivotal for the success of our students, and regular opportunities are provided for parental participation. Staff and students are justifiably proud of their school and prospective parents and children are very welcome to visit during any of our open sessions.

Paul Jackson, Headteacher Total number of prefs 2014 2013 550 527

60

Type: Academy

Area: Rochester

Age range: 11 – 18

Single sex/mixed: Mixed

Status: Academy

Admission and oversubscription criteria

Headteacher: Mr P Jackson

Admission: Entry is without testing.

Arethusa Road, Rochester ME1 2UW

Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where The Thomas Aveling School is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where applications for admission received via Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which children to admit: a) Children in public care. As defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme b) Current Family Association, ie. an older sibling2 who is on the roll of the school when the application is made, living in the same household, and who must still be attending at the point of entry. Sibling means an older brother or sister, stepbrother or sister, foster brother or sister, or those who live as brother or sister in the same house. In all cases, children must reside in the same household. c) Residence within an access area. As defined in the Medway Council Admission to Secondary School booklet and as published on the school website d) Nearness of children’s homes. The Governors of The Thomas Aveling School have adopted Medway Council’s criteria for measuring the nearness of children’s homes to the school when allocating places. Distance will be measured by the

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 187 148 112 56 36 11

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 190 190

apply online

01634 844809 Email: office@thomasaveling.co.uk www.thomasaveling.co.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Thursday, 10 July, 6 – 8pm Open mornings: Tuesday, 7, Wednesday, 8 and Thursday, 9 October, 9.15 – 10.45am For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Y Akrill

shortest available safe walking route between home and school, as measured by Medway Council’s GIS and as defined in the Medway Local Authority Admission to Secondary School booklet.

In the event of a tie-break with any criteria, nearness of children’s homes (as defined by the criteria in the Medway Council booklet will normally decide which child is allocated the final place.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 2.60km 2.18km

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Access area

Expected roll

yes

1110

17

Walderslade Girls’ School Specialism: Humanities and the Arts

DFE number: 887 4167

PAN: 160

Walderslade Girls’ School (WGS) is a traditional and successful high school, providing a vibrant, purposeful and secure environment where the highest standards of achievement and behaviour are expected. Our committed and long serving staff share their passion and excitement for learning and our girls are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and their conduct.

We place emphasis on developing well educated young women of the future through a wide curriculum with ample opportunities for students to develop their creativity through our arts specialism as well as achieve success across academic subjects.

Ofsted reported in March 2014 “All groups of students achieve well. High expectations are the norm. Students’ conduct and behaviour, both within class and around the school, is impressive.

Students are proud of their school. Relationships are supportive, harmonious and respectful.”

As an 11-18 school, we offer a strong and varied curriculum in the sixth form which works in close partnership with Greenacre School, sharing strengths and subject expertise to ensure our students receive the highest quality specialist teaching.

Total number of prefs 2014 2013 314 250

Type: Academy

Area: Walderslade

Age range: 11 – 18

Admission and oversubscription criteria Admission: Entry is without testing Oversubscription: After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs or EHCP where Walderslade Girls’ School is specifically named, the following over-subscription criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below: Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below: 1. Children in public care - (as defined in Medway Council’s Co-ordinated Scheme) 2. Sibling - (a sister attending Walderslade Girls School or brother attending Greenacre Academy at the time of application and who will still be attending in September 2014. Sibling means children who live as brother/sister in the same house and includes natural siblings, adopted siblings, foster siblings and step siblings. (Extended family, for example cousins, living in the same house, do not qualify as siblings).

3. Historical Sibling – girls with an older sibling who attended Walderslade Girls School but who has now left. This applies to girls whose older sibling left up to 5 years prior to September 2014. Sibling means children who live as brother/sister in the same house and includes natural siblings, adopted siblings, foster siblings and step siblings.

(Extended family, for example cousins, living in the same house, do not qualify as siblings).

4. Child’s health reasons – Medical evidence must be provided

2014 Preference breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 157 67 37 26 10 17

Places allocated (on offer day) 2014 2013 160 156

apply online

Single sex/mixed: Girls

Headteacher: Mrs Louise McGowan BMUS (Hons) MA NPQH Bradfields Avenue, Walderslade, Chatham ME5 0LE 01634 861596 Email: office@waldersladegirls.org.uk www.waldersladegirls.org.uk

Open sessions Open evening: Tuesday, 14 October, 6 - 8.30pm Headteacher’s presentation at 6.15 and 7pm Open mornings: Wednesday, 15 to Friday, 17 October, 9am - 12noon For admission enquiries please contact Mrs Maher, Admissions Officer to Medway Council. This evidence must demonstrate a specific link between the child’s medical condition and needs and how the named school can meet these needs.

5. Residence in the Walderslade Girls’ School access area 6. Nearness of children’s home – as defined in the Medway Council Co-ordinated Scheme using Medway Council’s GIS. Tiebreaker – in the event of a tie within any criterion, places will be allocated to those living closest to the school measured by the short available walking route.

Furthest distance offered (on offer day) 2014 2013 2.53km n/a

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

Status: Academy

Access area

Expected roll

yes

900

61

NEW Did you know that in September 2015 a brand new type of school will be opening in Medway for 14-19 year olds? The Medway UTC. What is a Medway UTC? Medway UTC (University Technology College) will offer a new and exciting type of education, specialising in engineering and construction for 14-19 year old young people in Medway and surrounding districts. The UTC will combine cutting edge facilities with practical industry experience and personal development opportunities, whilst delivering the core curriculum of English, mathematics and science.

Sponsored by The University of Greenwich, in partnership with industry-leading employers such as BAE Systems, Delphi and Denne construction the UTC will equip and prepare students with the practical and relevant skills, knowledge and industry experience to fully realise their potential in the modern world of work.

What year groups will the UTC cover?

The UTC is available for young people in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 and they can only transfer at the end of year 9 or 11. In the first year, September 2013, there will only be places in year 10 and 12.

The UTC is not available for those in Years 7, 8 and

62

9, but will carry out activities and sessions for young people to sample the UTC style of education before applying to join in year 10 or 12.

What subjects will be taught there?

At Key Stage 4 students will follow the core curriculum of English, mathematics and science, plus the opportunity of a humanities and modern foreign language option (or individual study programme), combined with practical and technical qualifications in engineering and construction, all of which are recognised by employers, colleges and universities. Students will also gain practical industry experience, as well as personal development and enrichment opportunities.

Pre-16 students will spend about 60% of their time on the core curriculum and 40% on technical skills and qualifications. Post-16 students can spend up to 60% on the technical curriculum depending on their choices, reflecting each student’s individual interest and ability. Industry experience is a central element of UTC learning.

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

What qualifications will the UTC offer?

The UTC will offer students GCSE, A-level or their equivalent qualifications, alongside practical project experience. This will ensure that students will be fully prepared and able to succeed in the world of work, or transfer to other educational or training opportunities, including university if they choose.

Where will it be?

The site for the Medway UTC is within the Chatham Waters redevelopment project at Chatham Docks, on Pier Road.

Where can I get further information?

The Medway UTC will be publishing an information booklet, details on the admission arrangements and when and how to apply from September 2014, onwards.

Further information can be found on the website www.medwayutc.co.uk

Work:

Male:

Postcode:

Female:

Officer initials:

3

2

1

Nearest selective schools School name

3

2

1

Nearest non-selective schools School name

Impulse ID:

Date measured:

Distance (miles)

Distance (miles)

The section below will be completed by Student Services Operations Team and returned to you by email, if you have provided an email address above or by post.

Please be aware that the schools named below are the three nearest non-selective and selective schools to the address you state above. The minimum walking distance criteria will apply and therefore does not mean that entitlement to free home to school transport is automatic if your child attends any of the schools listed.

For more information about home to school transport including eligibility criteria please read pages 30 to 32 of the Admission to Secondary School September 2015 booklet.

Please note: The distances provided are ONLY an indication of the home to school distance from your address.

Routes are regularly assessed and this may mean that some or all of a route may no longer be available to use at the time a child starts secondary school in September 2015. These distances may not be the final ones used for admission or home to school transport purposes.

For office use only

Please note: There is no guarantee that a place at a school named below can be offered. School places are only offered against the published oversubscription criteria for the individual school(s).

Email address:

Mobile:

Phone number Home:

Parent/carer’s name:

Home address:

Child’s date of birth:

Child’s name:

If you would like your nearest appropriate school confirmed for the purpose of free home to school transport, please complete your child’s details below in BLOCK CAPITALS and send the whole form to Student Services Operations Team, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR before 10 October 2014.

Forms received after this date may not be processed before the closing date for preferences.

Medway residents only. (Only complete this form if you pay your council tax to Medway Council) This is not an application for a school place.

Transfer to secondary school - September 2015 Nearest appropriate school confirmation request

Medway Primary School DFE numbers School name

Number

School name

Number

School name

Number

All Faiths’ Children’s Community School

887 2600

Horsted School - Juniors

887 2506

St Thomas More RC Primary School

887 3736

All Saints CE Primary School

887 3093

Kingfisher Primary School

887 2003

St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School

887 3732

Allhallows Primary Academy

887 2005

Kings Rochester

887 6000

St William Of Perth RC Primary School

887 3746

Balfour Junior School

887 2214

Lordswood School

887 2007

Stoke Community School

887 2194

Barnsole Primary School

887 2396

Luton Junior School

887 2199

Swingate Primary School

887 2549

Bligh Federation - Juniors

887 2492

Maundene School

887 2580

Temple Mill Primary School

887 2685

Brompton - Westbrook Primary School

887 2646

Meredale Independent School

887 6007

Thames View Primary School

887 2592

Bryony School

887 6001

Miers Court Primary School

887 2623

The Academy of Woodlands -

Burnt Oak Primary School

887 3760

Napier Community Primary and Nursery School 887 2406

Woodlands Primary School

Byron Primary School

887 2644

New Horizons Children’s Academy

887 2008

The Gordon School - Juniors

887 2009

Cedar Primary School

887 2469

New Road Primary School

887 2202

The Pilgrim School

887 3758

Chattenden Primary School

887 2209

Oaklands School

887 2433

Cliffe Woods Primary School

887 2588

Oasis Academy Skinner Street

887 2006

Cuxton Community Junior School

887 2540

Parkwood Junior School

887 2493

Deanwood Primary School and Childrens Centre 887 2684

Phoenix Junior Academy

887 2001

Delce Academy

887 2413

Elaine Primary Academy

887 2000

English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School

887 3729

Fairview Community Primary School

887 3759

Featherby Junior School

887 2400

Halling Primary School

887 2211

Hempstead Junior School

887 2403

High Halstow Primary School

887 2421

Hilltop Primary School

887 2499

Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and Marlborough Centre

887 2213

Riverside Primary School and Children’s Centre 887 3757 Saxon Way Primary School

887 2004

St Andrews School

887 6002

St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School

887 3752

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School

887 3753

St Helen’s CE Primary School

887 3096

St James’ CE Primary Academy

887 2002

St Margaret’s CE Junior School

887 3195

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

887 3755

St Mary’s Island CE Primary School

887 3756

St Michael's RC Primary School

887 3712

apply online

www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

887 2412

Twydall Primary School, Nursery and Children’s Centre

887 2754

Wainscott Primary School

887 2210

Walderslade Primary School

887 2203

Warren Wood Community Primary School and Language Unit

887 2640

Wayfield Community Primary School and Nursery Unit

887 2668

65

Notes

knowledgeable g e

friendlyy

free to use

computers

and nd

books boo

trusted

study homework

pleasure

resources

To find out more visit www.medway.gov.uk/libraries or 01634 337799

low-cost

discover sco o for

printing

staff

Join your local library, it’s free.

Find out about Medway Council services in your language Bengali

01634 331780

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01634 331781

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01634 331840

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01634 331782

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01634 331783

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01634 331841

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01634 332372

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01634 331839

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01634 331781

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01634 331784

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01634 332374

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01634 331786

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01634 331785

To find out more information on Medway Council services phone Customer First 01634 333333 or visit www.medway.gov.uk G8917 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Team. www.medway.gov.uk/communications