Admissions

Students with Statements of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plans

The law requires the Academy to admit students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where a Local Authority has specifically named Shireland Collegiate Academy as the most appropriate placement and where they meet the academic requirements of their chosen course. These applications will usually be agreed in advance of the main allocation process. Where they are a late application, the Academy can be required to admit even if the admission number for external applicants has been reached.  Students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP admitted to the Resource Unit will be allocated places in excess of the admission number (to be limited to the maximum capacity of the Resource Unit).

Other Students

Admission to Sixth Form will be as follows:

• Students currently in Year 11 at Shireland Collegiate Academy (referred to as ‘internal applicants’) and students from outside the Academy currently in Year 11 (referred to as ‘external applicants’) who meet the academic entry criteria
• Students from outside the Academy currently in Year 12 (referred to as ‘external applicants’) who are applying for restarting their academic studies
• Students currently in Year 12 on a level one programme aiming to progress on to a level two programme

Academic criteria are usually measured by attained GCSE grades, but may include further skills required, in order to be successful on a course as indicated on the subject description of each course on the Shireland Collegiate Academy website.

The agreed minimum admission number for external applicants is 20 for entry in September 2020. The anticipated capacity for Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13) in September 2020 is 260. The Academy has only a limited capacity to offer certain courses. For a Level Three course the maximum expected class size will be 25, for any other level the maximum class size will be 15.

Students on roll at the Academy are required to apply for a place in Sixth Form as are students from other Academies or Schools.

The entry requirements for admission to Sixth Form shall be the same for students on roll in Year 11 at Shireland Collegiate Academy and external applicants.

Students will be admitted into Sixth Form at the start of the Autumn Term in each Academic year.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements for Advanced Level Courses operate at two levels

• Pathways based upon the number and type of Level Two courses gained at the end of Key Stage 4
• Subject specific criteria

All students seeking admission to Sixth Form must achieve the academic requirements for access onto the courses they are taking – details are on the Academy’s website.

Over-subscription Criteria

As the Academy has only a limited capacity to offer certain courses. For a Level Three course the maximum expected class size will be 25, for our Level Two and Level One Courses the maximum expected class size will be one group each of 15. If the number of students applying for a particular course exceeds the capacity, that course will be deemed to be oversubscribed and the criteria applied.

Where the number of eligible internal and external applicants for a course of study exceeds the places available, then admission for all applicants will be determined in accordance with the following priority of admission criteria:

1. Looked after children who meet the academic requirements of the course. This category includes a ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously looked after but, immediately after being looked after, became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order.
2. Children with exceptional medical or social reasons for requiring the Academy.
3. Students with siblings in any year at the Academy at the time of admission, who meet the academic requirements of the course.  Sibling is defined in these arrangements as children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters
4. All other applicants who meet the academic requirements of the course with straight line distance from the Academy as the tie breaker.  This will be measured in a straight line from the front door of the student’s house to the door of the main reception area of the Academy using the local authority’s GIS system.  In the event that two or more children live at the same distance from the Academy (for example, families living in flats) and there are fewer places available then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s).  In the event that parents have shared responsibility for a child following the breakdown of their relationship and the child lives for part of the week with each parent, the relevant distance will be measured from the front door which is closest to the Academy.
5. If courses are full, students will be offered a place with alternative course options.  Shireland Collegiate Academy will hold a waiting list, in order of the above criteria, of students who have not been offered a place. The waiting list will operate for the first term, after which no more students will be admitted.

Extra students can sometimes be accommodated over the admission number if the student’s chosen courses are not full.

If an application is received after the deadline this will be considered ‘late’.  Unless exceptional circumstances apply, e.g. hospitalisation of a parent/carer or a family has just moved into the area, late applications will be considered after the allocation of places.  If Shireland Collegiate Academy is full, late applicants will be placed on the waiting list in order of the over-subscription criteria. Evidence will be required of exceptional circumstances.

Applications received after the start of the Academic year will only be considered if places on the requested courses are available and the student meets the academic requirements of the course.  Further applicants will be added to the waiting list.

Places are offered on the understanding that there is a commitment to meet the academic requirements of the course.

Parents/carers are required to accept or decline the allocated place using the form sent with the conditional offer letter.  The form must be returned to Shireland Collegiate Academy within two weeks from the date of the offer letter. Failure to respond may result in the place being withdrawn.  Parents/carers are requested to advise Shireland Collegiate Academy at any stage, if they are not accepting the place for any reason.