Admissions
If the number of places in a particular year group at a school is not sufficient to meet the number of applications from parents, the following criteria are applied (in the order of priority given below) to determine how places will be allocated.
-
‘Children in Care’ where the person with parental responsibility expresses a written preference for the school.
-
Students living in the catchment area of the school.
-
Siblings of children attending the school at the time of proposed admission.
-
Students who do not live in the catchment area but who attend a local feeder school i.e. Stopsley Primary, St Matthew’s Primary and Bushmead Primary.
-
Medical grounds supported by an appropriate medical practitioner.
-
Students living outside of the catchment area who do not attend one of the feeder schools.
The admissions criteria will be applied separately and sequentially until all places are filled. Priority is not given within each criterion to children who meet other criteria.
A tie breaker will come into force where the number of places eligible within any of the criteria set out above would exceed the Approved Admissions Number (AAN). In such circumstances shortest straight line distance from the door to the School’s Main Reception to the student’s home address, will be used. Students living closer to the school will be given priority. In the event of (a) two or more children living at the same address point (e.g. twins or children resident in a block of flats) or (b) two addresses measuring the same distance from the school, the ultimate tie-breaker will be random selection, witnessed by an independent body.
The above criteria will be applied using an equal preference scheme, without reference to the ability or aptitude of the child. All applications will be considered on an equal preference basis, whereby all first, second and third preference applications are considered equally against Stopsley High School’s Admissions Criteria.
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, that names Stopsley High School, will be admitted to the School regardless of whether there is a place available or not.
|
Details of Stopsley High School's catchment area | External Webpage |
Parents should click on the link entitled Transferring to a high school or academy in Luton. Catchment area lists are also available from Luton Borough Council by telephoning the Admissions Helpline on 01582 548016.
Year 7 Intake – Application Process
Parents may apply for a place for the Year 7 intake by completing and returning their application form, sent to them by either their child’s Primary/Junior School or Luton Borough Council, by the Council’s deadline. This form should be returned to the child’s current school, completed online, or a paper copy returned to the Admissions Team at Luton Borough Council. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered in the initial allocation of places, except in very exceptional circumstances. Where parents have submitted a transfer form before the closing date, but then seek to change their preference after the closing date, this late expression of preference will be treated as a ‘late’ application and will not be considered in the initial allocation of places. Late applications and late changes of preference will be processed as soon as possible after the offer date. Late applications for Stopsley High School should be routed through Luton Borough Council in accordance with co-ordinated admission arrangements.
In-Year Applications
In-Year admissions are applications to enter a year group that has already started at the school. The Council are responsible for co-ordinating in-year applications for all of Luton’s children. Therefore, parents seeking a place at Stopsley High School should complete the Council’s In-Year Common Application Form and return this form directly to the Council. The Council will then liaise with all Schools listed as a preference to ascertain which (if any) preferences can be met. If a pupil qualifies for a place at more than one school the parent’s highest ranked preference will be offered and any lower ranking offers will be disregarded.
On occasion, pupils will be admitted to the School using Luton’s In Year Fair Access Protocol, the principles of which have been accepted.
Waiting lists
Where it is not possible to agree all applications for the school, a waiting list will be devised. Waiting lists are organised in the order of priority of the school’s admissions criteria. Waiting lists are not based on the date the application was added to the list.
For the Year 7 intakes the names will be held on the waiting lists until 31 July 2017.
For all other year groups, unsuccessful applications received from the start of the autumn term 2016 until the end of the spring term 2017 will be placed on a waiting list until 31 July 2017. Applications received from the start of the summer term 2017 to the end of the academic year will be placed on a waiting list until 31 July 2018.
Should this admissions policy continue to operate for 2016 intakes, dates in the waiting list procedure will reflect those given above, only the year will be updated.
Definitions:
Definition of Children In Care
‘Children in Care’ are defined as a child, who is looked after by a Local Authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children’s Act 1989(b) at the time application for admission to the school is made and who the Local Authority can confirm, will still be looked after at time of admission to the school. This definition also applies to a child or young person who is subject to a full time care order (Section 31), or interim care order (Section 38).
Home Address
A pupil’s home address is where she or he spends the majority of the school week (i.e. Monday to Friday, including nights) with her/his parent or legal guardian. The address of a childminder or family member who looks after the child before or after school cannot be used. If there is any query on the home address this will be checked against official documentation.
Definition of Sibling
Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom the school place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling
Definition of Medical Grounds
Medical Grounds refers to cases where there are reasons which make it essential that a child should attend Stopsley High School and where the Stopsley High School is the only school that could meet the child’s needs. A medical report from the child’s Doctor or Consultant must be submitted with the application form, setting out valid medical reasons why it is essential for the child to be admitted to Stopsley High School and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school. The comments of the Authority’s medical officer may also be sought in order to decide whether it is essential for a child to be admitted to Stopsley High School on Medical Grounds. Admission on Medical Grounds cannot be considered when the medical condition relates to that of a parent/carer, brother, sister or other relative.