Moving up to Secondary School: FAQ’s and Useful Information How do I apply for my child’s secondary school place for September 2017? If you are a Bournemouth resident you apply to Bournemouth Borough Council either online or using a paper form. All applicants will receive a letter posted out on the 1 March 2017 telling them which school their child has been offered. Online applications may be made at enrol.bournemouth.gov.uk from the 1 September 2016. You will need an email address to create an online account. Paper applications can be requested from the Children’s Information Service (CIS) or collected from the Customer Service Centre, St Stephen’s Road. There will also be some available from your child’s primary school. If you are applying to a school with religious criteria, you will need to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) to prove your religious commitment and be considered on these grounds. These can be found on each individual school’s website and will need to be returned to the school directly by 31 October 2016. Are there any benefits to applying online? If you decide to apply online, you will be able to log in to your account on the morning of Wednesday 1 March 2017 and see which school your child has been offered. If you apply using a paper form you will need to wait until you receive your offer letter – posted out on the 1 March 2017. What if I forget my password? Make sure that your password is memorable as if you forget it the admissions team are unable to reset it. The password must include at least one upper case and one lower case letter, and at least one number. In case you do forget, you will be asked to choose and answer a secret question. The answer to this will also be case sensitive, so it’s important to remember this as well. How do I decide which school I should apply for? You should look at Ofsted reports for the schools and attend the open evenings taking place from July to October 2016. A list of open evenings can be found towards the end of this information pack. You can also look at the allocation tables from last year for historical data, however this should only be used as a guide. How do I apply for a place at a Grammar School? If you are applying for a place at one of the grammar schools in Bournemouth, your child will need to sit a test. You will need to register them for testing. The deadline to register for testing is 12 noon on 9 September 2016. Registration forms can be downloaded from the schools’ websites or requested from the schools directly. The tests will take place on Saturday 24 September 2016, where pupils will be tested in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning. Results will be posted out first class on Friday 14 October 2016 so you will know if your child has passed the test before you need to submit your application. All applications must be received by Bournemouth Borough Council by 31 October 2016. Where do I apply if I am not a Bournemouth Resident? If you are not a Bournemouth resident, you must apply to the Authority where you live (this would be where you pay your council tax). You are able to apply for Bournemouth schools on another authority’s form if you wish. Where can I get help and advice about the process of applying for a secondary school place? You are able to speak to member of the Children’s Information Service (CIS) about this process. They can be contacted by phone on 01202 456223, via email at cis@bournemouth.gov.uk, or you can visit them at the Customer Services Centre (see back page for full address). You may read our booklet ‘Moving up to Secondary School’, which will be available online at enrol.bournemouth.gov.uk from 1 September 2016. There will also be a copy for reference at the Customer Service Centre via CIS, all Bournemouth Schools and Bournemouth Libraries from September. This booklet contains a lot of information about the process and also includes the admissions policies for each Bournemouth Secondary school. When do I need to return my application? All applications from Bournemouth residents (online and paper) must be submitted by 31 October 2016. Paper forms must be received by the Admissions team by this date. What happens if my application is late? If your application is not received by the closing date of 31 October 2016 it will be classed as late. All applications received by 31 October will be considered before yours and the chance of getting the place you want may be reduced. How will I know if you have received my application? Online applicants will receive an automatic email confirming the application has been received. Once the application has been uploaded you will receive another email to confirm this. Please check your spam and junk folders. If you apply using a paper form, we will send you an acknowledgement by post or email if requested on your form. If you do not receive an email or a paper acknowledgement we have NOT received your application. Please contact us about this with enough time to submit another if necessary. I’m a Bournemouth resident, am I able to apply for schools outside of Bournemouth? Yes. You can list any schools on your Bournemouth application, including those outside of Bournemouth as long as they transfer at the same time, ie: from Year 6 to Year 7. What happens if my child lives part time with each parent? Only one application and address can be considered for each pupil. If parents are separated, you must come to an agreement about the schools you apply for. If you can’t agree, the Local Authority will only consider the application from the child’s main carer (the parent who receives the Child Benefit payments). If no Child Benefit is paid to the family, or it has been suspended, Bournemouth Borough Council Legal Department will determine which parent is considered to be the main carer for the child for the purposes of the school admissions process. When will I hear? All applicants will receive a letter which will be posted out on the evening of the 1 March 2017. Online applicants will be able to log into their accounts mid morning on the 1 March 2017. What if I forget the password to my online account? The Children’s Information Service and Admissions team are unable to help with forgotten passwords so it’s important that you remember it. All passwords contain at least one upper case and at least one lower case letter, and at least one number. You will have to answer a secret question when setting up your account, so please make sure you remember which question you answered, and type in the case sensitive answer correctly. If you are still unable to log in to your account then you will have to wait for your letter to arrive in the post. We are unable to give results over the telephone under any circumstances. What if I do not get offered the school I want? If we are unable to offer you any of the schools you have requested and you are a Bournemouth resident, we will redirect you to the closest school to you which is able to offer a place. This may not be close to your house. If you are not a Bournemouth resident you will need to speak to your home Authority to find out what action they take in these circumstances. You are able to appeal the decision that has been made. The letter we send you will explain how to go about this. You are also able to request to be put on the waiting list for the schools which have refused you a place. Will a place offered to my child ever be taken away? An offered place may be withdrawn if you do not respond to the offer within a reasonable timescale. We may also withdraw a place if it was offered based upon a fraudulent or misleading application, such as under a false address. You can accept a place online or by returning the paper reply slip. My child has Special Educational Needs (SEN) – who do I apply to? If your child has a Statement or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you should speak to the SEN inclusion team on 01202 456166. If your child has SEN but no statement then you should talk to the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or the Headteacher at your child’s current primary school. You may also contact Bournemouth Parent Partnership on 01202 451970. They are an independent, confidential and guidance on issues relating to SEN, exclusions and school admissions appeals. How will my child get to school? All schools can provide information on the buses which serve them. Bus companies such as RATP Group and More provide information on their websites of the buses they run which serve Bournemouth secondary schools. Can I apply for transport assistance from Bournemouth Borough Council? Parents can apply for transport from Bournemouth Borough Council. The Home to School transport guidance notes are attached at the end of this document for your information. What has happened in previous years? The tables on the following pages provide detailed statistics for the main allocation for children transferring to secondary school in September 2016. Figures from previous years are available on request, you will need to check the categories against the relevant policies on the Bournemouth website. Please remember this information should only be used as a guide. The figures do differ from year to year, for example if there are more/fewer children living in a particular area. Changes in the popularity of a school (or a neighbouring school) can also affect the number of applications a school receives. All the figures relate to the main allocation of places on 1 March 2016 and do not include any applications received after the initial closing date. The number of applicants ‘redirected’ to a school - ie: offered a place there having been unsuccessful with all of their preferences – is noted, where applicable, at the bottom of the school’s table. The last distance offered if the cut off is within a category is also provided. The categories correspond with those in the admissions policy (criteria/category) for 2016/17 which may differ from those in effect in 2017/18. These can be found on the Bournemouth Borough Council website. TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER 2016 SUMMARY OF ALLOCATION FOR EACH BOURNEMOUTH SCHOOL Below, for each school in Bournemouth at the main allocation on 1 March 2016, is a summary of the number of applications received, for each preference rank (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and for each of the admissions categories, along with the number offered, number gaining a higher preference and number refused in each of those categories. The number ‘redirected’ to a school, where they could not be offered any of their preferences, is shown beneath that school’s table, where applicable. This sheet is produced shortly before 1 March to allow time for printing – please contact us if you would like an updated sheet including any subsequent changes to this information. Some figures for 3rd preference may include lower preferences from Authorities which allow more than three preferences to be made. Avonbourne College (number of places available: 210) Category SEN / A. LAC / B. Medical C. Sibling D. In-area E. Feeder F. Out-of-area Total Preference rank 1st 02 23 47 20 02 94 2nd 003 065 047 005 120 3rd 002 002 049 056 007 116 Total applications Total offers 004 028 161 123 014 330 002 023 081 023 003 132 Gained higher Total preference refusals 002 005 080 100 011 198 0 A further 3 children were ‘redirected’; therefore the total number of places offered was 135. The Bishop of Winchester Academy (number of places available: 210) Category SEN / 1. LAC * 2. Sibling 3a. Religious commitment 3b. World religions 4. Distance Total Preference rank 1st 006 054 016 100 176 2nd 004 004 036 003 213 260 3rd Total applications Total offers 004 012 001 167 184 010 062 064 004 480 620 006 055 020 002 127 210 Gained higher Total preference refusals 004 007 044 002 347 404 6 6 Last distance offered in Category 4: 2.869 miles by straight-line measurement. * Excludes children with a Statement of SEN or EHCP, admitted to the Emmaus Centre (for children with complex communications needs) who do not count towards the Admissions Number of 210. The Bourne Academy (number of places available: 180) Category SEN / 1. LAC 2. Sibling 3. Distance Total Preference rank 1st 005 054 104 163 2nd 003 010 154 167 3rd Total applications Total offers 001 100 101 008 065 358 431 005 056 111 172 3rd Total applications Total offers 19 03 07 29 001 271 036 025 333 001 149 Gained higher Total preference refusals 003 009 247 259 0 Bournemouth School (number of places available: 150) Category SEN Met selection criteria Did not meet criteria Did not sit test Total Preference rank 1st 001 182 022 008 213 2nd 70 11 10 91 150 Gained higher Total preference refusals 077 013 016 106 45 23 09 77 Bournemouth School for Girls (number of places available: 166) Category Met selection criteria Did not meet criteria Did not sit test Total Preference rank 1st 203 022 010 235 2nd 076 009 018 103 Total applications Total offers 283 036 039 358 166 3rd Total applications Total offers 96 96 002 022 308 332 002 020 124 146 3rd 04 05 11 20 166 Gained higher Total preference refusals 070 011 028 109 47 25 11 83 Glenmoor Academy (number of places available: 180) Category SEN / 1. LAC 2. Sibling 3. Distance Total Preference rank 1st 002 019 113 134 2nd 003 099 102 Gained higher Total preference refusals 002 184 186 0 A further 2 children were ‘redirected’; therefore the total number of places offered was 148. Harewood College (number of places available: 180) Category SEN / A. LAC / B. Medical C. Sibling D. In-area E. Attending feeder F. Out-of-area Total Preference rank 1st 04 16 30 11 01 62 2nd 27 28 02 57 3rd 02 01 37 39 04 83 Total applications Total offers 006 017 094 078 007 202 04 16 40 15 01 76 Gained higher Total preference refusals 002 001 054 063 006 126 0 A further 5 children were ‘redirected’; therefore the total number of places offered was 81. Oak Academy (number of places available: 240) Category SEN / 1. LAC 2. In-area with sibling 3. In-area 4. Out-of-area with sibling 5. Out-of-area Total Preference rank 1st 002 024 047 016 022 111 2nd 02 04 21 02 30 59 3rd Total applications Total offers 12 01 33 46 004 028 080 019 085 216 002 024 051 016 026 119 Gained higher Total preference refusals 02 04 29 03 59 97 0 A further 1 child was ‘redirected’; therefore the total number of places offered was 120. Parkfield School (number of places available: 28 in addition to 28 children already on roll in Year 6) Category SEN / 1. LAC 2. Sibling 3. Distance Total Preference rank 1st 02 08 10 2nd 01 22 23 3rd Total applications 01 37 38 01 03 67 71 Total offers 02 13 15 Gained higher Total preference refusals 01 01 54 56 0 St Peter’s School (number of places available: 240) Category Preference rank 1st SEN / 1. Baptised LAC 008 2. Baptised Catholic children 140 3. non-Baptised LAC 001 4. Other Christian traditions 045 5. Other faith traditions 001 6(1) Other children (sibling) 008 6(2) Other children 054 Total 257 2nd 002 031 003 3rd 003 007 019 007 006 145 206 001 099 117 Total applications Total offers Gained higher Total preference refusals 013 178 004 008 147 002 005 031 002 071 001 015 298 580 051 001 008 023 240 020 007 209 274 66 66 Last distance offered in Category 6(2): 0.925 miles by straight-line measurement. Winton Academy (number of places available: 180) Category SEN / 1. LAC 2. Sibling 3. Distance Total Preference rank 1st 2nd 3rd Total applications 001 040 120 161 001 003 102 106 005 002 100 107 007 045 322 374 Total offers 001 041 130 172 A further 2 children were ‘redirected’; therefore the total number of places offered was 174. Gained higher Total preference refusals 006 004 192 202 0 FOR BOURNEMOUTH RESIDENTS: GUIDANCE NOTES GENERAL TRANSPORT TO SCHOOL Many parents worry about how they can help their children to get to and from school each day. Bournemouth Borough Council can help in some cases. This information will give you guidance about who can claim for assistance with transport to school. Assistance is normally in the form of a bus pass. Transport provision is subject to regular review. If you move home or your child moves school you must inform us immediately and this could mean that entitlement to transport assistance is ceased because your child no longer qualifies. This guidance also provides information on how to appeal the decision to refuse transport. How far must I live from my catchment school to qualify for free travel? The distance measurement for children attending their catchment school is a statutory measurement and is measured by the nearest available safe walking route. The distance is 2 miles and over for children aged under 8 years old and 3 miles and over for children aged 8 years and over. The route can include footpaths, bridleways, other pathways as well as recognised roads. This is referred to as the distance criteria. Parents should accompany their children if they feel they need to do so. What if my child is not attending the catchment school? If you have expressed a parental preference for a school other than the catchment school, you must accept responsibility for your child’s daily travelling arrangements to and from the school, including any costs incurred. Are there any exceptions to this? YES: • • For primary school children (Reception to Year 6) where families are on Free School Meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit and the **distance from home to school is at least two miles,and normally not more than five miles transport assistance will be provided to their nearest qualifying school and; • *For secondary school children (Year 7 to Year 11) where families are on Free School Meals andthe distance from home to school is at least three miles, and not more than ten miles. Please note the entitlement for children in Years 7-11 will be also include children attending secondary school who are on Free School Meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit to one of their 3 nearest qualifying schools if it falls between **2 and no more than 6 miles from home or up to a maximum of 15 miles if the nearest faith school. **Please note distance measurements over 2 miles a road route will be used. If your child is attending a school for one of the following reasons, assistance may be provided as follows: Year group full - when the catchment school is full, then a child may be eligible for assistance with transport to the next nearest school with an available place, provided the distance criteria are met. They do however need to ensure they apply for their catchment school and remain on the waiting list for the school as this transport is reviewed regularly to ensure entitlement is still applicable. Re-housing - if a family is moved from an area on a short term basis (i.e. re-housed by the council or another housing association) transport to the existing school may be offered for the period of the temporary re-housing, until the family’s return to permanent accommodation. Once again the distance criteria will need to be met. If the transport is agreed during the summer term, it is for one term only. Medical – assistance may be considered, if a child has a medical condition that would affect their ability to get to school, if the child is attending the catchment/qualifying school. Also where for a route to be considered safe it relies on the parent accompanying the child and because of the parent’s disability they are unable to do so. Proof of the child’s medical condition will need to be provided by a School Medical Officer. Proof of a parent’s disability can be a letter detailing the higher award of disability benefit for mobility or a letter from a hospital consultant indicating that the parent cannot walk. Continuity - a child in year 10 or 11 who has already started GCSE study may be eligible for assistance if the family move, providing the distance between the home and school is 3 miles or more and is still within reasonable daily travelling distance. What about 4 year olds who are not attending school for a full day? Transport will be provided only at the start and end of a school day. Parents are normally responsible for any midday travel where your child attends school for part of the day. There may be exceptions to this so you should check with the Admissions Services Team on (01202) 456200 for confirmation. Are there any concessions available? The Bournemouth Borough Transport Group either hires vehicles to take children to and from school or pays for bus passes. Very occasionally there may be one or more seats on small hired vehicles which are available to children not eligible for free transport. A fixed price will be charged for these concessionary places unless the family is in receipt of Free School Meals or maximum level of Working Tax Credit. However, a concessionary place may not be available and, at very short notice you could be faced with making your own transport arrangements to and from the school of your choice. This happens if: • • • The seat is required for an pupil who is entitled under the policy The service is withdrawn, or The passenger-carrying capacity of the vehicle is reduced. What about when my child reaches 16 years of age? Once your child reaches the age of 16 and is above statutory school age, the Authority has no legal obligation to help with transport. The present policy is that assistance can be given if your child is attending the nearest appropriate school or college (as designated by the LA) if the parents are in receipt of Income Support, income based Job Seekers’ Allowance, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit up to the level of income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) which will qualify the family for help with health costs and if the distance when measured by the nearest available safe walking route is five miles or more. How is unacceptable behaviour on transport dealt with? Children travelling on LA transport are expected to conform to the accepted code of behaviour, which applies in the school. Any breach will be dealt with by the school. Public transport operators are entitled to refuse to provide a service where there would be a risk to safety. In addition, the Passenger Transport Unit at Bournemouth LA will be informed and they will consider withdrawing the bus pass for up to 12 weeks for a serious incident: parents will be informed accordingly. If the behaviour is repeated the child will be banned from transport provision and parents will be expected to make alternative transport arrangements. The LA works with bus operators, schools, parents and the police in dealing with behaviour issues. What information will I receive about the transport arranged for my child? The Passenger Transport Unit will send you a booklet “Passenger Transport” which gives important information. You will also be sent details about the transport that has been arranged. You may be offered an appointment for a photograph to be taken prior to issue of the photo bus pass. Can I appeal or request a review of the original decision made about help with transport? Yes. You may request that the initial decision to refuse is reviewed if you are unhappy with the decision to refuse transport or with the transport provision put in place. You will need to put your reasons for wishing to have the review in writing to The Manager, Access Services, Community Learning & Commissioning, TH E3, Town Hall, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth BH2 6DY. The original decision will then be reviewed by a Senior Officer within the Council who is independent of the original decision and they will write to you with the outcome of their investigation into your specific circumstances. Please ensure you provide all relevant professional or medical reports with your request to review the decision. If you do not provide all the information or evidence to support your request it may be that important information is not able to be taken into account for the review process. If you are unsure if a document or information is important please include it as all information and evidence you provide to the Senior Officer will be considered. What can I do if I am still unhappy with the outcome of the Review by the Senior Officer? If you remain unhappy with the response you receive from the Senior Officer then you can lodge an appeal with the Appeals Panel. The Appeals Panel are also independent of the original decision process and will then consider the original decision and the review. If you require an appeal form you may contact the Admissions Services Team on (01202) 456200, or download a form from the Bournemouth Borough Council website. If you wish to make a complaint you can follow the Bournemouth Borough Council Corporate Complaints procedure via the website, information is also available from Customer Services. Attached with this Guidance is a flowchart of the review and appeals process detailing the timescales. Who should I contact if I wish to complain about how my Review and Appeal was processed? If you remain unhappy following the review and appeal process you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman on telephone number 0300 061 0614 or in writing P O Box 4771 Coventry CV4 0EH. The Local Government Ombudsman will consider complaints where there was a failure of the Local Authority to comply with the procedural rules or if there were any other irregularities in the way the appeal has been handled. If the complainant considers the decision of the Appeal Panel is flawed on public law grounds, the complainant may also apply for a judicial review. We hope that this information will be helpful to you. If you require assistance with completing the form please do not hesitate to contact us: Admissions Service, Community Learning & Commissioning, Extension 3, Town Hall, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH2 6DY Tel: (01202) 456200 This information is a brief guide and is correct at the time of going to print. The full policy is subject to review and could be changed at any time. School Avonbourne College The Bishop of Winchester Academy The Bourne Academy Bournemouth School Bournemouth School for Girls Glenmoor Academy Harewood College Oak Academy St Peter’s Catholic School Winton Academy Headteacher / Principal Day Date Time Details Wednesday 21/09/2016 8.30 – 10.30 am Morning session Parents Only Wednesday 21/09/2016 6.00 – 8.30 pm CEO and Principal addresses at 6.15 pm & 7:15 pm Tuesday 04/10/2016 5.00 – 7.30 pm Principal address at 5.30 pm & 6.30 pm Mr M Avoth Wednesday 14/09/2016 6.00 – 8.30 pm Principal address at 6.15 pm & 7.15 pm Dr D Lewis Thursday 07/07/2016 6.30 – 8.30 pm Headteacher address at 6.30 pm, 7.15 pm & 8.00 pm Mr A Brien Monday 04/07/2016 2.00 – 3.30 pm & 4.00 – 6.00 pm Headteacher address at 2.00 pm, 3.00 pm, 4.00 pm & 5.00 pm Mr B Antell Monday 12/09/2016 6.30 – 9.00 pm Principal address at 6.30 pm & 7.15 pm Wednesday 28/09/2016 8.30 – 10.30 am Morning session Parents Only Wednesday 28/09/2016 6.00 – 8.30 pm Mrs G Blanshard Thursday 15/09/2016 6.00 – 8.00 pm Mr D Todd Thursday 22/09/2016 Starts at 6.30 pm Held at the Secondary School St Catherine’s Road Principal: Mr J Holbrook Mr P McKeown Principal: Mr B Antell Tuesday 27/09/2016 Tuesday 13/09/2016 6.30 – 9.00 pm CEO and Principal addresses at 6.15 pm & 7:15 pm Principal address at 6.00 pm Open Evenings for Parents/Carers & Students Principal address at 6.30 pm & 7.15 pm Useful Contact Details Bournemouth Children’s Information Service Customer Service Centre St. Stephen’s Road Bournemouth BH2 5EB Tel:01202 456223 cs@bournemouth.gov.uk www.bournemouth.gov.uk/schools School Admissions Team Bournemouth Borough Council Town Hall E3, Bourne Avenue Bournemouth BH2 6DY Tel: 01202 456198 www.bournemouth.gov.uk/schools school.admissions@bournemouth.gov.uk Poole Admissions Children, Young People & Learning Dolphin Centre Poole BH15 1SA Tel:01202 261936 Appeals Officer, Democratic Services Bournemouth Borough Council Town Hall, Bourne Avenue Bournemouth BH2 6DY Tel: 01202 451163 Dorset Admissions Dorset County Council Country Hall, Dorchester DT1 1XJ Tel:01305 221060 admissions@dorsetcc.gov.uk Telephone numbers for other teams within Bournemouth Local Authority Special Educational Needs Inclusion Team 01202 456166 Parent Partnership Bournemouth Learning Centre Ensbury Avenue Bournemouth BH10 4HG Tel: 01202 451970