Admissions

THE SCHOOL'S ADMISSIONS STATEMENT

The Governors are committed to a continuing policy of open admission to the school without any discrimination.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA FOR SEPTEMBER 2013 INTO YEAR 7

The admission number for Year 7 is 240. In the event of over-subscription places will be allocated in the following order:

1. Children Looked After
Children who are in public care and children that were previously looked after who ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence or special guardianship order.

2. Children of School Staff
Children of members of staff who have been employed at the school for two or more years (the date that will be used to assess the length of time a member of staff has been employed will be the closing date for applications (normally 31st October) and/or a member of staff who is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage - see Note 1 for a definition of a member of staff.

3. Siblings
Sisters and/or brothers of students who are at the school or who have attended the school anytime during the last seven academic years prior to the date of admission - see Note 2 for a definition of a sibling.

3. Exceptional Circumstances
Parents are required to support an Exceptional Circumstances application with a written statement and supporting evidence - see Note 3 for the requirements to prove exceptional circumstances.

4. Proximity
To applicants living closest to the school (this will be measured using the DfE Distance Postcode Programme from the main school postcode to the home address postcode on the application form at the date of closing, unless a change of address for good reason  has been accepted by the Home Local Authority, with those living the closest given priority). The child's home address excludes any business, relative's or child-minder's address and must be the child's normal place or residence. In the case of shared custody it is the address where the child spends most of the time. In the case of formal equal shared custody it is the address of the parent who claims Child Benefit for the child.

NOTES

0. Member of Staff. A "member of staff" means a person on the school's payroll.
0. Sibling. A "sibling" will be considered to be a brother or sister (that is, another child of the same parents, whether living at the same address or not), a half-brother or half-sister, a step-brother or step-sister, an adoptive or foster sibling living at the same address.
0. Exceptional Circumstances. If, when applying, you consider that your son/daughter have an exceptional circumstance, you must put this on the application form. We will only consider this if you attach supporting evidence; for example a letter from a registered health professional, a letter from your GP will not normally be sufficient medical evidence, or a registered social worker. This evidence would set out the particular reasons why the school in question is the most suitable school and the difficulties that would be caused if he/she had to attend another school. We will then consult our own advisors and only agree to a priority placement if our advisors consider that it is necessary for your child to go to a particular school. It is expected that all mainstream schools and not just the school of your first preference will support children with the more common medical illnesses or social isseus, or both.
0. Equal Preference. The school operates an equal preference system. This means that all applications are treated equally when applying the school's admissions criteria.
0. Selection. There is no selection by aptitude or ability.
0. Late Applications. Late applicants will be considered in accordance with Surrey's Coordinated Admissions Scheme, which is published on Surrey County Council's website at www.surreycc.gov.uk.
0. Multiple Births. If a final place is going to be offered to a child who is one of twins, triplets or other multiple births, the Authority will ask the parent/carer to decide which child should be offered the place. The remaining sibling(s) will be placed at the top of the waiting list.
0. Tie Breaker. Where two children live equidistant from a school and only one place remains, the school wil draw lots to determine which child should be given priority.
0. Home/School Agreement. It is expected that all successful applicants will have signed and returned the Home/School Agreement.
0. Waiting Lists. If there is over-subscription, children in Priority 1 and children placed in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol will be given priority, otherwise places will be offered to those who live nearest to the school. A waiting list will be maintained up to 10 school days after the end of the autumn term when it will be cancelled. Parents wishing to remain on the waiting list after this date must write to the school by 31st December in the relevant academic year, stating their wish and providing their child's name, date of birth and the name of the child's current school. Applications will automatically be placed on the waiting list if they have not been offered a higher preference school.
0. Appeals. Parents may appeal in the event that they are refused a place for their child at The Beacon School. Parents wishing to appeal against a decision to refuse a place should write to the Clerk to the Governors, The Beacon School, Picquets Way, Banstead, Surrey SM7 1AG. A hearing by an Admissions Appeal Panel, comprising three people who are independent of the school, will be arranged in accordance with the Regulations current at the time.
0. If it is found that a place has been obtained on a fraudulent basis, the offer may be withdrawn.