Great Wyrley Academy

Admission arrangement 2025/2026, 2024/2025, 2023/2024

Policy and Numbers

Students will be admitted at age 11 without reference to ability or aptitude. There is no charge relating to the admission of students. The school’s admission policy offers no guarantee of places (unless it is for the normal age of entry to the school and there are less applicants than places available).

The Pupil Admission Number (PAN) will be 120. All admissions will be administered by use of the criteria detailed below. 

Over Subscription

All schools must admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that names the school directly.

Where applicants for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which children to admit: 

1. “Looked after children – children in public care”, as required by the Education (Admission of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations 2006. First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order., including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted  *See note below 

2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half-brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), step-brother/step-sister or fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home address (i.e. the genuine principal place of residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be still attending Great Wyrley Academy in September. **See note below

3. Children living within the catchment area of Great Wyrley Academy (a copy of which can be obtained on request from Staffs County Council or the school office). 

4. Children who attend our major contributory schools, Moat Hall and Landywood.

5. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, measured in a straight line from the front door of the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main gate of the school, with those living nearest accorded the higher priority. ***See note below  

Note

The local authority uses a geographical information system (GIS) to calculate home to school distances in miles. The measurement is calculated using Ordnance Survey (OS) data from an applicant's home address to the main front gate of the school. The coordinates of an applicant's home address is determined and provided by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) and OS address point data.

*      An adoption order is an order under section 46 of the Adoptions and Children Act 2002. A residence order is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  

**     Where parents have a shared responsibility for a child and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week (i.e. three out of the five days). Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.  

***   In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the last named priority) is to be used as a tie-breaker should the school be oversubscribed with applicants under criteria with a higher priority. For example, if the school were to be oversubscribed with siblings only (second priority), the proximity criterion would dictate who would gain admission. Parents or guardians might be asked to submit evidence in support of their application; fraudulent information used at that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place and further children might be affected. In the event that we are unable to distinguish between applicants for the final available place, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ address to be used will be the current one at the time places are allocated and the one that parents either own or rent.  

Special conditions will apply in the event that one child from a multiple birth does not gain admission to the school through the admissions criteria; in this instance the school governors will exceed the admission number for the family concerned to prevent separation of such children. 

Year 7 admissions for September entry will be administered on behalf of the LAB of Great Wyrley Academy by Staffordshire County Council (School Admissions) using the criteria outlined above. 

Appeals

Appeals regarding admissions will be considered by an Independent Appeals panel. 

Late Applications

Preferences that are received after the closing date for receipt of applications will only be considered after applications that were received within the deadline have been dealt with. 

There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. Where exceptional circumstances are such that the parent could not have reasonably submitted the application within the deadline, the applicant will be considered alongside all other applicants. 

In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent/carer at the time of application. 

Unsuccessful late applications will be added to the waiting list in accordance with the admissions criteria. 

Waiting Lists

If the school is oversubscribed and students have been refused admission because other students have a higher priority for admission under the published admissions criteria, then parents may request to be added to a waiting list.

Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the schools published admissions criteria and the list will operate from the point of allocation of places until December 31st. After December 31st the waiting list will no longer be in operation. Staffordshire County Council will operate this waiting list on behalf of the school.

Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. 

A child’s position on the waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e.they can go up or down the list. 

Places that become available below the published admissions number or any number that the school agree that they can admit from March will be offered to students according to their ranking on the list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. 

Staffordshire County Council (School Admissions) will also help coordinate any In-Year Admissions on behalf of the school.

Sixth Form Admissions Policy

The joint collegiate sixth form between Great Wyrley Academy and Cheslyn Hay Academy is known as the Aspire Sixth Form.

It is our aim, when considering applications, to accept students onto a curriculum which will suit their learning style and encourage them to flourish academically. Judgements and offers will be made on an appropriate level of prior academic achievement and a positive attitude/aptitude for learning.

The Student Admission Number (PAN) for the year commencing September 1, will be 150 across both sites. All admissions will be administered by the following criteria-

Method of Application:

Prospectuses and application forms will be published during the Autumn Term each year. All current Great Wyrley Academy students will be invited to an Open Evening and the event will be marketed locally and on the school website. Prospectuses and application forms will be specifically issued to:

• All current Year 11 Great Wyrley Academy students

• Students visiting from other education establishments

• Those making specific requests by contacting the school

Information, advice and guidance meetings are set up for every prospective Sixth Form student, with their parents, to provide expert professional support at a critical time of decision. 

Entry Criteria for Courses: 

Students need to demonstrate evidence of a positive, self-motivated approach to learning and a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 9 – 4 (or equivalent grades) including English and Maths. 

Individual courses may have subject-specific GCSE requirements for entry - these are outlined fully in the prospectus each year.

Students who do not meet the entry criteria can discuss the courses that they want to follow with the Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form) and may be given permission to join in exceptional circumstances.

Applications From Students Not Currently Studying in Year 11 at Great Wyrley Academy:

Each year a number of students can join our Sixth Form from other schools. Applications are welcomed from such students who wish to continue their studies at Great Wyrley Academy. The application process and entry requirements will be identical for both internal and external applicants.

Our admission number for external applications is a minimum of twenty.

All schools must admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that names the school directly. 

Where over-subscribed we will give priority to applicants as follows: 

1. “Looked after children – children in public care”, as required by the Education (Admission of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations 2006. First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. (* See note below)

2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), step-brother/sister or fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home address (i.e. the genuine principle place of residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be attending Great Wyrley Academy in September. ** See note below 

3. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, measured in a straight line from the front door of the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main gate of the school, with those living nearest accorded the higher priority. ***See note below 

*An adoption order is an order under section 46 of the Adoptions and Children Act 2002. A residence order is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  

**Where parents have a shared responsibility for a child and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week (i.e. three out of the five days). Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.  

*** In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the last named priority) is to be used as a tie-breaker should the school be oversubscribed with applicants under criteria with a higher priority. For example, if the school were to be oversubscribed with siblings only (second priority), the proximity criterion would dictate who would gain admission. Parents or guardians might be asked to submit evidence in support of their application; fraudulent information used at that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place and further children might be affected. In the event that we are unable to distinguish between applicants for the final available place, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ address to be used will be the current one at the time places are allocated and the one that parents either own or rent.  

All of the above applicants must meet the Entry Criteria. In the event of the school being oversubscribed in any of the above criteria, places will be offered to those living nearest the school as measured in a direct line distance from the home to the school. 

Applicants refused admission to our Sixth Form are entitled to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel.

Admission arrangements 2020/2021

Policy and Numbers

Students will be admitted at age 11 without reference to ability or aptitude. There is no charge relating to the admission of students. The school’s admission policy offers no guarantee of places.

The Pupil Admission Number (PAN) for the year commencing September 1, 2020 will be 195. All admissions will be administered by use of the criteria detailed below. 

Over Subscription

All schools must admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that names the school directly.

Where applicants for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which children to admit: 

1. “Looked after children – children in public care”, as required by the Education (Admission of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations 2006. First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. *See note below 

2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half-brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), step-brother/step-sister or fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home address (i.e. the genuine principal place of residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be still attending Great Wyrley Academy in September 2020. **See note below

3. Children living within the catchment area of Great Wyrley Academy (a copy of which can be obtained on request from Staffs County Council or the school office). 

4. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, measured in a straight line from the front door of the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main gate of the school, with those living nearest accorded the higher priority. ***See note below 

Note

*      An adoption order is an order under section 46 of the Adoptions and Children Act 2002. A residence order is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  

**     Where parents have a shared responsibility for a child and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week (i.e. three out of the five days). Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.  

***   In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the last named priority) is to be used as a tie-breaker should the school be oversubscribed with applicants under criteria with a higher priority. For example, if the school were to be oversubscribed with siblings only (second priority), the proximity criterion would dictate who would gain admission. Parents or guardians might be asked to submit evidence in support of their application; fraudulent information used at that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place and further children might be affected. In the event that we are unable to distinguish between applicants for the final available place, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ address to be used will be the current one at the time places are allocated and the one that parents either own or rent.  

Special conditions will apply in the event that one child from a multiple birth does not gain admission to the school through the admissions criteria; in this instance the school governors will exceed the admission number for the family concerned to prevent separation of such children. 

Year 7 admissions for September entry will be administered on behalf of the LAB of Great Wyrley Academy by Staffordshire County Council (School Admissions) using the criteria outlined above. 

Appeals

Appeals regarding admissions will be considered by an Independent Appeals panel. 

Late Applications

Preferences that are received after the closing date for receipt of applications will only be considered after applications that were received within the deadline have been dealt with. 

There will, however, be exceptional circumstances in which a late application will be considered alongside those applications that were made within the deadline. Where exceptional circumstances are such that the parent could not have reasonably submitted the application within the deadline, the applicant will be considered alongside all other applicants. 

In each circumstance supportive documentary evidence must be provided by the parent/carer at the time of application. 

Unsuccessful late applications will be added to the waiting list in accordance with the admissions criteria. 

Waiting Lists

If the school is oversubscribed and students have been refused admission because other students have a higher priority for admission under the published admissions criteria, then parents may request to be added to a waiting list.

Children on the waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the schools published admissions criteria and the list will operate from the point of allocation of places until July 31 2021. After July 31 2021 the waiting list will no longer be in operation. Staffordshire County Council will operate this waiting list on behalf of the school. 

Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. 

A child’s position on the waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e.they can go up or down the list. 

Places that become available below the published admissions number or any number that the school agree that they can admit from March 2020 will be offered to students according to their ranking on the list i.e. those ranked highest will be offered first. 

Staffordshire County Council (School Admissions) will also help co-ordinate any In-Year Admissions on behalf of the school.

Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2020 / 21

It is our aim, when considering applications, to accept students onto a curriculum which will suit their learning style and encourage them to flourish academically. Judgements and offers will be made on an appropriate level of prior academic achievement and a positive attitude/aptitude for learning. 

The Student Admission Number (PAN) for the year commencing September 1^st, 2020 will be 100. All admissions will be administered by use of the criteria detailed below

Method of Application:

Prospectuses and application forms will be published during the Autumn Term each year. All current Great Wyrley Academy students will be invited to an Open Evening and the event will be marketed locally and on the school website. Prospectuses and application forms will be specifically issued to:

• All current Year 11 Great Wyrley Academy students

• Students visiting from other education establishments

• Those making specific requests by contacting the school

Information, advice and guidance meetings are set up for every prospective Sixth Form student, with their parents, to provide expert professional support at a critical time of decision. 

Entry Criteria for Courses: 

Students need to demonstrate evidence of a positive, self-motivated approach to learning and a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 9 – 4 (or equivalent grades) including English and Maths. 

Individual courses may have subject-specific GCSE requirements for entry - these are outlined fully in the prospectus each year.

Students who do not meet the entry criteria can discuss the courses that they want to follow with the Assistant Headteacher (Sixth Form) and may be given permission to join in exceptional circumstances.

Applications From Students Not Currently Studying in Year 11 at Great Wyrley Academy:

Each year a number of students can join our Sixth Form from other schools. Applications are welcomed from such students who wish to continue their studies at Great Wyrley Academy. The application process and entry requirements will be identical for both internal and external applicants.

Our admission number for external applications is a minimum of twenty.

All schools must admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that names the school directly. 

Where over-subscribed we will give priority to applicants as follows: 

1. “Looked after children – children in public care”, as required by the Education (Admission of Looked after Children) (England) Regulations 2006. First priority for admission shall be given to relevant looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. (* See note below)

2. Where a child has a brother/sister, half brother/sister (where the children share one common parent), step-brother/sister or fostered/adopted sibling living at the same home address (i.e. the genuine principle place of residence where they normally and regularly live) and who will be attending Great Wyrley Academy in September 2020. ** See note below 

3. Proximity of the child’s home to the school, measured in a straight line from the front door of the home (or main entrance to flats) to the main gate of the school, with those living nearest accorded the higher priority. ***See note below 

*An adoption order is an order under section 46 of the Adoptions and Children Act 2002. A residence order is an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a special guardianship order as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  

**Where parents have a shared responsibility for a child and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, then the home address will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week (i.e. three out of the five days). Parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.  

*** In all cases the ‘proximity’ criterion (the last named priority) is to be used as a tie-breaker should the school be oversubscribed with applicants under criteria with a higher priority. For example, if the school were to be oversubscribed with siblings only (second priority), the proximity criterion would dictate who would gain admission. Parents or guardians might be asked to submit evidence in support of their application; fraudulent information used at that time can lead to the withdrawal of a place and further children might be affected. In the event that we are unable to distinguish between applicants for the final available place, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the final place will be randomly selected by drawing lots. The ‘home’ address to be used will be the current one at the time places are allocated and the one that parents either own or rent.  

All of the above applicants must meet the Entry Criteria. In the event of the school being oversubscribed in any of the above criteria, places will be offered to those living nearest the school as measured in a direct line distance from the home to the school. 

Applicants refused admission to our Sixth Form are entitled to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel.