The Cheadle Academy
Admission arrangements 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026
Under DFE guidelines, The Cheadle Academy is its own admission authority. Admission to the Academy is part of the local authority’s co-ordinated scheme. Accordingly, early in the Autumn Term of Year 6 you will receive a letter from the LA advising you of the admissions process. . You will be asked to make an application stating the school which you wish your child to attend. The closing date for the applications is October 31.
In March the LA will inform you of the name of the school at which your child has been offered a place. If you are unhappy with their decision you have the right to appeal. Appeals are heard during the first part of the Summer Term.
If the number of students requesting a place at The Cheadle Academy exceeds the Published Admission Number (PAN), which is currently 160, the Admission Authority will use the following criteria, which are outlined in order of priority, to allocate places. In accordance with legislation, children who have a statutory statement of special educational need, or Education, Health and Care Plan, that names the Academy, must be admitted. This will reduce the number of places available:
- Children in care and children who ceased to be in care because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order 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
- Students living in the catchment area of The Cheadle Academy.
- Students who have an elder sibling at The Cheadle Academy who will still be attending The Cheadle Academy on the proposed admission date. The term “sibling” means a full, step, half, adopted or fostered brother or sister, but not cousins. The Academy reserves the right to ask for proof of relationship. When a child lives with parents who share responsibility, each for part of a week, the home address, for the purpose of distance measurements and travel considerations, will be that from which the child travels to school for the majority of school days during a normal school week.
- Students who satisfy both of the following tests (please contact the academy for details):
- They are distinguished from the great majority of applicants either on Medical grounds or by other exceptional circumstances.
- They would suffer hardship if they were unable to attend the academy.
- Other students arranged in order of priority according to how near their home address is from The Cheadle Academy, determined by a straight line measurement as calculated by the Local Authority’s Geographical Information System.
If you wish your son/daughter to transfer to The Cheadle Academy at a time other than the start of Year 7, please contact The Cheadle Academy Admissions Officer directly on 01538 493900.
Additional Notes
Copies of school catchment area maps are available from the Academy or Local Authority.
There is no charge or cost related to the admission of a child to a school.
Children in Care means children who are in the care of, or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making the application.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide any supportive information required in order for the application to be assessed against the published admissions criteria, the Academy will not seek to obtain this information of behalf of the applicant.
The home address is considered to be the child’s along with their parent’s main and genuine principal place of residence at the time of the allocation of places i.e. where they are normally and regularly living. If a child is resident with friends or relatives (for reasons other than legal guardianship) the friends or relative’s address will not be considered for allocation purposes.
Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives with both parents for part of the school week, parents will be required to provide documentary evidence to support the address they wish to be considered for allocation purposes.
If a child’s home address changes during the admissions process it is the responsibility of the parent/carer to inform the Local Authority immediately. Where there is a proposed house move taking place during the admissions process the Local Authority will only accept the revised address for purposes of allocation where parents/carers can provide documentary evidence of the move by 26 January.
If a place is offered on the basis of an address that is subsequently found to be different from the child’s normal and permanent home address at the time of allocation of places then that place is likely to be withdrawn.
If there are a limited number of spaces available and we cannot distinguish between applicants using the criteria listed, such as in the case of children who live in the same block of flats, then the child or children who will be offered the available spaces will be randomly selected. This process will be independently verified.
Admission Outside of the Normal Age Group
Parents may seek to apply for their child’s admission to school outside of their normal age group, for example if the child is exceptionally gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.
These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is an appropriate course of action will be made by the Governing Body who will take into account the circumstances of the case and views of the Headteacher. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group.’
The Cheadle Academy Appeals Process
The arrangements for appeals will be in line with the School Admission Appeals Code published by the Department for Education.
Parents/Carers have the right to appeal to an ‘Independent Appeal Panel’ if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their application.
Please view the appeals section of our website for further information regarding the appeal process.
Arrangements will be made for your appeal to be heard by an independent panel who will consider your statement and reasons for appealing against the decision. The panel will then notify you of the outcome of the appeal. The Appeal Panel will be independent of the Academy and will comprise of a minimum of three members who will include at least one independent person, who has no professional experience of education or personal experience of the Academy, known as a lay member; and at least one independent person with experience in education.
Parent/Carers have the right to attend the Appeal Panel meeting in person. You will receive notification of the appeal date at least fourteen days prior to the hearing. Appeals will not be held at The Cheadle Academy. You will be notified of the location. Please note that secondary appeals are normally heard during May.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact our Vice Principal on 01538 493900 or email office@thecheadleacademy.co.uk