Admission Arrangements for September 2011
Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. The school is run by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its Trust Deed and instrument of government, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Jesus Christ.
If the number of preferences received is less than the admission number then all preferences will be met. However, when there are more applications than places available, priority will always be given to Catholic applicants in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. By applying to this school parents, or carers, are declaring their support for the aims and ethos of the school.
Admission for Year 7
Admission for Year 7 in September at Mount St Mary’s High School is part of a co-ordinated scheme across the local education authority where offers are made on behalf of the governing body by Education Leeds. A standard application form, known as the common preference form, must be completed and returned to your primary school. The governors also request that a supplementary information form (SIF) is completed, although this is not compulsory. This form is available from the school. Unless the SIF is received, Governors will not be in receipt of information needed and thus applicants are likely to be placed in category 14.
The governing body has responsibility for admissions to the school and intends to admit 180 pupils to Year 7 in the school year which begins in September 2011.
In-Year Applications
From September 2010 it is a requirement of the national School Admissions Code (February 2009) that all applications for places in schools are addressed to the local authority – for an application form please contact the Admissions Department of Education Leeds
on 0113 2475729.
The local authority will forward the application for consideration by the school’s governing body. The governors also request that a supplementary form (SIF) is completed, although this is not compulsory. This form is available from school. Unless the SIF is received, governors will not be in receipt of information needed and these applications are likely to be placed in category 14. Once the application has been considered by the governing body the school will inform the local authority of the governors’ decision and then the local authority will write to the applicant with the result of their application.
Where a family has moved into the area from abroad, another part of the country or city, and the child is effectively out of education, the application will be considered for an immediate start in the school, if there is a place available. Where parents simply wish for their child to change schools, the application will be considered for the start of the following term.
Oversubscription criteria
At any time where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered in the following order of priority:
1. Baptised Catholic students who are Looked After Children (see footnote). 2. Baptised Catholics who
- Live in one of the following Leeds Catholic parishes: St Anthony; Cathedral (St Anne); Christ the King; St Francis, Holbeck; Holy Family; St Joseph, Hunslet; Our Lady of Lourdes; St Patrick; St Peter; St Philip; St Wilfrid
- And are transferring from a Catholic primary school serving one of the above parishes
- And have a brother or sister attending Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School at the time the younger child starts in September.
3. Baptised Catholics who
- Live in one of the above named Leeds Catholic parishes
- And are transferring from a Catholic primary school serving one of the above parishes.
4. Baptised Catholics who have a brother or sister attending Mount St Mary’s
Catholic High School at the time the younger child starts in September.
5. Baptised Catholics transferring from one of the Catholic primary schools serving the above named parishes.
6. Baptised Catholics who live in one of the above named Leeds Catholic parishes.
7. Other baptised Catholics.
8. Other Looked After Children.
9. Other children whose parents wish them to receive a Catholic secondary education and who
- Live in one of the above named Leeds Catholic parishes
- And who are transferring from a Catholic primary school serving one of the above parishes
- And have a brother or sister attending Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School at the time the younger child starts in September.
10. Other children whose parents wish them to receive a Catholic secondary education and who
- Live in one of the above named Leeds Catholic parishes
- And transferring from a Catholic primary school serving one of the above parishes
11. Other children whose parents wish them to receive a Catholic secondary education and who have a brother or sister attending Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School at the time the younger child starts in September.
12. Other children transferring from a Catholic primary school, and whose parents wish them to receive a Catholic secondary education.
13. Children of other Christian denominations or of other Faiths whose parents or carers are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the school and whose application is supported in writing, by a minister of religion, or an appropriate religious leader.
14. Other applicants.
Catechumens are to be given priority next after Baptised Catholics in each of the above categories.
Tie Break
Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the categories listed above would still lead to oversubscription, the available places will be offered to those living nearest to the school. ‘Straight line distance’ will be used from the middle of the applicants’ house to the centre of the school building.
Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs
The admission of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. This procedure is set out in the 1996 Education Act. Details of this separate procedure are set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
FOOTNOTES:
(These notes form part of the over-subscription criteria)
- Baptised Catholics are those who have been baptised according to the rites of the Catholic Church or who have formally been received into the Catholic Church.
- Looked After Children has the same meaning as section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and means any child in the care of the local authority or provided with accommodation by them, for example children with foster parents.
- Catechumens are those children who have expressed an explicit desire to be baptised into the Roman Catholic Church and who are currently preparing to receive the same by regular participation in Sunday worship and a recognised programme of preparation. A letter from the Catholic priest preparing the child is required.
- Siblings (Brothers and Sisters) includes children with brothers and sisters (including step-brothers or sisters residing at the same address) of statutory school age, living at the same address, in attendance at the same school, or a school on the same site, on the date of admission.
- For admission purposes, the home address is where a child normally lives with his or her parent or carer.
- The address of a carer, childminder or relative who does not have parental rights under the provisions of the Children Act must not be given. The governors reserve the right to investigate the question of residency and to amend school offers accordingly.
- Where the school is oversubscribed, a waiting list will operate until 31 December. Parents who wish their child’s name to be put on the waiting list should contact the school for this purpose after 1 March when offers for all schools are distributed by Education Leeds.
- Following notification to parents by Education Leeds the school contacts parents asking if they are firmly accepting the place at Mount St Mary’s. If we receive no written response to this request within four weeks then the place will be given out elsewhere.
Places on the waiting list will be given out according to the above admission criteria and not when names are placed on the waiting list.
RIGHT OF APPEAL
If an application for admission is refused by the governing body parents have the right of appeal to an independent panel. Any such appeal must be received within 21 days of the refusal and be addressed to:
The Clerk to the Appeals Panel
Corporate Governance
4th Floor West
Civic Hall
Leeds
LS1 1UR
It is the governing body’s policy not to consider repeat applications in the same academic year, unless there has been a major relevant change in your circumstances (for example, a valid change of address).
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