Statutory Consultation on proposed changes to Admission Arrangements
Statutory Consultation on proposed changes to the Admissions Arrangements for John Colet School to take effect from the beginning of the academic year 2025–26.
Each year the admission authority for all schools and academies are required to review their admission arrangements. The admission authority must consult on proposed changes to the admission arrangements and conduct a consultation on the policy every 7years.
The admission authority for John Colet School is its Governing Body. The Governing Body has decided to consult on proposed changes to the school’s admission arrangements which would take effect from the beginning of the academic year 2025-26.
The main changes proposed are that:
1. The rule for 'Children of staff (teaching and support) is changed to read -
Children of staff who are employed on a permanent contract at the School where the member of staff has been employed at the School for two or more years at the time the application for admission is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
This will remain above the rule for 'Children living in the catchment area of the school'.
2. The late transfer procedure is changed to read -
Admission to Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 will be handled by the school. The waiting lists will be held
by the school and will be ranked in accordance with the school’s over-subscription rules. The
waiting list for Year 7 will be maintained until 31 August. All other waiting lists will be
maintained until 31 December of the relevant academic year. Each added child will require
the relevant list to be re-ranked accordingly in line with the school’s published oversubscription
criteria.
This means that the over-subscription criteria in the event that there are more applicants than places available would be applied in the following order:
1. Children who are looked after.
2. Children of staff who are employed on a permanent contract at the School where the member
of staff has been employed at the School for two or more years at the time the application for
admission is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a
demonstrable skills shortage.
3. Children living in the catchment area of the school.
4. Siblings of children in Years 7 to 10 who are on the roll of the school at the time that the
allocations are made and are expected to be on the school roll at the time of the proposed
admission. For immediate In-Year (casual) admission – siblings of children in Years 7-11 at the
time of admission.
5. Children who have exceptional medical or social needs which can only be met at this school
supported by written evidence from a doctor, social worker, educational welfare officer or other
appropriate person.
6. Once the above rules have been applied, then any further places will be offered in distance
order, using the distance between the child’s normal home address, from their front door, and
the school’s nearest open gate, offering the closest first. We use the straight line distance.
7. Where the school can take some, but not all, of the children who qualify under one of these
rules, we will give priority to children by taking account of the next rule (or rules) in the
numbered list to decide who has priority for places. In cases where there is one remaining
place and the next child on the waiting list is one of a twin, triplet or other multiple birth group
then both twins would be admitted (or all the siblings in the case of multiple births) even if this
goes above the admission number of the school and the next child on the waiting list is one of a
twin, triplet or other multiple birth group then both twins would be admitted (or all the siblings in
the case of multiple births) even if this goes above the admission number of the school.
The full admissions criteria including changes to catchment are available in the document below:
Admissions Policy 2025-26 Consultation
The consultation will run for 6 weeks from 30 November 2023 until 11 January 2024.
The Governing Body welcomes any comments on the proposed changes. Please send your comments to the school office making clear that they are for the attention of (FAO) the Chair of Governors.
FAO The Chair of Governors, John Colet School, Wharf Road, Wendover HP22 6HF, office@johncolet.co.uk