Admissions Criteria during 2018/19

We use the same admissions rules as Herts County Council’s admissions criteria for schools and academies. The rules are applied in order.

All schools and academies must admit a child with a statement of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan that names the school.

• Rule 1 – Children Looked After
• Rule 2 – Medical or social needs
• Rule 3 – Siblings
• Rule 4 – Children living closest to school (distance)
• Tiebreak

Rule 1 – Children Looked After

Children looked after by the local authority, including children who were previously looked after but were then adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order). Adopted children must have been previously looked after by an English or Welsh local authority. Children who were not looked after immediately before being adopted, or made the subject of a child arrangement order or special guardianship order, will not be prioritised under this rule.

Evidence needed: Include a letter or document from your child’s social worker, advisory teacher or other professional as evidence.

Rule 2 – Medical or Social needs

Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school. All Hertfordshire schools can support children with a wide range of additional needs and are expected to accommodate severe medical needs. An application made under Rule 2 should clearly demonstrate why the school applied for is the only one that can meet your child’s need in a way that no other school can. This may include children on the Child Protection Register/ Children In Need.

Evidence needed: Recent independent objective evidence, for example from a doctor, psychologist, social worker or other professional involved with your child. Professional evidence that outlines exceptional family circumstances making clear why only one school can meet your child’s needs. If the requested school is not the nearest school to your child’s home address, give specific reasons why closer schools will not meet your child’s needs. Evidence must relate specifically to the school being applied for under Rule 2.

Rule 3 – Siblings

Children who have a sibling on the roll of the school (or linked school) at the time of application.

Sibling includes:

• brother or sister
• half brother or sister
• adopted brother or sister

In every case, the sibling must be living permanently in the same family home (at least Monday to Friday). A sibling must be on the roll of the school, or have been offered and accepted a place, at the school at the time of application.

Rule 4 – Children living closest to school (distance)

Children who live closest to the school are given priority.

Tiebreak

Admission rules are applied in order. If more children qualify for a school place under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used. That means the next rule will be applied to those children. If more children qualify than there are places available, priority will be given to those who live nearest to the school. A tiebreak will also be used if 2 applications have addresses that measure the same distance from a school. For example, if 2 applications had identical home to school distance measurements, a random tiebreak would be used to decide which applicant is offered a place.

Every applicant is given a unique random number for each of their school preferences. When a random tiebreak is needed, this random number is used to allocate the place – the lowest number is given priority. If 2 applications were received from the same block of flats, the applicant with the lower door number would be classed as nearest and offered a place because they are likely to be closer to the ground floor and, therefore, the school. This tiebreak method is used for all schools that we manage admissions for.

De Havilland co-operates with the Fair Access Protocol of the Local Authority which is designed to ensure children who are considered hard to place and/or vulnerable are secured a school place: www.hertsdirect.org/services/edlearn/admissions/inyear/fap1/. Children who might be admitted under the Fair Access Protocol will be prioritised above those on the Continuing Interest List.