Meopham School Admissions Policy
September 2024 Admissions
Arrangements for admission at 11+ for September 2024
The school is open to boys and girls of all abilities without reference to a selection test. The school’s
published admission number is 200. The school has to apply criteria to prioritise applications in the event of
being over-subscribed.
Children with a statement of special educational need or Education (SSEN), Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
which names the school will be admitted. As a result of this, the published admissions number will be
reduced accordingly.
Oversubscription criteria:
If the number of preferences for the school exceeds the number of places available, the following criteria
will be applied and priority given to:
1. Children in Local Authority Care – a child under the age of 18 years for whom the local authority
provides accommodation by agreement with their parents/carers (Section 22 of the Children Act
1989) or who is the subject of a care order under Part IV of the Act. This applies equally to children
who immediately, after being looked after by the local authority, became subject to an adoption,
residence or special guardianship order. (As defined by Section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act
2002 or Section 8 or 14A of the Children Act 1989)
2. Applicants who have a sibling association with the school at the time of admission, i.e. a brother or
sister, step or half-brother or sister, an adopted brother or sister or other person resident at the same
address as if a sibling;
3. Health and Special Access Reasons – medical, health, social and special access reasons will be
applied in accordance with the school’s legal obligations, in particular those under the Equality Act
2010. Priority will be given to those children whose mental or physical impairment means they have
a demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school. Equally this priority will apply to
children whose parents’/guardians’ physical or mental health or social needs mean that they have a
demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school. Such claims will need to be
supported by written evidence from a suitably qualified medical or other practitioner who can
demonstrate a special connection between these needs and the particular school.
4. Applicants who have attended Istead Rise Primary School for the last full academic year.
5. Applicants living closest to the school. The distance is measured between the child’s permanent
address and the school measured in a straight line using the National Land and Property Gazetteer
(NLPG) address point. The school uses measurements provided by the Local Authority and further
information on how distances are measured is available in the Admissions Booklets provided by the
Local Authority.
6. We will maintain a clear, fair and objective waiting list until at least 31 December of each school
year of admission. Each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the school’s
published oversubscription criteria. Priority will not be given to children based on the date their
application was received or their name was added to the list. Looked after children, previously
looked after children, and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access
Protocol, must take precedence over those on a waiting list. In the unlikely event of a tie breaker all
students have equal eligibility for the last available place, their names will be issued a number and
drawn randomly to decide which child should be offered a place.
Applications Out-of-Chronological Age Group
In rare circumstances, parents/carers may choose to seek a place for their child outside of their
chronological age group for a variety of reasons (e.g. the child is summer-born, is considered gifted and
talented, has experienced problems such as ill health, or has had an interrupted education through
residency abroad).
The decision to admit a child out-of-year group is rare. It will always be made on the basis of the unique
circumstances for each specific case and what is best for that individual child. The decision will be made by
the Executive Headteacher of the school and will take into account the following:
○ parents’/carers’ views;
○ expert advice from relevant social, educational and medical professionals;
○ whether the child has previously been educated out of their normal age group; any evidence that the
child may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely;
○ the long-term impact of the decision on the child.
Applications for a child to be admitted to a year group outside of their chronological age group should be
made through the same process set out in this policy for both ‘normal round’ and ‘in-year’ applications.
However, in addition to the standard application form further documentation should be provided to support
the request for a place out of chronological year group. This applies regardless of whether it is for a higher
or lower year group.
The Executive Headteacher may request additional information after the submission of an application for an
out-of-year group place, if necessary.
Each application will be considered on the individual circumstances of each case. Applicants will be notified
in writing of the decision, including the reasons for it.
Unsuccessful applicants have the right to appeal if they are refused a place at the school. However, this
right does not apply if they are offered a place at the school, but it is not in their preferred age group.
Arrangements for Admission at 16+ for September 2024:
Students already on the roll of the school in Year 11 will qualify for a place in the Sixth Form, providing they
meet the following standards at GCSE (or equivalent):
● For a full time AS/BTEC/Diploma programme at NVQ level 3: 5+ A*-C grades, including English and
Mathematics (NVQ Level 2). It is a normal requirement that students have a 4+ grade or better in
the subjects they wish to study. For some subjects the entrance criteria is a grade 5 or 6 at GCSE
level.
Students from other schools must meet these same requirements and Meopham students will be
given priority if places are limited. All students wishing to join Meopham School Sixth Form must
complete the application form during the admission year. Applications can be received right through
to September.
