NICHOLAS BREAKSPEAR CATHOLIC SCHOOL PROPOSED DETERMINED

ADMISSIONS ARRANGEMENTS 2021-2022

“We believe that each individual is a unique creation of God and that our role is to nurture and encourage

every child’s talents and gifts to their full potential”

Extract from School’s Mission Statement

PUPILS HAVE THE RIGHT TO LEARN TEACHERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO TEACH

EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO HEALTH & SAFETY

Status:

Operational Overview:

Strategic Overview:

Date Reviewed:

Date of next review:

Statutory

Admissions Committee

October 2019

July 2020

NICHOLAS BREAKSPEAR CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMISSION POLICY 2021/2022

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will always be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its Governing Body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeates every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.

The Governing Body is the admissions authority and has responsibility for admissions to this school. The local authority undertakes the co-ordination of admission arrangements during the normal admission round (excluding admission to Year 12). The Governing Body has set its admission number at 180 pupils to Year 7 which begins in September 2021.

Admission to the Sixth Form

The school operates a Sixth Form for a total of 125 places to Year 12 which begins in September 2021. While the admission number is 125, if fewer than 125 of the school’s existing pupils transfer into Year 12, additional external pupils will be admitted until Year 12 meets its capacity of 125.

Pupils will need to satisfy minimum entrance requirements to the courses for which they are applying. To embark on a course of three A Level subjects, you will need an Average Point Score (APS) of 5 or above, including English and Maths at grade 5 or above.

If either internal or external applicants fail to meet the minimum course requirements, they will be given the option of pursuing any alternative courses for which they do meet the minimum academic requirements. Course requirements are published annually in the school’s prospectus and on its website.

When Year 12 is undersubscribed all applicants meeting the course requirements will be admitted or permitted to progress.

When there are more external applicants that satisfy any academic entry requirements, priority will be given in accordance with the oversubscription criteria for all admissions.

Sixth Form Right of Appeal

Unsuccessful applicants to the Sixth Form have the right of appeal. If you wish to appeal please email school.appeal@hertfordshire.gov.uk once you have received notification from the school that your Sixth form application has been unsuccessful.

Pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely

separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school, must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements, this will reduce the number of places available to other children (see guidance note 1).

Oversubscription Criteria

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority:

1. Catholic looked after and children who were previously looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order) under the Children and Social Care Act 2017. (see guidance notes 2 & 3)

2. Catholic looked after and children who were previously looked after from abroad (outside England and Wales) but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order) under the Children and Social Care Act 2017. (see guidance notes 2 & 3)

3. Baptised Catholic children. (see guidance note 3)

4. Other looked after and previously looked after children and children previously looked after and subsequently adopted, under the Children and Social Care Act 2017. (see guidance note 2)

5. Other looked after and previously looked after children and children previously looked after from abroad (outside England and Wales) and subsequently adopted, under the Children and Social Care Act 2017. (see guidance note 2)

6. Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church. (see guidance notes 4 & 5)

7. Children of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidenced by a minister of religion. (see guidance note 6)

8. Children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a religious leader. (see guidance note 7)

9. Any other children

Within each of the categories listed above, the following provisions will be applied in the following order.

(i) Where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can most appropriately be met at this school, the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made. (see guidance note 10)

(ii) The attendance of a brother or sister at the school at the time of application will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (7i) above (see guidance note 8).

(iii) Priority will be given to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance. Hertfordshire County Council’s ‘straight line’ distance measurement system

is used for all home to school distance measurements. Distances are measured using a computerised mapping system to two decimal places. The measurement is taken from the AddressBase Premium address point of your child’s house to the address point of the school. AddressBase Premium data is a nationally recognised method of identifying the location of schools and individual residences.

Tie Break

In the event of distances being the same for two or more children where this would determine the last place to be allocated, random allocation will be carried out and supervised by a person independent of the school. All the names will be entered into a hat and the required number of names will be drawn out.

If the school receives fewer applications than spaces available, then all applicants will be offered a place.

Application Procedures and Timetable

To apply for a place at this school in the normal admission round, you must complete an online Application Form (excluding admission to Year 12) available from the local authority in which you live. You are also requested to complete the Supplementary Information Form attached to this policy if you wish to apply under oversubscription criteria 1 to 3 and 6 to 8.

The Supplementary Information Form should be returned to Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School Admissions, Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, AL4 0TT by the 31st October 2020.

You will be advised of the outcome of your application on 1st March 2021 or the next working day by the local authority on our behalf. If you are unsuccessful (unless your child gained a place at a school you ranked higher) you will be informed of the reasons, related to the oversubscription criteria listed above, and you have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Please visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions where you can make your online application and check HCC’s published information and application process.

Sixth Form

For Sixth Form admissions, the application window will open 15th November 2020 and close 30th January 2021. Applications should be returned to the Head of Sixth Form.

Please note for Sixth Form applications, students will receive their decision by 30th August 2021.

If you do not provide the information required in the SIF and return it by the closing date, together with all supporting documentation, your child will not be placed in criteria 1 to 6, and this is likely to affect your child’s chance of being offered a place.

All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is 30th January 2021.

Late Applications

Late applications will be administered in accordance with your home Local Authority

Secondary Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. You are encouraged to ensure that your application is received on time.

Admission of Children outside their Normal Age Group

A request may be made for a child to be admitted outside their normal age group, for example if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

Any such request should be made in writing to the Student Transition Coordinator at the same time as the admission application is made. The Governing Body will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. In addition to taking into account the views of the Head teacher, including the Head teacher’s statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the Governing Body will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals, as appropriate.

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, unsuccessful children will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out above and not in the order in which applications are received or added to the list. Waiting lists for admission will operate throughout the school year. The waiting list will be held open until the 20th July 2022.

Inclusion in the school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.

Continuing Interest

After places have been offered, the school’s Continuing Interest (waiting) list will be maintained by Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School. A child’s position on the CI list will be determined by the admission criteria outlined above and a child’s place on the list can change as other children join or leave it. The county council, on behalf of the school’s governing body, will contact parents/carers if a vacancy becomes available and it can be offered to a child. Continuing interest lists will be maintained for every year group until the summer term (date to be confirmed). To retain a CI application after this time, parents must make an in-year application.

In-Year Applications

o An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by returning a Supplementary Information Form to the Student Transition Coordinator at Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, AL4 0TT. The school will notify you with the outcome of your application. If your application is unsuccessful the county council will write to you with registration details to enable you to login and appeal online at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schoolappeals

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published

oversubscription criteria, as set out above, will be applied. If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list (see above). At the discretion of the Governing Body, taking into account the views of the Head teacher, children may be admitted to a year group outside their normal age group.

Appeals

Parents wishing to appeal who applied through Hertfordshire’s online system should log in to their online application and click on the link “register and appeal”. Out of county residents and paper applicants should call the Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4043 to request registration details and log into www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schoolappeals.

Fair Access Protocol

The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round and Continued Interest process, the Governing Body is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any locally agreed protocol. The Governing Body has this power even where admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number.

The Governing Body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a child is already attending the school or the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.

Guidance Notes

(These notes form part of the oversubscription criteria)

1. An Education, Health and Care Plan is a plan made by the local authority under section 37 of the Children and Families Act 2014, specifying the special educational provision required for a child.

2. A ‘looked after child’ has the same meaning as in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, and means any child who is (a) in the care of a local authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by them in the exercise of their social services functions (e.g. children with foster parents) at the time of making application to the school. This includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 (see section 12 adoption orders) and children who were adopted under the Adoption and Childrens Act 2002 (see section 46 adoption orders) and children previously looked after from abroad (outside England and Wales) and subsequently adopted, under the Children and Social Care Act 2017.

A ‘previously looked after child’ is a child or children who was previously looked after but who ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order, including children from abroad (outside England and Wales) and subsequently adopted.

Child Arrangements Order - under the provisions of the Children and Families Act 2014, which amended section 8 of the Children Act 1989, residence orders have now been replaced by child arrangements orders which settle the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom the child is to live.

Special guardianship order - under 14A of The Children Act 1989, an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians.

Children in the process of being placed for adoption are classified by law as children looked after providing there is a Placement Order and the application would be prioritised under Priority 1 or 3.

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 Priority 1 or 3. (Applications made for these children, with suitable supporting professional evidence and baptised Catholic, can be considered under Priority 2).

3. ‘Catholic’ means a member of a Church in full communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church. For the purposes of this policy, it includes a looked after child who is part of a Catholic family where a letter from a priest demonstrates that the child would have been baptised or received if it were not for their status as a looked after child (e.g. a looked after child in the process of adoption by a Catholic family).

For a child to be treated as Catholic, evidence of baptism or reception into the Church will be required. Those who have difficulty obtaining written evidence of baptism should contact their Parish Priest who, after consulting with the Diocese, will decide how the question of baptism is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the laws of the Church.

4. ‘Catechumen’ means a member of the catechumenate of a Catholic Church. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of reception into the order of catechumens.

5. ‘Eastern Christian Church’ includes Orthodox Churches, and is normally evidenced by a certificate of baptism or reception from the authorities of that Church.

6. ‘Children of other Christian denominations’ means children who belong to other churches and ecclesial communities which, acknowledge God’s revelation in Christ, confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in obedience to God’s will and in the power of the Holy Spirit commit themselves: to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. An ecclesial community which on principle has no credal statements in its tradition, is included if it manifests faith in Christ as witnessed to in the Scriptures and is committed to working in the spirit of the above.

All members of Churches Together in England and CYTÛN are deemed to be included in the above definition, as are all other churches and ecclesial communities that are in membership of any local Churches Together Group (by whatever title) on the above basis.

7. ‘Children of other faiths’ means children who are members of a religious community that does not fall within the definition of ‘other Christian denominations’ at 6 above and which falls within the definition of a religion for the purposes of charity law. The Charities Act 2011 defines religion to include:

A religion which involves belief in more than one God, and

A religion which does not involve belief in a God.

Case law has identified certain characteristics which describe the meaning of religion for the purposes of charity law, which are characterised by a belief in a Supreme Being and an expression of belief in that Supreme Being through worship.

8. ‘Brother or Sister’ includes:

(i) all natural brothers or sisters, half brothers or sisters, adopted brothers or sisters, stepbrothers or sisters, foster brothers or sisters and in every case living permanently in a placement within the home as part of the family household from Monday to Friday at the time of the application; and

(ii) a child looked after or previously looked after and in every case living permanently in a placement within the home as part of the family household from Monday to Friday at the time of the application

(iii) the child(ren) of a parent’s partner where that child lives for at least part of the week in the same family unit at the same address as the applicant.

(iv) a sibling link will not be recognized for children living temporarily in the same house, for example a child who usually lives with one parent but has temporarily moved or a looked after child in a respite placement or very short term or bridging foster placement

9. A ‘parent’ means all natural parents, any person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility for a child, and any person who has care of a child.

10. To demonstrate an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the Governing Body will require compelling written evidence from an appropriate professional, such as a social worker, doctor or priest.

11. Twins and multiple births - If you have more than one child applying for a secondary school at the same time, make a separate application for each of them. Where the last place is offered to one child from a set of twins or multiple births, we will offer spaces to the other child(ren) even if this takes us over our PAN.

In-Year Admission Application Form 2020-2021

You will need to complete a supplementary information form (SIF) which is available on the school website.

The Application Form, SIF and any additional supporting documentation should be returned direct to the school.

Child’s Details

First Name: Middle name(s): Family name/Surname:

Date of Birth: Current Year Group: Female/Male:

Your child’s current address and

postcode:

Your child’s current school:

Name of Form Tutor/Head of Year

Does your child have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or statement of special needs (SN)?

Yes □ No □ Is the child you are making an application for in the care of the Local Authority (Child Looked After)?

Yes □ No □ Was your child previously looked after but was then adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order?

Yes □ No □ Are you or your partner working as a UK service personnel or crown servant?

Yes □ No □

Applicant Details

Name of person making the

application (usually a parent/carer)

Title: First Name: Family name/Surname:

Address (if different to that given above)

Daytime telephone number

Email address, please write

clearly (our preferred way to contact you)

Your relationship to the child

NICHOLAS BREAKSPEAR CATHOLIC SCHOOL

The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust

Headteacher: Mr D Linnane

Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0TT Telephone: 01727 860079 Fax: 01727 848912

E-mail: admin@nbs.herts.sch.uk

Website: www.nbs.herts.sch.uk

Is the child living with you under a private fostering arrangement? This is where the child lives with an adult who is not a close relative i.e. not a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle.

Yes □ No □

Do you have parental responsibility? * Yes □ No □

If no, please provide permission from the person(s) with parental responsibility confirming they are in agreement with the application.

Does another person(s) also have parental responsibility? *

Yes □ No □ If yes, have they given agreement to the application being made? *

Yes □ No □ *For births registered in England and Wales, parental responsibility is automatically given to the child’s mother from birth. A child’s father will have parental responsibility if: •he was married to the child’s mother when the child is born (even if later divorced or separated) •the child was born after 1 December 2003, and he is named on the birth certificate •if a parental responsibility agreement is obtained from a court or by agreement with the mother. Please provide a copy of any appropriate court orders or residence orders with this application.

Parental Declaration

If you deliberately give false information, the school may withdraw the offer of a place

All of the information I have given on this form is correct and up to date. I have read and understand the information for parents available on Hertfordshire’s School Admissions web pages. I have read and understood the schools Admission Policy available on their web page. I understand that I must contact the school directly and submit this application form along with any other supporting documents. I understand that my child must be able to take up the allocated school place immediately and that the place may be withdrawn if not accepted within 10 school days. By signing this document I confirm I have parental responsibility for this child and/or the agreement of all persons with parental responsibility.

Your full name:

Your signature:

Date:

If you have any questions regarding this application please contact Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School. For any

other In Year Admissions related queries, please contact the County Admissions Team by email at

inyear@hertfordshire.gov.uk, by post at In Year Admissions Team CHR 102, County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13

8DF or by www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions. If you do not have internet access please contact the team via the

Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4043.

Checklist:

Completed and signed In-year Admission Application Form

Completed and signed Supplementary Information Form including supporting documents

Proof of Address, see comments below

Visa (if necessary)

This form must be returned to: westerdalea@nbs.herts.sch.uk or by post to

Student Transition Coordinator

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School,

Colney Heath Lane,

St Albans,

Herts.

Proof of address

We need 2 documents showing your current address. At least one of them needs to be a council tax

bill, utility bill, solicitor’s letter upon completion (exchange of contracts not accepted) or a signed

tenancy agreement.

If you're moving, we also need proof of your new address. This should be either a tenancy

agreement showing the start date of the tenancy or a solicitor’s letter confirming the completion

date. We won't use the new address until we have proof that the child is living there permanently.

If you're moving to a rented property, send us evidence that you've sold or are in the process of

selling your current property, or that your current lease agreement has ended.

You can scan or take a digital photo of your documents and email them with your application

Children living at more than one address - If your child lives at more than one address (for example,

due to parents separating), use the address where your child lives for most of the time. If your child

lives at 2 addresses equally, use the address of the parent who claims the Child Benefit or Child

Tax Credit.

Diocese of Westminster Catholic Secondary Schools Supplementary Information Form 2021-2022

Name and Address of School: Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0TT. Tel No: 01727 860079; Fax No: 01727 848912 Email: admin@nbs.herts.sch.uk; Website: www.nbs.herts.sch.uk

Child’s Details

Child’s Surname:

Child’s Christian or other first name:

Home Address: Postcode:

D.O.B

Parent/Carer Details

Parent/Carers Name:

Address: Post Code:

Telephone numbers:

Mobile:

Home:

Email address:

Details of Religion

Please tick appropriate box.

Baptised Catholic Other Christian

(Please State)

Other Faith

(Please State)

No Faith

If you are Catholic please state the Parish you live in:

Church where child was baptised and date of baptism: (Baptism Certificate required)

Name and position of priest or religious leader: (where appropriate)

Does your child have exceptional medical, pastoral or social needs that can only be met by attendance at this school? Please circle. (Professional evidence will be required.) YES NO

I confirm that I have read and understood the Admissions Policy and that the information I have

provided is correct. I understand that I must notify the school immediately if there is any change to

these details and that should any information I have given prove to be inaccurate that the governors

may withdraw any offer of a place even if the child has already started school.

Parent/Carer’s Name: …………………………………………………………………………………………………

Signature………………………………………………………………… Date…..…………………………

Please note:

• Applicants from other Christian denominations and other faiths must attach a letter from their

minister or religious leader confirming membership of the faith.

• You must complete your local authority’s eAdmissions Application Form by the closing date. If you

do not do this you will not be offered a place.

Checklist:

Have you enclosed: Copy of Baptism Certificate (where necessary)

Letter confirming membership of faith (where necessary) Evidence of exceptional need (where appropriate)

Have you completed your Local Authority Online Application form?

This form MUST be returned no later than 31st October 2020 to:

Student Transition Coordinator

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School,

Colney Heath Lane,

St Albans,

Herts.

AL4 0TT

ADMISSIONS PRIVACY NOTICE FOR NICHOLAS BREAKSPEAR CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018

and is committed to dealing with your information safely and securely. We need to collect and share

information in order to fulfil our obligations as an admission authority. We take our responsibility to protect

your data seriously and we will use it in accordance with the legal requirements of the Data Protection Act

2018.

We will comply with the School Admissions Code, which has the force of law. In respect of in-year

admissions, Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is the admissions authority for this school. The

information you provide to us on your Supplementary Information Form (SIF), any supporting papers or

appeal documentation you provide will be used to:

Process your application

Consider Admission Appeals

We may also use this data for the following purposes:

Forward planning as part of school budget, forecasting and reorganisation proposals

To assist in the development of policy proposals

For the prevention and/or detection of crime or fraud

For research and statistical purposes when we will ensure that statistics are developed in such a

way that individual children cannot be identified

In order to administer admissions to this school the following information may be collected by us:

Name and date of birth

Address where the child ordinarily lives at the time of application, which will be used for distance

calculation purposes

Supplementary information i.e. information on religious affiliation and status

Parent name and contact details

Details of baptism and/or Catholic practice

Information on parish of residence.

Agencies we will share the information with:

The Department for Education, to comply with statutory data collections

The LA, to verify the information provided so that the admission scheme\process can be accurately

administered

Admission Appeal panels

The Schools Adjudicator, in response to any objections raised

In Year Fair Access Panel, where applicable, to enable them to appropriately place complex

admissions

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, when investigating maladministration of

school admissions and admission appeals.

School Retention Policy:

The information listed above will be retained securely by the school for 8 years, after which it will be

destroyed.

For further information, please refer to the GDPR Policy DOWAT on the School website or contact:

Mrs H Day, Business Manager, Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, Colney Heath Lane, St Albans,

Hertfordshire. AL4 0TT

Quality & Excellence

Subject Forecast Grade Subject Forecast Grade

Choice Subject

• First

• Second

• Third

• Reserve

You must pick one subject from each block

Please list the subjects that you are interested in studying in the Sixth Form

Student’s Name:

Address (if external applicant)

Email address (if external applicant)

Telephone number (if external applicant):

Signature of Student

Date

*Please note that CTEC Health and Social Care and CTEC Sport and Physical Activity can count as two choices.

GCSE Subjects being studied

Sixth Form Preference FormSEPTEMBER 2021 ENTRY