Admissions

For admissions in September 2021, students sat the Medway Test in October and got their result in early November. Attendees at our Open Evening are making a decision about whether to list our school on their Secondary Common Application Form, which has to be submitted in late November.

We do not have a separate application form. Parents who wish a place for their son at our school should list it on the Secondary Common Application Form. Parents can apply online at www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions

The SCAF invites parents to express preferences in priority order. Preferences can be expressed for Medway and non-Medway schools. Medway operates an Equal Preference scheme. This means that all preferences are considered equally and the order of preference is between parents and the LA. The LA will look to offer a place at the highest named preference for which the child is eligible. Putting the school as 1st Preference will not guarantee an offer of a place because that depends on the over-subscription criteria.

Offers are notified on National Offer Day in March.

No. Allocation of places at this school is overseen by Medway Council, and in the event of the number of pupils seeking admission exceeding the number of places available, our over-subscription criteria are applied. These are – children in care, those previously in care outside of England, sibling link, health reasons, staff parent and then distance. This school does not admit pupils based on the size of the score, they just need to have passed.

No defined catchment area exists, but the distance a child lives from the school is key determinant of the likelihood of gaining a place because distance is the most frequently applied of the six oversubscription criteria. The distance calculated is the shortest available safe route between the child’s home and school using roads and footpaths known to the mapping layer used by Student Services (Admissions) within the Geographical Information System. In 2010 the furthest distance offered was 4.9 miles, in 2011 it was 4.9 miles, in 2013 it was 9.2 miles, in 2014, 3.8 miles, in 2015 it was 5.2 miles, in 2016 it was 4.6 miles, in 2017 it was 3.9 miles, in 2018 it was 4.6 miles, in 2019 it was 4.14 miles and in 2020 it was 3.31 miles.

Parents who live in another area can register to sit the Medway Test (and should have done so by the time of Open Evening in October). They must submit an application form to their relevant authority but can name this school on that form. Their ‘home’ authority will liaise with Medway Council.

No. Medway will not accept the results of any other test. To gain admission to a Medway selective (grammar) school, children must have sat and passed the Medway Test.

This means that all preferences are considered equally and the order of preference is between parents and the LA. All children will be ranked against the oversubscription criteria for all schools listed by a parent on their preference form, and this ranking will not be affected by the preference position on the form. The LA will look to offer a place at the highest named preference for which the child is eligible. Parents should always list schools in their true preference order, as Medway will offer a place at the school highest on the form where a place can be offered. Even if a parent is unlikely to obtain a place for their child at their preferred school, this should not stop them from putting it as their first preference, as it will not affect their chances of getting into any other school on their list.

No. Medway Council will continue to oversee admissions and allocate places. We have no intention of changing our oversubscription criteria or the number of places available.

The Leigh Academies Trust relates to aspects of school leadership, management and resources, and our admissions arrangements will remain unchanged. Please direct questions regarding admissions to Mr Hodges (Headteacher) or Mr Morris (Deputy Headteacher).