School Admissions Policies 2024-2025

Oakwood Secondary School

Admissions Policy

Oakwood High School is a 11-16 mixed comprehensive school in the Borough of Rotherham. As a Multi Academy Trust, we are our own Admissions Authority.

We have a strong emphasis on respect for all, we forge effective and supportive relationships with both pupils and adults in our learning community. Together we maximise every opportunity to achieve success for all, inspiring pupils to achieve excellent academic progress.

The Trustees and Local Governing Body

Trustees and Local Governing Bodies will ensure that:

● The admission arrangements are reviewed annually and consultation takes place on changes with all

● other admission authorities and the Local Authority (LA).

● The admission arrangements are made available to parents and potential parents.

● Students are admitted in accordance with this policy.

● Where places are available, students are admitted in accordance with the agreed priorities

The number of students on roll and reasons for unsuccessful appeals will be reported to the Trustees and Local Governing Body each term with advice on any implications.

The Trust will comply with all relevant provisions of the statutory codes of practice (the School Admissions Code of Practice and the School Admission Appeals Code of Practice), including Section 149 Equalities Act, as they apply at any given time to Foundation Trust Schools and with the law on admissions as it applies toFoundation Trust Schools.

The Trust participates in the coordinated admission arrangements operated by Rotherham Local Authority (LA). Applications must be made using the Common Application Form (CAF) which will be made available by the Local Authority. Applications must be made direct to the council by the deadlines specified by them. All places will be offered by the council on behalf of the Trustees and Local Governing Body. Allocations will be notified by the Council in accordance with their procedures.

More information and detail can be found from on www.rotherham.gov.uk

The Published Admission Number for entry to Year 7 for Oakwood High School is: 210

Where the published admission number for the school is likely to be reached mid category, places will be prioritised within that category by reference to the distance between the home address and the school. Highest priority will be given to those who, on 30th November 2023, live closest to the school measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane (commonly known as measurement, “as the crow flies”). Distance measurements are calculated (by the Local Authority Admissions Team) using a Geographical Information System which applies seed points as determined by Ordnance Survey.Measurements are taken from the seed point of the ordinary place of residence to the seed point of the school. Where the school has more than one seed point, the seed point closest to the geographical centre of the school site is used.

Where places are being allocated based on the distance criteria or as part of the distance tie breaker, and there are insufficient places within the admission number for two (or more) children living in the same building (e.g. flats) or otherwise equidistant from the school, then any final place will be allocated by the simple drawing of lots by a representative of the Local Authority independent of the School Admissions Team.

Where applications are received for twins, triplets, siblings born in the same academic year etc these will be treated equally as there is nothing within the admission criteria to distinguish between them.

Places will be allocated in accordance with the LA’s co-ordinated admissions schemes for Secondary schools. In assessing preferences, the LA will operate an ‘equal preference’ system, which means that no priority will be given according to the ranking of the preference, except where a potential offer can be made in respect of more than one school. In that situation, the final offer of a place will be made at the highest preferred school as named on the application form of the potential offer schools.

Children issued with an Education and Health Care Plan will gain a place at the school named in the plan as part of that process.

Information on the catchment area for the school can be obtained by contacting the School Organisation Team on 01709 254831 or on the Local Authority website at:
Finding and choosing a school – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

General Arrangements for Admissions

Students will not be admitted above the Published Admission Number (PAN) unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Admissions Criteria

Children with Special Educational Needs:

A small number of children will have an Education Health Care Plan that names the school and these children must be admitted to the school if named as part of that process.
The majority of children with special educational needs will not require an Education Health Care Plan. Applications for children who have special educational needs but no Education Health Care Plan, will be considered on the basis of the Admission Authority’s published admissions criteria.

For all other applications places will be allocated in the following order of priority:

Looked After Children and previously Looked After Children (see note (a) below).
Children who have a specific medical reason, confirmed by a medical practitioner, which the Admissions and Local Authority is satisfied makes attendance at this particular school essential. Parents should ensure that they provide full supporting information to be considered along with their application.
Children who have a compelling social reason which the Admissions and Local Authority is satisfied make attendance at this particular school essential. The kind of overriding social reasons which could be accepted are where there is evidence that the children’s education would be seriously impaired if he or she did not attend this school. Parents should ensure that they provide full supporting information to be considered along with their application.
Very few cases are agreed annually on exceptional medical or social grounds
Children who live in the catchment area of the school as defined by the Authority and it is expected will have an older brother or sister on the roll of this school in Years 8-11 at the start of the academic year 2024 (see notes (b), (c) and (d) below)
Children who live in the catchment area of this school as defined by the Authority (see note (b) below)
Children who it is expected will have an older brother or sister on the roll of this school in Years 8-11 at the start of the academic year 2024 (see notes (c) and (d) below)
Children who are on the roll of one of our feeder and associated primary/ junior/junior and infant catchment area schools as identified by the Authority. (see note (d) below)
Children of staff at the school meeting the following criteria:
1. where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made; and/orthe member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post at the school for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post at the school for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
Children who live nearest to the school, measured by a straight line on a horizontal plane, (commonly known as measurement “as the crow flies”)

Notes

A ‘relevant looked after child’ is a child that is looked after by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 at the time an application for admission to a school is made, and who the local authority has confirmed will still be looked after at the time when he/she is admitted to the school.Previously looked after children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order). All references to previously looked after children in the Code mean such children who were adopted (or subject to child arrangements orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been looked after and those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
Places will be allocated based on your residential address on 30 November 2023. Therefore, you must notify the Local Authority Admissions Team in writing if you change address before this date. You may be asked to provide proof of residence (e.g. utility/council tax bill). Documentary evidence of ownership or rental agreement may be required together with proof of actual permanent residency at the property concerned. The Admissions and Local Authority reserves the right to request an affidavit where there is uncertainty regarding a child’s ordinary place of residence.
You can find if your live in a schools catchment area by following this link or looking in appendix A:
Finding and choosing a school – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
For a child to be considered a sibling, one of the following conditions must exist: (you may be asked to provide proof e.g., Birth Certificate and proof of residence)
• brother/sister to be permanently resident at the same address.
• stepbrother/stepsister to be permanently resident at the same address.
• half-brother/half-sister to be permanently resident at the same address.
• brother/sister who do not live at the same residence but, who share the same parents.
• child of the parent/carer’s partner to be permanently resident at the same address.
• adopted brother/sister permanently resident at the same address
• foster brother/sister resident at the same address
Children of UK service personnel (UK Armed Forces) – For families of service personnel with a confirmed posting to their area, or crown servants returning from overseas to live in that area, admission authorities must allocate a place in advance of the family arriving in the area provided the application is accompanied by an official letter that declares a relocation date and a Unit postal address or quartering area address when considering the application against their oversubscription criteria. This must include accepting a Unit postal address or quartering area address for a service child. Admission authorities must not refuse a service child a place because the family does not currently live in the area, or reserve blocks of places for these children.

Feeder Primary Schools for Oakwood High School

Below is a list of our catchment area and feeder Primary, Junior and Junior and Infant Schools.

Oakwood
Broom Valley
Canklow Woods
Sitwell

Waiting List

On the National Offer Day of 1 March 2023, the Admissions Team will establish a waiting list for secondary schools in Rotherham where the number of applications for those schools has exceeded the available places in Year 7.

The Local Authority Admissions Team will administer the waiting list on behalf of this school which will operate until the 31 December 2023 when it will cease.

The child’s name will automatically be put on the waiting list for a school where they have not been made an offer of a place and where that school is named as a higher preference than the school at which an offer has been made.

Children’s positions on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria, with no reference to the date of receipt of the application. The waiting list will be re-ordered in accordance with the oversubscription criteria whenever anyone is added to or leaves the waiting list. Should a place become available it will be allocated to the child whose name is at the top of the waiting list on the day that the Local Authority receives written confirmation of the vacancy.

In-year Admissions-Transferring school during the school year

Current Admission Number for entry to Years 8-11

Y8: 210
Y9: 210
Y10: 210
Y11: 210

Any application for an in-year school transfer should be made via the Local Authority Admissions Team in the first instance. If there are more applicants than vacancies for any year group, in-year applications will be considered in accordance with the above over subscription criteria.

The Local Authority will co-ordinate in-year transfers for most of the schools in Rotherham. Further information and the relevant application form is available on the Authority website:

Transferring School during the school year – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

A paper copy of the application form can be requested from the Admissions Team by email or telephone using the details below ;

Telephone 01709 823777
or
E-mail admissions.enquiries@rotherham.gov.uk

If you are moving homes, please apply in advance of your move to reduce the risk of your child being out of school while your application is processed. You will need to provide details of your new address and when you intend to move. You are advised to discuss your transfer request with a member of staff at your child’s present school.
The Local Authority Admissions Team will record all in-year transfer applications and will forward your application via secure email for consideration by the relevant Admissions Authority.

Applications received will be forwarded to preferred schools on the day of receipt where possible, or the following working (school) day.
Applications received during a weekend or bank holiday or during school holidays will be forwarded to the preferred schools on the next working (school) day

It is not possible to process any applications during school holidays and your application will be considered as soon as schools re-open. Schools are required to respond to in-year transfer requests within a Maximum of 15 school days from receipt of the application therefore, although in-year applications may be forwarded to schools during school holiday periods, it is unlikely that you will be notified of the outcome of your application until schools re-open and the 15 school day response time commences.

In many cases a child will transfer to a new school only at the beginning of a new term, unless there is agreement by all concerned that the transfer should take place earlier. Until the transfer arrangements have been approved it is expected that your child will continue to attend their present school.

Parents can make applications up to one term before the date when they would like their child to start at the preferred school. Parents can apply from the 1st May onwards for Admission in the following September. Any application for admission in the following September which is received prior to this date will be considered as having been received on 1st May.

You will be notified in writing of the outcome of your application. This decision will usually be sent on behalf of the Governing Body (as the Admissions Authority) by the Local Authority Admissions Team.

It should be noted that it is the Admissions Authority’s policy that repeat applications made for entry to the same year group at the same school will not be considered unless there has been a significant and material change of circumstances which is relevant to the application for admission.

Information on Appeals

Where it is not possible to offer your child a place at the school you have applied for, you will receive a letter advising you of the reasons for this decision. This will usually be sent on behalf of the Governing Body / Trustees (as the Admissions Authority) by the Local Authority Admissions Team.

All parents/carers have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel if you have received written confirmation that it has not been possible to offer your child a place at the schools you have applied for.
All independent appeals are organised by an Appeals Clerk and follow procedures, which are set out in legislation and the School Admission Appeals Code of Practice. The Appeals Clerk, Panel and process are independent of the Admissions Authority.

Important requirements to note are:

Appeals must be in writing stating the grounds on which the appeal is made;
every parent has the right to attend the independent appeal in order to make their case;
the parent can be accompanied by a friend or be represented by them;
independent appeals are heard in private;
the decision of the Appeals Panel is binding on both parents and the Admissions Authority;
parents will receive written notification of the Appeals Panel decision.
Dates – (parents will be advised at the earliest opportunity of appeal dates by the Clerk)

General Information on Appeals

A separate document containing details of the appeals procedure is available from the LA to parents whose applications could not be satisfied.
Any member of the Authority may attend, as an observer, any hearing by an Independent Appeal Panel established by the Authority.
Parents will be given at least 14 days written notice of the date, time and place of the appeal hearing and will receive prior to the appeal, written documentation summarising the reasons for refusing the admission.
If a parent does not attend the appeal or is not represented by another person the hearing may be held and the case dealt with in the absence of the parent using only the written documentation submitted.
In some cases, parents who are not successful at the appeal occasionally consider applying again for the same school in the same academic year. Unless there has been a significant and material change of circumstances which is relevant to the application for admission, the Authority is not required to reconsider its decision and therefore parents do not have the right of another appeal.
Further information is available on the Local Authority website:
https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/schools-schooling/school-admission-appeals
Email; schoolappeals@rotherham.gov.uk

Find your catchment area school

You can use the catchment map to find your catchment area school.

Visit RMBC Mapping
Close the disclaimer
Type your postcode in the address bar to search
Select a property from the list (if yours is not shown press MORE)
Click or tap on the property to select it
The property will be shown on the map
Select What would you like to do? in the top left corner
Select Map features
Select Education
Tick the Primary & Secondary catchment boxes as required
Click or tap the map and catchment area school/s will appear in a pop-up box

Useful Contacts

ADMISSIONS TEAM
Children and Young People’s Services
Riverside House
Main Street
Rotherham
S65 1AE
Contact an Admissions Officer on (01709) 823777
or email: admissions.enquiries@rotherham.gov.uk

APPEALS CLERK
Legal and Democratic Services,
Town Hall, The Crofts,
Moorgate Street,
Rotherham
S60 2TH
Tel: (01709) 822054
Email: schoolappeals@rotherham.gov.uk

Appendix A

Albany Street
Albion Road
Aldred Court
Aldred Street
Allan Street
Alma Road
Arundel Road
Badsley Moor Lane (36, 75-97 odd)
Badsley Street South
Barrowby Road
Beaconsfield Road
Bedale Court
Beechwood Road
Bentfield Avenue
Bent Lathes Avenue
Bentley Street
Bernard Street
Boston Castle Grove
Boston Castle Terrace
Boswell Street
Braeburn Road
Broom Avenue
Broom Chase
Broom Court
Broom Crescent
Broom Drive
Broom Grove
Broom Hayes
Broom Lane
Broom Road
Broom Terrace
Broom Valley Road
Broomfield Grove
Brunswick Road
Burrell Street
Canklow Hill Road
Canklow Road
Carlingford Road
Carlton Avenue
Carrington Street
Castle Avenue
Castle View
Chapel Lane
Chatham Street
Chiltern House
Clifton Bank
Clifton Crescent North
Clifton Crescent South
Clifton Lane
Clifton Mount
Clifton Park View
Clifton Terrace
Coach House Lane
Coke Hill
Coke Lane
College Park Close
Cortland Close
Corus Place
Doncaster Gate (even numbers only & Flats (1-21) @ 14)
Douglas Street
Downs Row
East Bawtry Road (except 19-111 odd – to Wickersley)
Fairleigh Court
Fairleigh Drive
Flat Lane (odd 1-11)
Foundry Place
Foundry Walk
Frances Street
Francis Crescent North
Francis Crescent South
Francis Drive
Fraser Road
Garden Close
Garden Crescent
Garden Walk
Garfield Mount
Gerard Road
Godstone Road
Grange Lane
Grange Road
Green Lane
Greencroft Close
Grove Road
Guest Place
Guest Road
Hall Crescent
Hall Grove
Hall Road
Hallam Road
Harehills Road
Havercroft Road
Haworth Bank
Haworth Crescent
Heather Close
Henderson Court
Henderson Place
Herringthorpe Valley Rd
(odd from 487A to 537, even from 340 to 404)
Hind Road (nos 1, 3 & 5)
Hollowgate
Horace Street
Hutchinson Court
Island Close
Johnson Court
Johnson Street
Jubilee Cottages
Jubilee Street
Kingsley Court
Kings Court
Kings Gate
Kingsway
Lane End Road
Lane End View
Lathe Road (odd nos)
Lawton Lane
Leasegate Road
Ledsham Road
Lillian Street Broom
Lime Grove
Lisle Road
Lymister Avenue
Lynton Avenue
Mabel Street
Mair Court
Malt Kiln Street
Mansfield Road
Maynard Road
Melrose Grove
Micklethwait Court
Middle Drive
Middlefield Road
Mile Oak Road
Mill Street
Millfold Rise
Moorgate
Moorgate Avenue
Moorgate Chase
Moorgate Court
Moorgate Grove
Moorgate Lane
Moorgate Road
Moorgate Street
Moorgate Terrace
Moorgate Walk
Mortain Road
Mountenoy Road
Nabeel Court
Newman Court
Newman Road
Nightingale Close
Norrels Croft
Norrels Drive
Norfolk Way
Oak Tree Court
Oakwood Drive
Oakwood Grove
Oakwood Hall Drive
Oakwood Road East
Oakwood Road West
Oil Mill Fold
Old Clifton Lane
Old Sheffield Road
Orchard Walk
Osbert Road
Oxley Court
Oxley Grove
Parkfield Road
Park Mount
Parkson Road
Pinfold Lane
Quarry Hill
Queensway
Queensway Court
Ramsden Road
Red House Way
Redrock Road
Rencliffe Avenue
Reneville Close
Reneville Court
Reneville Road
Renishaw Avenue
Renway Road
Reresby Road
(even 6-36, 52-80 & 90-106)
Richard Road
Robinson Street
Rockingham Gardens
Rother Road
Rother Stoke Close
Rother Terrace
Rother View Road
Sandringham Avenue
(even 2-16 & 74-90)
Saxton Drive
Shafton Road
Shawsfield Road
Sheffield Road
Sherwood Crescent
Shoreham Avenue
Shoreham Drive
Shoreham Road
Shrogswood Road
(nos 1, 2, & 4)
Sitwell Court
Sitwell Drive
Sitwell Grove
Sitwell Park Road
Sitwell Vale
Snail Hill
South Grove
Spinney Close
Spinneyfield
Stable Court
Stag Close
Stafford Crescent
Stafford Drive
Stag Crescent
Stag Lane
Stag Willow Close
Stanley Street
Summerfield
Swan Street
Swifte Road
Swinden Court
The Crofts
The Green
The Maltings
The Twitchells
The Willows
Tooker Road
Town Street
Treherne Road
Unity Place
Vernon Road
Wade Close
Warden Street
Warwick Street
Warwick Street South
Water Lane
Weetwood Road
Welham Drive
Wellgate
Wellgate Mount
Wellgate Place
Wellgate Terrace
West Bawtry Road
Westgate
Westfield View
Wheathill Street
Whiston Grange
Whiston Grove
Whybourne Grove
Whybourne Terrace
Wickersley Road (evens – odd to Clifton)
Wilfred Street
William Street
Wood Lane
Wood Terrace
Wood View Place
Worrygoose Lane
(nos 1 – 7 odd,
1A, 2&4 even)
Woodfoot Road
Woodlands