Dover Grammar School for Boys Policy for Admission Of Pupils September 2014

Only pupils who attain the required standard in the prescribed arrangements for selection by reference to ability and aptitude will be eligible to be considered for admission to the School.

Eligibility for consideration

These arrangements require that, in order to be eligible for consideration for admission to the School at age 11, would-be pupils must either

(a)   attain satisfactory scoring across tests taken at Dover Grammar School for Boys.  The tests used will be Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests and tests set to address the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 targets in English and Mathematics.  The minimum scoring for entry will be that which will reasonably predict that at the end of Year 11 the candidate will attain qualifications sufficient to embark on Sixth Form studies at the School, given the curriculum through the School with its particular spread of subjects, time allocation to them and style of delivery.  It is anticipated that this level will correspond approximately with that which would be attained or exceeded by 25% of the age group nationally.  Arrangements to take the tests will be announced by the governing body in the local press.  Application to take the test should be made on the School’s application form which is available from the school and should be returned to the school.

or  (b)  be selected for grammar school education by the Kent Age 11 assessment.

Numbers

The maximum number of intended admissions for the year commencing 1st September 2014 will be 120 at age 11. Before the application of oversubscription criteria, children with a statement of special educational need which names the school will be admitted.  As a result of this the published admissions number will be reduced accordingly.

Over-subscription

Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which eligible children to admit:

1. Children in Local Authority Care  -  a child under the age of 18 years for whom the Local Authority  provides accommodation by agreement with his parents/ carers (Section 22 of the Children Act 1989) or who is 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 2022 or Section 8 or 14A of the Children Act 1989);
2. Current Family Association  -  a brother or sister already attending the School at the time of entry.  In this context brother or sister means children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters. If siblings from multiple births (twins, triplets, etc) apply for a school and the school would reach its Published Admission Number (PAN) after admitting one or more, but before admitting all of those siblings, the LA will offer a place to each of the siblings, even if doing so takes the school above its PAN
3. Health and Special Access Reasons  -  Medical/Health 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 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. Nearness of children’s homes to the School.  We use the distance between the child’s permanent address and the School, measured in a straight line using Ordnance Survey address point data.  Distances are measured from a defined point within the School as specified by Ordnance Survey.  The same address point on the School site is used for all applicants.
5. In recent years, all eligible pupils for whom Dover Grammar School for Boys is their preferred choice of school have been offered a place at the School.

Waiting Lists

In line with the re-allocation process as determined by the co-ordinated Admissions Scheme, eligible students who have requested a place will be assigned to a waiting list.

Admission to other age groups up to Year 11

Applicants of other ages will be tested to ascertain their ability in comparison to pupils already at the School in the appropriate cohort.  If they are of at least the same standard and there are spare places available, they will be admitted.

Admission to the Sixth Form

Prospective Year 12 students who wish to take courses offered by the School must demonstrate motivation and ability appropriate to the course, as measured in both cases by their performance at GCSE or equivalent.  To gain a place students will need to satisfy all three of the following criteria:

• at least GCSE Grade C in both English Language and Maths;
• at least GCSE Grade B in any subject (except Maths) to be studied at A-Level or at International Baccalaureate Higher Level  -  for Maths, at least GCSE Grade A;  for Further Maths, Grade A*.
• from their best six GCSE results, a total of at least 276 points according to the scale A*=58, A=52, B=46, C=40, D=34, E=28.

Students wishing to transfer from other schools into the Sixth Form may make application.  Pupils at Dover Grammar School for Boys transferring from Year 11 will have priority for places on courses available in Year 12.  The total number of places in Year 12 is 130.  The PAN for external candidates is set at 10 but this figure may be exceeded in the event that fewer than 120 internal pupils transfer into Year 12.  Where external applications for admission into the Sixth form exceed the number of places available, the over-subscription criteria above will be applied to eligible students.

General

After a place has been offered, the School reserves the right to withdraw it in the following circumstances:

• Where a parent has failed to respond to an offer within a reasonable time; or
• Where a parent has failed to notify the School of important changes to the application information; or
• Where the admission authority offered the place on the basis of a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application from a parent

The School will agree any changes to its admissions arrangements with the Secretary of State for Education.  It will establish arrangements for appeals against non-admission which will include an independent element.  Details of admissions and appeals arrangements will be published each year.

A map of the location of the School may be found on our web-site www.dovergramboys.kent.sch.uk