Admission into Secondary School September 2018
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Admission into Secondary
School
September 2018
Information on applying for
a secondary, middle or
upper school in the Royal
Borough of Windsor and
Maidenhead
(including information on transferring to a university
technical college or studio school at the end of Year 9)The school admissions serv ice is prov ided by Achiev ing for Children, in
partnership w ith the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council.
The information in this guide relates to the school year beginning September
2018. I t is primarily aimed at pupils transferring to middle school at the end of
Year 4, secondary school at the end of Year 6, and upper school at the end
of Year 8. The guide also includes information on applying to transfer to a
univ ersity technical college or studio school at the end of Year 9.
When the guide refers to ‘secondary’ school, this w ill mean secondary,
middle or upper school unless otherw ise differentiated.
The information w as correct in August 2017 and is subject to change during
the academic year 2017-18.
Responsibility for information printed here relating to academies, v oluntary
aided schools, free schools, univ ersity technical colleges or studio schools lies
w ith the gov erning body of the school concerned, and not w ith the Royal
Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Council or Achiev ing for Children.
The paper common application form for admission to Royal Borough of
Windsor & Maidenhead schools must only be completed by Royal Borough
residents and sent to:
School Admissions, Achiev ing for Children, Tow n Hall, St. I v es Road,
Maidenhead SL6 1RF
Please prov ide a copy of any supporting documentation requested as w e
w ill not be responsible for the return, loss or damage to any original
documents supplied.
Phone: 01628 683870 (v ia Customer Contact Centre)
Email: rbw m.admissions@achiev ingforchildren.org.uk
Website: w w w.rbwm.gov .uk
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 2Welcome letter from the Director of Children’s Services
Dear Parent or Carer,
The transfer into secondary school is an important step in your child’s
education. This guide w ill explain the co-ordinated admissions process, and
prov ide you w ith some information about the secondary schools in our
borough.
The secondary schools in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are
committed to prov iding an excellent education and attaining high standards
in GCSE results. While all the secondary schools in the Royal Borough of
Windsor operate as admission authorities independent of the local authority,
w e maintain a close w orking relationship w ith the schools. We w ork together
as partners to create a system in w hich all young people hav e access to
learning opportunities and specialist facilities to support a broad and
balanced curriculum. This encourages achiev ement in a w ide range of
activ ities for the children attending our schools. We are proud to say that
young people in our borough achiev e w ell, ranking the secondary prov ision
in the top 15% of local authority areas in England.
Selecting the right school for your child is both challenging and exciting.
When deciding w hich schools to include on your application, it is important
to find out how each school w ill guide and support your child’s indiv idual
needs and interests. I encourage you to read the indiv idual school’s
prospectus and v isit the schools w ith your child before making selecting your
preferences. I nformation on the open ev ents at the schools is included at the
beginning of this guide.
The borough is committed to offering a place at your first preferred school
w here places are av ailable, but this cannot be guaranteed. I t is w orth
explaining this to your child and taking the opportunity to use the preferences
av ailable to you to hav e the best chance of obtaining a place at a preferred
school.
I strongly encourage you to apply online as this giv es you absolute assurance
that your application has been receiv ed, and allow s you to receiv e your offer
by email on National Offer Day, 1 March 2018.
I f you hav e any questions about the school admission process, please do
seek further information from the Admissions team. The contact details are
included on the inside cov er of this guide.
Finally, I w ish your child ev ery success in their future education, w hichev er
school they attend in September 2018.
Best w ishes,
Kev in McDaniel
Director of Children’s Serv ices
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 3CONTENTS
Welcome letter from the Director of Children’s Services 3
SECTION 1: Types of school in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and key dates 5
Dates of open events for Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead secondary schools 7
Key dates for admission in September 2018 8
SECTION 2: Seven steps in applying for a secondary school place 9
Step 1: Understanding the admission process 9
Step 2: Collecting information about schools 11
Step 3: Deciding which school(s) to include as a preference 12
Step 4: Completing your application 17
Step 5: Submitting your application 24
Step 6: Being offered a place 25
Step 7: Waiting lists for Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead schools 26
SECTION 3: School Appeals 28
SECTION 4: School Information 30
Allocation Information for September 2017 Entry 31
Altwood CE Secondary School 32
Charters School 34
Churchmead School 38
Cox Green School 40
Dedworth Middle School 43
Desborough College 45
Furze Platt Senior School 48
Holyport College 51
Newlands Girls’ School 55
St Edward’s RFE Middle School 58
St Peter’s CE Middle School 62
Trevelyan Middle School 65
The Windsor Boys School 70
Windsor Girls’ School 74
SECTION 5: Transfer to a university technical college or studio school at the end of Year 9 78
SECTION 6: Sixth form and post-16 education 81
Meeting the duty to participate 81
School sixth forms 81
Other post-16 learning options 81
SECTION 7: Financial assistance 82
Free school meals 82
Home to school transport support 82
SECTION 8 : Useful contact details 83
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 4SECTION 1
Types of school in the Royal Borough of Windsor &
Maidenhead and key dates
There are 14 state-funded secondary schools in the Royal Borough of Windsor
& Maidenhead
Voluntary aided schools
Voluntary aided church schools are supported by the Church Diocesan
Boards and the local authority. The gov ernors are responsible for setting the
admissions policy.
Churchmead CE School
St. Edw ard’s Royal Free Ecumenical Middle School
Academies
An academy is an all-ability school that is run by an academy trust and its
gov ernors independently of the local authority, and is funded entirely by
central gov ernment. The gov ernors are responsible for setting the admissions
policy.
Altw ood CE Secondary School
Charters School
Cox Green School
Dedw orth Middle School
Desborough College
Furze Platt Senior School
New lands Girls’ School
St. Peter’s Middle School
Trev elyan Middle School
The Windsor Boys School
Windsor Girls’ School
Free Schools
A free school is an all-ability school w hich is run by the gov erning body
independently of the local authority, and is funded directly by central
gov ernment. They are set up to meet the needs of the local community. The
gov ernors are responsible for setting the admissions policy.
Holyport College (day and boarding places)
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 5The structure of education in RBWM
I n all areas of the Royal Borough other than Windsor, children transfer to
secondary school at the beginning of Year 7
I n Windsor there is a different pattern of education w ith children transferring
to Middle school at the beginning of Year 5, and to Upper School at the
beginning of Year 9. Holyport College also hav e a separate admission into
Year 9.
All other admissions are considered an I n-Year Transfer and are outside the
normal admissions round. Full details on how to make an in-year application
are explained in the ‘Guide to I n-Year Admissions’ av ailable on our w ebsite
w ww.rbwm.gov.uk.
Maidenhead, Ascot, Datchet & Wraysbury Windsor
Primary School Infant School First School
Age 4-11 Age 4-7 Age 4-9
Junior School Middle School
Age 7-11 Age 9-13
Secondary School Upper School
Age 11-18 Age 13-18
I nformation on applying to transfer to a univ ersity technical college or studio
school at the end of Year 9 can be found in Section 5.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 6Dates of open events for Windsor and Maidenhead
schools
Open evenings
Altwood CE Secondary School Thursday 14 September 2017 6.30pm
Charters School Wednesday 4 October 2017 7.30pm
Churchmead CE School Tuesday 19 September 2017 6.00pm
Cox Green School Tuesday 19 September 2017 5.00pm
Dedworth Middle School Tuesday 26 September 2017 please contact school
Desborough College Thursday 28 September 2017 please contact school
Furze Platt Senior School Thursday 5 October 2017 6.00pm
Holyport College Thursday 21 September 2017 please contact school
Newlands Girls School Tuesday 3 October 2017 5.00pm
St Edward’s RFE Middle School Wednesday 27 September 2017 6.00pm
St Peter’s CE Middle School Thursday 28 September 2017 7.00pm
Trevelyan Middle School Monday 25 September 2017 7.00pm
The Windsor Boys School Wednesday 4 October 2017 7.00pm
Windsor Girls’ School Wednesday 4 October 2017 7.00pm
Open mornings and visits
Contact details for each school can be found in Section 4
Altwood CE Secondary School Holyport College
Open morning 14 & 26 September 9.30am
Tuesday 3, 5 & 17 October 9.45 – 11.00am 7 October (boarders only) 9.30am
Please contact school to register for a visit
Charters School Newlands Girls’ School
Open morning Please call the school to arrange a visit
Wednesday 4 October 2017 9.00 – 11.00am
Churchmead CE School St. Edward’s RFE Middle School
Please call the school to arrange a visit Open mornings
2 & 4 October 9.30 – 10.45am
Cox Green School St. Peter’s CE Middle School
Open mornings Open mornings
Monday 2 October, Thursday 12 October 3 & 5 October 9.00 – 11.00am
and Wednesday 19 October 9.15 – 10.45am
Dedworth Middle School Trevelyan Middle School
Open morning Open mornings
Thursday 28 September 2017 27 September and 5th October 9.00 –
Please call school for further information 10.30am
Desborough College The Windsor Boys School
Please call the school to arrange a visit Please call the school to arrange a visit
Furze Platt Senior School Windsor Girls’ School
Open mornings Please call the school to arrange a visit
Every Tuesday & Thursday between 12
September and 19 October 9.15 – 10.15am
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 7Key dates for admission in September 2018
The co-ordinated admissions scheme operates from 4 September 2017 to 31
August 2018. Further information relating to the admission process can be
found in the body of the guide. The co-ordinated admissions policy is av ailable
to dow nload on w w w.rbwm.gov .uk
2017
Monday 4 Sept Online applications are open v ia w ww.rbwm.gov .uk
Tuesday 31 Oct Closing date for receipt of online and paper
applications, including supplementary forms.
Tuesday 21 Nov Latest date for applications w hich, due to exceptional
circumstances, w ere received after the 31 October,
and/or for parents to prov ide proof of mov ing address
to be considered in the first round.
2018
Thursday 1 March Online applicants w ill be sent an email informing them
of the result of their application.
(National Offer
Day) Letters w ill be posted by first class mail to on-time
applications w ho applied on a paper form.
Friday 16 March Date by w hich parents must accept or decline offer,
and request to be added to the w aiting list for any
higher preferred schools.
Thursday 29 March Closing date for the submission of appeals to be heard
in the first round for schools using the RBWM appeals
serv ice. This date may v ary for other academies or
v oluntary aided schools.
Tuesday 3 April Further offers w ill be made from the w aiting list as
places become av ailable for all applicants.
onwards
May/June Admission appeals are heard.
Monday 3 Sept Start of the autumn term (exact date and time to be
adv ised by each school)
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 8SECTION 2
Seven steps in applying for a secondary school place
Children born betw een the follow ing dates are eligible to transfer to
secondary school in September 2018 as part of the normal admissions round:
Middle school – 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009
Secondary school – 1 September 2006 and 31 August 2007
Upper school – 1 September 2004 and 312 August 2005
You apply for a school place through your home council. This is the council
w here you liv e and pay your council tax.
The application process is the same if you are applying for a grammar school
in another local authority. We w ill notify them of your interest in the school(s)
and inform you of the outcome of your application on National Offer Day.
Step 1: Understanding the admission process
You apply for up to six schools, academies or free schools on one form.
You must list the schools in the order that you prefer them, including
any out of borough schools.
Applications to transfer from first to middle school in Windsor w ill be
limited to the four Windsor middle schools. I f you w ish to transfer to a
primary school for Year 5, this is considered as an application outside of
the normal admissions round and w ill require a separate in-year transfer
application.
You should check w hether you need to complete a supplementary
form (SI F) for any of the schools you are applying for. I f the school is out
of the Royal Borough, please refer to the relev ant local authority or
contact the school.
I f you apply online you w ill find out w hich school you hav e been
offered on 1 March 2018. I f you apply on a paper form you w ill receive
a letter w hich w ill be sent out by first class post on 1 March 2018.
School preferences
The order of preference in w hich you list your schools is confidential.
Schools are not told the preference order in w hich you hav e listed
them.
Putting only one preference does not mean you w ill be allocated a
place at that school. I f you do not meet the admissions criteria or the
school is ov ersubscribed, w e will offer you a place at the nearest
appropriate school w ith v acancies. This may not be your most local
school. Do not name the same school more than once; it w ill only be
considered as one preference.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 9 Each school is considered under an equal preference scheme w hich
means that an application from a parent w ho has ranked the school
as sixth preference is considered equally to an application on w hich
the school is ranked as first preference. The equal preference
allocation process is set out below .
Equal preference allocation process
The local authority to w hich you pay your council tax is M ake sure you apply to your home local
w here you apply for a school place, even if any of your authority by 31 October 2017.
preferred schools are in a different borough.
Complete the Common Application Form online. You You may list up to six schools in order of
can request a copy of the form by emailing preference depending on the ty pe of school
rbw m.admissions@achievingforchildren.org.uk or you w ill be attending.
visiting the Town Hall.
We put your child’s name onto the list for each school Applications received before the closing
named on the application form. dates are not dealt w ith on a first come first
serve basis. We do not
look at your
order of preference at this time.
All the names on the list are ranked according to the Your child’s name w ill be on the list for each
admission criteria. school named in the application.
We look at the published admission number (PAN) Each school now have a list of potential
for each school and mark the names of children at applicants up to their PAN.
the top of each list up to the PAN.
We see how many lists your child’s name appears In some cases your child’s name might appear
on. on more than one list. In rare cases they might
not appear on any list.
Where your child’s name does not appear on
Where a child’s name appears on more than one
any list, it means that s/he w ill not be
list it means that s/he is eligible for a place at more
than one school. We w ill allocate a place at the allocated a place at any of the schools you
highest eligible school on your list. requested. The home authority will allocate a
place at the nearest school to you w ith a
vacancy w here your child meets the
This is the point when order of preference
admission criteria, w here possible.
is considered.
It is only at this point that we look at your
ranked order of preference.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 10Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 11
Order of preference
You should think carefully about your order of preference w hen you decide
how to list the schools for w hich you are applying. This is because if your child
qualifies for a place at a number of schools you w ill only be made one offer,
to the school w ith the highest preference for w hich your child is eligible. Any
offers to a low er preferred school w ill be automatically w ithdraw n to ensure
each child only receiv es one offer.
The follow ing example illustrates the importance of the order of preference
Pref School Qualify for a Outcome on National Offer
place? Day
1st Holyport College No Request to go on w aiting list
2nd Cox Green School Yes Offer
3rd Churchmead CE School No Withdraw n
4th Burnham Grammar Yes Withdraw n
5th Altw ood Secondary Yes Withdraw n
6th New lands Girls’ School Yes Withdraw n
Changing your order of preference
Any change of preference or change to order of preference, received after
the closing date (31 October 2017) w ill be considered as a late application
and processed after all on-time applications.
Step 2: Collecting information about schools
You should gather as much information as possible before you decide w hich
schools you choose to include as a preference on your application.
Read about the schools on their indiv idual school w ebsites and
contact them to obtain a prospectus. A summary for each Royal
Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead school has been included in this
brochure (section 4).
Arrange to v isit the schools you can see the school operating during a
normal school day.
Contact the indiv idual school for details.
Look at the school’s admission procedures on their w ebsites.
I nformation about the indiv idual school and links to their school
inspection reports and school performance tables are av ailable on the
school’s w ebsite.
Consider your child’s particular interests and abilities, and their v iew s on
the schools v isited.
Check that daily trav el to and from the school is possible w ithin a
reasonable time. I t is your responsibility as a parent or carer to get your
child to school. The home to school transport support policy is av ailable
on the borough w ebsite w ww.rbwm.gov .uk.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 12Step 3: Deciding which school(s) to include as a preference
The admission criteria
I f there are few er applicants than places av ailable for a school, ev ery
applicant w ill be offered a place if a higher preference has not been met. I f
there are more applications receiv ed than there are places av ailable, the
school w ill use its published ov ersubscription criteria to w ork out w hich
children hav e the highest priority and can be offered a place. Any children
w ith an education, health and care plan (EHCP) w hich names the school
must be admitted before any other children, and w ill be counted in the
published admission number.
The ov ersubscription criteria for each Windsor and Maidenhead school are
summarised on the indiv idual school pages in section 4. Make sure you
understand the admission criteria, and address any questions directly to the
school.
Designated area (also known as catchment area)
All the secondary schools w ithin the Royal Borough hav e designated areas,
w ith the exception of Holyport College free school. Maidenhead residents
are in the designated area for all Maidenhead secondary schools, except
Holyport College.
Your home address may not be in the designated area of the school nearest
to your house. Before submitting your application it is important that you
check w hich catchment areas include your home address using the Know
Your Neighbourhood facility found under the ‘I n Your Area’ option on the
council w ebsite w ww.rbwm.gov.uk. Paper copies of the designated areas
are av ailable on request.
Although you are not limited to designated area schools w hen listing your
preferences, admissions priority is usually giv en to those pupils w ho apply for
their designated area school. Liv ing in the designated area does not
guarantee you a place at the school if the school is ov ersubscribed.
How places were offered in previous years
Please look carefully at the admission criteria and how places w ere offered in
prev ious years for each school. This information does not guarantee you a
school place, but w ill help you to consider w hether or not you w ill be
successful in gaining a place.
I f proximity to school is used as a criterion or tie-breaker, your chances of
obtaining a place at a school a long w ay from w here you liv e may be less
than at a school nearer to your home. You should consider naming your
designated area school as one of your preferences and to use all your
preferences. This w ill maximise your chances of being offered a preferred
school.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 13You w ill find details of how places w ere offered in prev ious years on the
council w ebsite w ww.rbwm.gov.uk. You may hav e to contact some
academies and v oluntary aided schools directly for this information.
Please note that the criterion and furthest distance offered show n in this data
is at the initial allocation date of 1 March (National Offer Day), or the next
w orking day after this date.
Explanation of terms commonly used in the over-subscription criteria
Please refer to the full admissions policy of each indiv idual school to see
w hether the follow ing criterion form part of the ov ersubscription criteria, and
for any v ariation to the follow ing definitions.
i. Looked after children or previously looked after children
Children w ho are in the care of a local authority or being prov ided w ith
accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social
functions in accordance w ith section 22 of the Children Act 1989, at
the time an application for school is made.
Children w ho w ere previously looked after but ceased to be so
because they w ere adopted (under the Adoption Act 1976 or
Adoption and Children Act 2002), or became subject to a child
arrangements order or special guardianship order.
Children adopted from ov erseas are not classified as children in public care
and therefore w ill not be considered under this criterion.
Required evidence for a looked after child
I f you are applying for a child w ho is currently in the care of a local authority
you must enclose a letter from the child’s social w orker which confirms that
the child is currently subject to a section 20 Children Act 1989 agreement
(signed by parent(s) and the local authority) or a current interim care order or
a current final care order.
Required evidence for a previously looked after child
You must prov ide documentary ev idence to show that the child w as in care
immediately before the adoption, child arrangements order, or special
guardianship order, along w ith a copy of the relev ant order from the
follow ing list:
An adoption order made under the Adoption Act 1976 or Adoption
and Childrens Act 2002; or
A child arrangements order settling the arrangements around the
person w ith w hom the child is to liv e w ith under section 8 of the
Children Act 1989 (as amended by section 12 of the Children and
Families Act); or
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 14 A special guardianship order appointing one or more indiv iduals to be
a child’s special guardian(s) under section 14A of the Children Act
1989.
ii. Exceptional social or medical need
All Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead schools hav e experience of
dealing w ith children w ith different social and medical needs. I t is expected
that no more than a small number of applications w ill be giv en this criterion
in a year, if any. The threshold of acceptance is exceptionally high .
Some schools w ill consider an application under this category only w here the
parent or carer can demonstrate a wholly exceptional medical or social
requirement w hy the preferred school is significantly more suitable than any
other school for their child, and the difficulties likely to be caused by not
attending that school. Specific details of the requirements for the indiv idual
schools w here this criterion applies are av ailable on their w ebsite and
summarised in section 4 of this guide.
The social or medical need can apply to the child or another member of the
family.
The local authority only assesses social and medical needs applications for
secondary academies, v oluntary aided or free schools that buy back into the
local authority’s admissions serv ice. This information w ill be on the indiv idual
school’s w ebsite, telling you w here to send the required ev idence.
Where the local authority assesses the application on the school’s behalf, the
follow ing rules apply.
All applications are considered indiv idually and must include:
a letter explaining the reasons for applying under this criterion, w hy the
preferred school is significantly more suitable than any other school for
your child, and the difficulties likely to be caused by not attending it. I f
the requested school is not the nearest school to the child’s home
address, you must prov ide clear reasons w ith supporting ev idence w hy
the nearest school is not appropriate. A statement must be included
giv ing permission for the local authority to make such enquiries as it
thinks necessary to inv estigate the matter further;
specific supporting ev idence that giv es reasons and prov iding
supporting information w hy only the preferred school can meet a
child’s indiv idual needs, and the effect on your child if they do not
attend this school. This ev idence must be on headed w riting paper
from a suitably qualified professional person associated w ith the child
or the family, such as a consultant, a general practitioner, psychiatrist
or a senior social w orker. Ev idence from members of the family, friends
or a childminder w ill not normally be acceptable. I t is the applicant’s
responsibility to prov ide the supporting documentation.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 15 hospital appointment letters or prescriptions are not considered
relev ant documentary ev idence.
All information prov ided is treated in strict confidence.
You must prov ide this ev idence by the closing date, 31 October 2017.
Requests receiv ed after the closing date for application w ill only be
considered w here the reasons for the late request are exceptional and it
could be reasonably assumed that your request could not be made on time.
Applications lacking external objectiv e ev idence will be rejected under this
category. Any rejected application w ill then be considered under the next
highest appropriate category for the child.
Prov iding ev idence does not guarantee that a child w ill be giv en priority at a
particular school. I n each case a decision w ill be made based of the merits
of the case and w hether the ev idence demonstrates that a placement
should be made at one particular school abov e any other. You should
consider naming other schools w ithin the permitted number of preferences.
Please be aw are of the follow ing w hen considering w hether to apply under
the social or medical needs criterion:
All Royal Borough schools are able and hav e a duty, to prov ide for
children w ith special educational needs. I f your child may need
additional support in school but they do not hav e an education, health
and care plan, w e w ill not consider their application for a higher priority
under this criterion.
We w ill not consider common ailments as exceptional medical needs,
such as asthma, eczema, allergies, diabetes, or dispensing of
medication that may require further training to school staff for its
administration.
Domestic arrangements, such as child care arrangements, your place
of w ork, or the need to leav e or meet children at more than one school
at the same time, w ill not be considered under this criterion w ithout
accompanying exceptional medical or social reasons.
A preference to keep your child w ith their current friendship group w ill
not be considered under the social/medical criterion.
The strength of applications w ill be considered by tw o or more officers
indiv idually and then together, referring to another officer w here
disagreement exists. Those officers assessing the strength of an application w ill
hav e know ledge of the local authority’s admissions process and the School
Admissions Code 2014. The officers must consider the application as
objectiv ely as possible, and w ill note collectiv ely their reasons for any
rejection of the application under this criterion.
The Local Authority’s decision is final and there w ill be no right of appeal to
officers against refusal to consider an application under this category. You
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 16w ill hav e the legal right of appeal to an independent appeal panel after the
allocation of places has been published.
iii. Sibling priority – brothers and sisters attending the same school
There is no guarantee that w e w ill be able to offer a sibling a place at your
preferred school ev en if you meet the criterion.
All the secondary schools giv e some priority to siblings in their ov ersubscription
criteria.
I n the Royal Borough children are defined as siblings if:
they are full/half/step/foster brother or sister; and
they liv e at the same address; and
they are already in attendance at the school; and
they w ill still be in attendance in September 2018 in Years 8 - 11.
I t is your responsibility to giv e the sibling’s details on your application under
sibling details.
iv. Proximity to school
I n most published ov ersubscription criteria, priority w ithin each criterion is
decided by distance, w ith those liv ing closest to the school being giv en the
highest priority. I n order to be fair to all applicants, the council has a standard
method of measuring home to school distance. This is measured in a straight
line from the address point of the pupil’s house as determined by Ordnance
Surv ey to the address point of the school, using the local authority’s GI S
system.
Please refer to the indiv idual school’s published admissions policy for
information on how places are allocated in the ev ent that tw o or more
children liv e at the same distance from the school.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 17Step 4: Completing your application
When making your application you w ill sign a declaration that you hav e
parental responsibility and that you hav e the agreement of all people w ith
parental responsibility to make your application, or there is a court order
allow ing your application.
I t is not appropriate for the Council to become inv olved in priv ate disputes w ith
parents or carers. You should attempt to resolv e the matter of school
preference betw een yourselves and inform us in w riting w hich application
should be processed, or through the Family Court by w ay of a Specific I ssue
Order.
Any applications subject to a dispute w ill not be processed until agreement
can be reached, and this may affect your child’s chance of being allocated a
place at a preferred school.
Apply online from 4 September 2017
You should apply online by going to w ww.rbwm.gov.uk. The link is on the
School Admissions page and under the ‘Make an Application’ option on the
home page.
I f the school(s) you are applying for require a supplementary information
form, you w ill also need to complete this and send it to the address stated on
the form. I f you do not hav e internet access at home it is free to apply online
at any library in Windsor and Maidenhead, or your child’s primary school may
be w illing to help you make an online application.
You must hav e an email address to register on the Admissions portal before
you make an application.
The online application system is quick, easy and reliable, and can be
accessed using a PC, laptop or mobile/tablet dev ices. The application
process w ill guide you through each step and there are clear prompts to
ensure you complete all the required sections. Your details are safe and
secure, and you can v iew your application at any time.;
You w ill receiv e an email to confirm that your application has been receiv ed.
I f you do not receiv e this email and it is not in your spam or junk folders, log
back into the online system to make sure you submitted your application
correctly.
I f you need support w ith your online application, please contact the
Admissions team using the contact information listed on the inside cov er of
this guide.
Your online application is av ailable to make changes right up until midday on
31 October 2017. I t is v ery important to re-submit your application each time
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 18you amend your application for it to be considered as an on-time
application. You w ill be prompted by the system to submit your application if
you hav e not done so. I f you fail to do this before the closing date, your
application w ill be treated as a late application.
The online system will close at midday on 31 October 2017.
You cannot use the online system to update information after the closing
date for applications. You must notify the Admissions team directly in w riting,
using the contact information listed on the inside cov er of this guide.
On 1 March 2018 you w ill be sent an email adv ising you of the result of your
application. After you receiv e this email you w ill be able to log on and v iew
your application result to accept or decline your school place offer, and/or
request to be added to the w aiting list for any higher preferred schools.
Completing a paper application form
We recommend that you apply online if possible. How ev er, if you are unable
to do so you should complete the Royal Borough of Windsor and
Maidenhead’s common application form w hich is av ailable by emailing
rbw m.admissions@achieiv ingforchildren.org.uk or v isiting the Tow n Hall.
I f you apply on paper you w ill receive a letter giv ing you the outcome of your
application. This w ill be sent by first class post on 1 March 2018.
Only make on application either online or on paper, not both. I f w e receive
more than one application for the same child the online application w ill
alw ays take precedence, regardless of the date of submission.
Supplementary information form
A supplementary information form is required w hen a school needs
additional information to apply its admission criteria. You must check w hether
any of the schools you are applying for require a supplementary information
form. I f you do not complete and return the form to the address prov ided on
the form, the school w ill only consider your application on the information on
the application, and this may reduce your chances of being offered a place
at the school.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 19Child’s home address
We consider any school place obtained by deception to be unfair as
another child is being deliberately denied their law ful claim to that place.
I f you suspect that a parent has applied using an address that the child
does not liv e at, please let us know by calling 01628 683870 or emailing
rbw m.admissions@achiev ingforchildren.org.uk. Any information receiv ed
w ill be treated in strict confidence.
Any allegations of people prov iding false information or using an address of
conv enience w hen applying for a school place are fully inv estigated, and if
found to be true allocated places w ill be w ithdraw n in accordance w ith
the School Admissions Code 2014. The applicant may also be subject to
legal proceedings.
We w ill make a decision as to w hether or not to accept an address for
admission purposes in accordance w ith the guidance set out below .
This guidance should be read in its entirety.
The address you giv e us on your application must be your child’s permanent
address as at the date of application and w here they w ill be liv ing w hen they
join the school.
To ensure that school place offers are made fairly the Council is committed
to follow ing strict address v erification procedures. We w ill inv estigate any
applications w here there are doubts about the information prov ided or
w here information has been receiv ed that suggests a fraudulent or
misleading application has been made.
An application must be made from a single address and only a single
application can be made for a child.
As part of the admissions process w e w ill check council records to confirm
that the address you hav e giv en on your application is your child’s
permanent home address. I f there are any doubts about your address details
or you hav e mov ed to the address giv en on the application w ithin the last 18
months, w e may request further ev idence ev en if this is after a school place
has been offered. I t is your responsibility as the applicant to prov ide ev idence
to support your application.
We may seek ev idence from Council records, schools or any other source w e
consider appropriate. We may conduct home v isits to confirm residency.
i. Permanent address for admissions purposes
Your home address must be w here you liv e w ith your child, unless you
can prov e that your child liv es elsew here with someone w ho has legal
care and control of your child w hich is due to a formal fostering
arrangement through Social Serv ices, and official letters from the
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 20professionals inv olved are submitted to confirm this at the time of
application.
We expect a child’s home address to be a residential property that is
the child’s only or main residence, not an address at w hich your child
may sometimes stay or sleep due to your domestic arrangements. We
w ill not accept the address of a relativ e, friend or childminder, a
temporary address or an address of a house you intend to mov e to, or a
commercial address.
The property must be ow ned, leased or rented by the child’s parent or
carer, or person w ith legal care and control of the child.
I f you ow n a property w ithin commutable distance of an
ov ersubscribed school, w hich is used, or has prev iously been used as
your home address, and you state that you are liv ing at and apply from
a different address closer to the school, w e w ill treat the second
address as temporary.
To avoid any doubt, this means we will use the address of the property
which you own as the permanent address for school admissions
purposes, even if that property is not currently available for you to live
in.
I f you ow n or rent a property w ithin commutable distance of an
ov ersubscribed school, and you buy or rent another property or liv e w ith
family or friends temporarily, and the second address is closer to the
school, w e w ill not use the second address for school admissions
purposes.
To avoid any doubt, this means we will use the original address for
school admissions purposes, even if that property is not currently
available for you to live in.
I f you use an incorrect address this w ill be treated as an attempt to
obtain a school place on the basis of false information, and your
application w ill be w ithdraw n.
ii. Moving home
I f you fail to notify the Admissions team of a change of address, this w ill be
treated as an attempt to obtain a school place on the basis of false
information, and your application and any offer w e hav e made w ill be
w ithdraw n. You w ill be inv ited to make a new application and this w ill be
assessed on your child’s main residence.
The rules about ow ning and/or renting tw o properties detailed abov e
w ill apply to all changes of address during the application process.
Any change of address w ill only be considered in the first round of
allocations if you prov ide sufficient proof that the mov e is legally
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 21binding and that you and your child are resident in the new property
before 21 November 2017. This ev idence includes , but is not limited to:
a solicitor’s letter stating that the contracts hav e been exchanged
on the property, of a formal tenancy agreement w hich show s that
the property leased is suitable for the family’s needs. Confirmation
of an intention to buy or rent is not sufficient proof and w ill not be
accepted;
proof that the prev ious property has been sold or the lease
terminated;
a copy of tw o utility bills (less than 3 months old) to prov e that the
family is resident in the new property.
I f you are returning to liv e in a property that you already ow n w e w ill
require ev idence of this. This includes, but is not limited to, ev idence of
ow nership and proof that the property w ill be av ailable for the family to
liv e in by the end of August 2018.
I f a tenancy agreement expires prior to the start of term w e w ill require
further v erification of continued occupancy follow ing the date of
expiration, ev en if this is after the school place has been offered.
I f you plan on mov ing house you must still apply on time using the
address w here your family is liv ing at the time of application, and
prov ide us w ith details of the new address on your application form if it
is know n. I t is your responsibility to tell us w hen you hav e actually mov ed
and prov ide the ev idence as set out abov e, before the address w ill be
v erified and changed on the system.
I f you mov e after the closing date for applications you must inform the
Admissions team in w riting of your new address and the date of the
mov e as soon as possible and no later than tw o w eeks after your mov e,
so that your application is considered using the correct address for
admissions purposes.
Address changes accepted after the 21 Nov ember 2017 w ill be
processed in the second round of allocations from April onw ards.
I f you mov e after a school place offer has been made based on the
address on your application, w e w ill reassess your application using the
new address. The assessment w ill consider w hether your child w ould
hav e been eligible for the place at your allocated school had the
current address been used at the time of application, and w hether
another child w ith a higher priority for your allocated school w ill be
disadv antaged if w e do not w ithdraw the offer. The school place may
be w ithdraw n ev en if your child has started school.
I f you mov e after 21 Nov ember 2017, and once address v erification
procedures hav e been satisfied, your new address w ill be used to
determine your child’s position on any w aiting lists so that you receiv e the
correct outcome.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 22iii. Joint child arrangements
Where the parents or carers liv e separately, the application must be
based on the address w here the child liv es most of the time.
Where the child liv es equally w ith both parents at different addresses,
the child’s home address w ill be taken to be the address of the parent
or carer receiv ing child benefit. I f you are not eligible for child benefit,
please prov ide a legal document to confirm your arrangements. We
w ill consider all av ailable ev idence that you prov ide to support your
application.
Late applications
I f your application is late it w ill affect your chance of getting a place at one
of your preferred schools. No places are held in reserv e for late applications
or certain categories of student.
Applications receiv ed after the closing date of 31 October 2017 w ill only be
considered after all applications receiv ed by the closing date. This is unless
you are able to prov ide proof that there w ere exceptional reasons w hy you
made a late application and it could be reasonably assumed that your
application could not be made on time, and then only up to 21 November
2017. The authority’s decision on w hether an application w ill be considered
late is final. You w ill hav e a right of appeal to an independent panel once
the allocated places hav e been published,
All applications receiv ed after 21 Nov ember 2017 w ill only be considered
after those receiv ed by the closing date. This includes applications receiv ed
from residents mov ing into the borough before the allocation process.
Applying for a school place after the allocation process
I f you apply for a school place or mov e into the area after the allocation of
places, you w ill still be able to apply and name up to six preferences. We w ill
offer you a place at one of your preferred schools if this is possible. I f all the
places at your preferred schools hav e been allocated, your child’s name w ill
be automatically added to the w aiting lists in criteria order.
Applying from abroad or elsewhere in the UK
We are unable to process an application unless you are liv ing in the area. The
only exceptions are children of UK serv ice personnel (UK Armed Forces or
Crow n Serv ants), or w here families (including the applicant and the child )
are returning to the UK into a house they currently ow n and can prov e it w ill
be av ailable to them to liv e in
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 23Children with an Education, Health & Care (EHC) Plan (formerly known as a
Statement of Special Educational Needs)
There is a separate form for children w ith an EHC Plan w hich w ill be
completed by parents or carers v ia the Children and Young Persons Disability
Serv ice (CYPDS). Please also make an online application or complete a
paper v ersion of the common application form, naming the school agreed in
the EHC Plan.
I f your child is undergoing statutory assessment, please phone CYPDS on
01628 685878 before making an application.
I f your child has additional needs but does not currently hav e an EHC Plan or
Statement, you should apply in the normal w ay.
Children of UK Armed Service personnel and other Crown Servants (including
Diplomats)
The Royal Borough recognises the particular needs of Armed Serv ice families
and others serv ing the Crow n, many of w hom hav e to manage frequent
mov es from w ithin the UK and ov erseas.
I f you are an HM Forces family w ith a confirmed posting to this area, or a UK
Crow n Serv ant returning from abroad to this area, you can apply for a school
place by the closing date of 31 October 2017. Your application must be
accompanied by official documentary ev idence from your employer that
confirms a relocation date and that your intended address is w ithin the Royal
Borough. The date you take up post must be before the beginning of term in
September 2018.
Armed Serv ice personnel and their families may obtain further information,
adv ice and guidance from the Children’s Education Adv isory Serv ice. CEAS is
part of the Ministry of Defence’s Children’s Serv ices Directorate and
established to help Serv ice families, schools, local authorities and other
organisations w ith any issue relating to the education of Serv ice children.
Children’s Education Adv isory Serv ice (CEAS)
Building 190 Trenchard Lines
Upav on, Pew sey
Wiltshire SN9 6BE
w ww.ceas.mod.uk
Children of Multiple Births
I n cases w here there is only one place av ailable at a school and the next
eligible child is one of a tw in or other multiple birth group, w e w ill admit both
tw ins (or all the siblings in the case of multiple births) ev en if this exceeds the
admission number for that school.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 24Step 5: Submitting your application
The closing date for receipt of your application and any supplementary form
or supporting ev idence, is 31 October 2017. The online system w ill close at
midday. I f applying on a paper form you should allow enough time for the
form to arriv e on time.
Before you submit your application please check that you:
hav e read and understood the admissions criteria for each school
included on your application, and considered the likelihood that your
child w ill qualify for a place;
are clear on the order you w ant your preferences to be listed in;
hav e considered using all six preferences (or all four preferences w hen
applying for a Windsor middle school) as this w ill increase your chance
of obtaining a place for your child at one of your preferred schools.
Please make sure you hav e read and understood the declaration on the
online system or the bottom of the form before submitting your application.
This means you are agreeing to the terms and conditions in full and
understand your responsibilities as an applicant.
I f you apply online your application is av ailable to make changes right up
until midday on 31 October 2017. I t is v ery important to re-submit your
application each time you amend it. The system w ill send you an email each
day for the sev en days prior to the closing date reminding you to submit your
application if you hav e not done so. I f you fail to submit your application
before the closing date, your application w ill be treated as late.
You cannot use the online system to update information after the closing
date. You must notify the Admissions team directly in w riting, using the
contact information on the inside cov er of this guide.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 25Step 6: Being offered a place
We w ill make a single offer of a place to parents or carers liv ing w ithin the
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. This w ill include any offer for a
place at a school located in another borough or county. Applicants liv ing
outside our area applying for one of our schools w ill be notified of the
outcome of the application by their home authority.
I f your child meets the admissions criteria for more than one school, w e w ill
look at your order of preference and offer you a place at the highest
preferred school at w hich your child is eligible for a place.
I f your child does not meet the admissions criteria for any of your preferred
schools and you are a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead resident,
the Admissions team w ill offer you a place at the nearest suitable Royal
Borough school to your home address w ith places remaining w here possible.
This w ill not be done automatically if your child is currently at a school w here
they can remain or at an independent educational setting.
National Offer Day (1 March 2018)
For safeguarding reasons, information about your allocation will not be given
over the phone by the Admissions team under any circumstances.
I f you applied online, you w ill be sent an email w ith the outcome of your
application on 1 March 2018. You w ill also be able to logon on to the system
to v iew the outcome and respond to the offer. You can also request to be
added to the w aiting list for any higher preferred schools.
I f you applied on paper you w ill not be able to access your application
electronically. You w ill be sent an outcome letter by first class post on 1
March 2018. This w ill prov ide information on how to respond to your offer and
apply to be added to the w aiting list for higher preferred schools. I f the letter
is not deliv ered, a copy w ill be sent out by post no sooner than 8 March 2018.
You must accept or decline your offer by 16 March 2018, either through the
Admissions portal if you applied online or by following the instructions in your
letter if you applied on paper.
From 3 April 2018 onw ards, w e w ill re-offer any places that may hav e
become v acant since original offers w ere made to applicants from the
relev ant w aiting list, in accordance w ith the indiv idual school’s admission
criteria.
We w ill continue to offer places on behalf of academies, v oluntary aided
and free schools until coordination finishes at the end of August 2018, to
ensure each child only has one offer.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 26Withdrawing offers
Once the offer of a place has been made, the local authority may w ithdraw
the offer in limited circumstances, for example:
• w here the offer w as made in error;
• w here the application is considered fraudulent or intentionally
misleading;
• w here a parent/carer has not responded to the offer w ithin a
reasonable time;
• w here it is possible to offer a higher named preference from the
w aiting list.
Step 7: Waiting lists for Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
schools
I f w e can offer a place from the w aiting list, w e w ill automatically take aw ay
the current place w e hav e already offered at the low er ranked preference,
and that place may be offered to another child.
I f you decide that you w ant to send your child to the school w e hav e
allocated, it is your responsibility to let us know immediately that you do not
w ish to remain on the w aiting list for a higher preferred school. I f you fail to
do this and w e are able to allocate a place at a higher preferred school,
you risk losing the original school offered.
I f you applied on time, you can request to be added to the w aiting list
for any higher preferred schools than the one allocated.
Late applications are automatically added to the lists for their
preferred schools if they are full.
All applications receiv ed by the end of March w ill be added to the
w aiting lists in criteria order before the initial lists are finalised, regardless
of the date the application w as receiv ed or w here the school is ranked
in terms of preference (as long as it is a higher preferred school than
the one offered).
Any requests to be added to the w aiting list of a school w hich w as a
low er preference than the school offered w ill not be processed. You
must w rite to the Admissions team requesting a late change of
preference to be considered for low er preferred schools.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 27 Waiting lists are maintained in accordance w ith the indiv idual school’s
admission criteria.
Waiting list positions are subject to change. You should be aw are that if
an application is receiv ed for a child w ho has a higher priority under
the school’s admission criteria, it can affect your child’s position on the
w aiting list. They can mov e dow n as w ell as up on the list.
Waiting list positions w ill be av ailable from 3 April 2018.
During the co-ordination period, the Admissions team w ill prov ide
w aiting list positions for community and v oluntary controlled schools,
and any schools w hich hav e bought into our admissions serv ice. All
other schools should be contacted directly. Full information on w ho to
contact for w aiting list positions w ill be on w w w.rbwm.gov.uk w hen the
w aiting lists are av ailable.
Waiting lists for community and v oluntary controlled schools are
maintained by the Admissions team until the end of the academic
year in August 2019. I f you w ish to remain on the w aiting list for the
follow ing academic year you w ill hav e to make an in-year transfer
application no sooner than June 2019. For information on the w aiting
list arrangements for academies, v oluntary-aided or free schools,
please contact the school directly.
Waiting lists for schools in other council areas
Schools in other areas may operate their w aiting lists in a different w ay to this
council. I t is your responsibility to confirm the arrangements they w ill follow if
you are applying for a school in another area.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 28SECTION 3
School appeals
You hav e a legal right to appeal against a decision not to offer your child a
place at one or more of your preferred schools, ev en though your child may
hav e a place at another school.
The admissions authority for the school to w hich you are applying is required
to explain to you w hy your child has not been offered a place at that school.
They must also explain to you how you can appeal against this decision.
Your appeal w ill be heard by an appeal panel that is independent of the
admissions authority w hose decision you are appealing against. To ensure
their independence and impartiality, there are strict rules cov ering the
appointment of panel members. You hav e the right to attend the hearing to
explain your case to the independent appeal panel.
The appeal panel w ill consider the grounds you giv e for appealing against
the decision not to offer your child a school place and the reasons giv en by
the school’s admission authority for refusing a place. The appeal panel’s
decision is binding on the school’s admission authority, the parent and the
local authority.
Further information on how to appeal for a Royal Borough school can be
found on the borough w ebsite w ww.rbwm.gov .uk.
The borough’s school appeals serv ice is independent of the Admissions team.
You can contact Democratic Serv ices at Democratic.Serv ices@rbwm.gov .uk.
The deadline for appeals for Royal Borough schools to be heard in the first
round is 29 March 2018.
For information about appealing for a school place in another council area,
please contact the school or relev ant council directly. Contact details for
neighbouring boroughs can be found in Section 8.
Pending the outcome of your appeal, your child w ill be offered a school
place at a low er named preference school w here possible, or at the nearest
appropriate school w ith a place av ailable.
I f an appeal is unsuccessful there is no automatic right to a further appeal
w ithin the same academic year unless there are significant and material
changes in the circumstances of the parent or carer, child or school since the
time of the original appeal.
Closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2017 29You can also read
