ANNEX B

THE ADMISSION OF PUPILS TO LONGFIELD ACADEMY

GENERAL

1. This annex may be amended in writing at any time by agreement between the Secretary of State and the Leigh Academies Trust.
2. The Leigh Academies Trust will act in accordance with, and will ensure that the Independent Appeal Panel is trained to act in accordance with, all relevant provisions of the School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families ("the Codes") as they apply at any given time to maintained schools and with equalities law and the law on admissions as they apply to maintained schools. For this purpose, reference in the Codes or law to "admission authorities" shall be deemed to be references to the governing body of the Leigh Academies Trust.
3. Notwithstanding the generality of paragraph 2 of this Annex B, the Leigh Academies Trust will take part in the Admissions Forum set up by Kent County Council and have regard to its advice; and will participate in the co-ordinated admission arrangements operated by Kent County Council and the local in-year fair access protocol in respect of Longfield Academy.
4. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Secretary of State may direct the Leigh Academies Trust to admit a named pupil to Longfield Academy on application from a local authority. Before doing so the Secretary of State will consult the Leigh Academies Trust.
5. The Leigh Academies Trust shall ensure that parents will have the right of appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel if they are dissatisfied with an admission decision of the Leigh Academies Trust relating to Longfield Academy. The Independent Appeal Panel will be independent of the Leigh Academies Trust. The arrangements for appeals will comply with the School Admission Appeals Code published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as it applies to Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools. The determination of the appeal panel is binding on all parties.
6. The Leigh Academies Trust shall prepare guidance for parents about how the appeals process will work and provide parents with a named contact at Longfield Academy who can answer any enquiries parents may have about the process. The Leigh Academies Trust may, if it chooses, enter into an agreement with the local authority or any other organisation for it to recruit, train and appoint appeal panel members, and to arrange for the process to be independently administered and clerked.

ANNUAL PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

Consultation

7. The Leigh Academies Trust shall consult the following parties on Longfield Academy's proposed admission arrangements by 1 March in the Academy Financial Year beginning two years before the Academy Financial Year which the admissions arrangements will be for e.g. by March 2009 for admissions in September 2010, ("Determination Year"):
   1. Kent County Council.
   2. The admission forum for Kent County Council.
   3. Any other admission authorities for primary and secondary schools located within the relevant area for consultation set by the local authority.
   4. Any other governing body for primary and secondary schools (as far as not falling within paragraph c)) located within the relevant area for consultation.
   5. Affected admission authorities in neighbouring local authority areas.
   6. Locally based Diocesan Boards
   Such consultation shall be in line with the requirements of the Codes and relevant admissions legislation, which at the date of this Agreement is section 89 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as amended, and Regulations under that section.

Leigh Academies Trust determination of admission arrangements

8. The Leigh Academies Trust will consider comments made by those consulted in accordance with paragraph 7, including any requests to amend the proposed admissions number, before determining the admissions arrangements for Longfield Academy.
9. The Leigh Academies Trust will determine Longfield Academy's admission arrangements by 15 April of the Determination Year and notify those consulted in accordance with paragraph 7 what has been determined within 14 days of that decision being made.

Representations about admission arrangements

10. Where the Leigh Academies Trust has determined Longfield Academy's admission arrangements and notified all those bodies that it has consulted in accordance with paragraph 9, if any of those bodies object to Longfield Academy's admission arrangements, including the proposed admissions number, they can make representations to the Secretary of State. Any representations must be made by 30 June in the Determination Year.

Secretary of State's consent for changes to admissions arrangements

11. Where the admissions arrangements determined in a Determination Year in accordance with paragraph 9 are different to the admissions arrangements currently in existence for Longfield Academy, the Leigh Academies Trust shall by 30 June in the Determination Year apply to the Secretary of State for him to consent to such amended admissions arrangements.

Secretary of State's power to accept, modify or reject admissions arrangements

12. Where the Secretary of State has received any representations made in accordance with paragraph 10, the Secretary of State must consult the Leigh Academies Trust on such representations. Following such consultation, by 31 July in the Determination Year the Secretary of State may direct that the Leigh Academies Trust amends the proposed admissions arrangements for Longfield Academy. The Leigh Academies Trust shall comply with any such direction.
13. Where the Secretary of State has received an application made in accordance with paragraph 11 to consent to any amended admissions arrangements, the Secretary of State must by 31 July in the Determination Year either approve the amended admissions arrangements for Longfield Academy or direct that the amended admissions arrangements are not implemented or must be modified. The Leigh Academies Trust must comply with any such direction.

Publication of admission arrangements

14. The Leigh Academies Trust shall each Determination Year publish Longfield Academy's agreed admission arrangements by:
    1. copies being sent to the persons consulted in paragraph 7;
    2. copies being sent to primary and secondary schools in the relevant Kent County Council areas;
    3. copies being sent to the offices of Kent County Council;
    4. copies being made available without charge on request from Longfield Academy;
    5. copies being sent to public libraries in the appropriate areas of Kent for the purposes of being made available at such libraries for reference by parents and other persons.
15. The published admissions arrangements will set out:
    1. the name and address of Longfield Academy and contact details;
    2. a summary of the admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria and any arrangements for post-16 admission;
    3. a statement of any religious affiliation [none];
    4. numbers of places and applications for those places in the previous year; and
    5. arrangements for hearing appeals.

Proposed changes to admission arrangements by Longfield Academy after arrangements have been published

16. Subject to paragraph 17, once Longfield Academy's admission arrangements have been determined for a particular year and published, the Leigh Academies Trust will not make any change to such arrangements unless there is a major change of circumstances and the following procedures have been followed:
    1. the Leigh Academies Trust has consulted those who were consulted under paragraph 7 above on the proposed variation;
    2. following such consultation, the Leigh Academies Trust has applied to the Secretary of State to approve the change setting out:
       1. the proposed change;
       2. reasons for wishing to make such change;
       3. any comments or objections to the proposal from those consulted; and
    3. following such application, the Secretary of State has provided his consent to the proposed variation.
17. The Leigh Academies Trust shall following the prior written agreement or direction of the Secretary of State vary the Longfield Academy's admissions arrangements where such changes are necessary to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of admissions law or the Codes as they apply to maintained schools. Such changes may be made at any time.
18. Any changes to Longfield Academy's admission arrangements brought about through the variation processes in paragraphs 16 or 17 above must be published within Longfield Academy's prospectus and website (if it has one) and be communicated within 7 days to those persons who must be consulted under paragraph 7.
19. The Leigh Academies Trust must make arrangements for a parent of a child who has attained the age of two but is not above compulsory school age and who has been, is or will be eligible to apply to be admitted to Longfield Academy to make representations to the Secretary of State that any aspect of the Academy's admission arrangements does not comply with the relevant provisions of admissions law or the Codes as they apply to maintained schools.
20. Where a representation is made in accordance with paragraph 19, the Secretary of State may, after consulting the Leigh Academies Trust, direct that the Leigh Academies Trust modify its arrangements for the admission of pupils to Longfield Academy so that they comply with the relevant provisions of admissions law and the Codes as they apply to maintained schools. The Leigh Academies Trust must comply with any such direction.
21. Records of applications and admissions to Longfield Academy shall be kept by the Leigh Academies Trust for a minimum period of ten years and shall be open for inspection by the Secretary of State.

PROCEDURE FOR ADMITTING PUPILS TO LONGFIELD ACADEMY

Admissions Number

22. The Leigh Academies Trust has the following agreed admissions numbers for Longfield Academy for the year 2009/2010 and, subject to any changes approved or required by the Secretary of State, for subsequent years:
    1. 180 pupils for pupils in Year 7.
    2. 150 pupils in Year 12.
23. Longfield Academy has an agreed admission number of 150 pupils to Year 12 minus those eligible pupils progressing from Longfield Academy's own year 11. Longfield Academy will accordingly provide for the admission or progression of 150 pupils to the sixth form if sufficient requests for progression or applications for entry are received. If the admission number 150 is met or exceeded through internal transfers, no external applicants will be admitted.
    
    In any specific year, the Leigh Academies Trust may set a higher admission number than Longfield Academy's agreed admission number for an applicable year group. Before setting an admission number higher than its agreed admission number, the Leigh Academies Trust will consult those listed at paragraph 7. Pupils will not be admitted in any year group above the published admissions number for that year group unless exceptional circumstances apply and such circumstances shall be reported to the Secretary of State.

Process of application

24. Arrangements for applications for places at Longfield Academy will be made in accordance with Kent County Council's co-ordinated admission arrangements and will be made on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF) provided by the relevant local authority and administered by Kent County Council.
25. The Leigh Academies Trust will use the following timetable for applications to Longfield Academy each year (exact dates within the months may vary from year to year) which, whenever possible, will fit in with the common timetable agreed by Kent County Council or its Admissions Forum.
    1. By September - The Leigh Academies Trust will publish in Longfield Academy's prospectus information about the arrangements for admission, including oversubscription criteria, for the following September (e.g. in September 2008 for admission in September 2009). This will include details of open evenings and other opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents/ guardians to visit the school. The Leigh Academies Trust will also provide information in relation to Longfield Academy to Kent County Council for inclusion in the composite prospectus, as required;
    2. September/October - The Leigh Academies Trust will provide opportunities for parents to visit Longfield Academy;
    3. October/November - Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF) to be completed and returned to the appropriate local authority to administer;
    4. the local authority sends Longfield Academy applications to the Leigh Academies Trust;
    5. Leigh Academies Trust sends list of students to be offered places at Longfield Academy to the local authority;
    6. February - Kent County Council applies agreed scheme for own schools, informing other local authorities of offers to be made to their residents.
    7. 1st March offers made to parents.

Consideration of applications

26. The Leigh Academies Trust will consider all applications for places at Longfield Academy. Where fewer than the published admission number(s) for the relevant year groups are received, the Leigh Academies Trust will offer places at Longfield Academy to all those who have applied.

PROCEDURES WHERE LONGFIELD ACADEMY IS OVERSUBSCRIBED

Admissions to Year 7

27. Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered against the criteria set out below. After the admission of pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs where Longfield Academy is named on the statement, the criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below:
    1. looked after children who are in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 will be given the highest priority. (A letter from the responsible local authority confirming the young person's status must be provided.);
    2. admission of students whose siblings currently attend the school and who will continue to do so at the time of entry. (Note; the term 'sibling' includes full- half-, and step-siblings and those living as siblings in the same family unit on the roll of Longfield Academy;
    3. young people who have a serious medical or social need, or physical or psychological condition which makes it essential that they attend Longfield Academy rather than any other school. Documented social, medical or psychological evidence must be provided in support from an appropriate independent registered professional such as a social worker, hospital consultant, GP or health visitor at the time of the original application, and must set out why the Academy is the only school that can meet the young person's needs or circumstances;
    4. admission of students on the basis of proximity to the school using a straight line measurement. Distances will be measured using Ordnance Survey address point data which takes a measurement from a defined point within the child's home to a defined point in the Academy. The same point of measurement in the Academy is used for all distance measurements.
       
       Note: The Leigh Academies Trust will monitor the pattern of applications to Longfield Academy and the profile of those students' admitted, and keep under review the option and potential benefits of introducing "Banding" as an over-subscription criteria in the future.

Post 16 admission criteria

28. The Leigh Academies Trust will publish specific criteria in relation to minimum entrance requirements for the sixth form and for the range of courses available at Longfield Academy based upon GCSE grades or other measures of prior attainment. These criteria are the same for internal and external transfers and will be subject to consultation with those in paragraph 7 above. All internal applicants who meet the criteria will be admitted to the 6th form, even if this number is greater than the planned admissions number. The academic entry criteria will be published in the autumn immediately preceding the year of admissions (that is autumn 2008) for September 2009 admissions. The criteria will be included within the Academy's prospectus and within the local authority composite admission prospectus.
    
    If 150 or more students from within Longfield Academy meet the admissions criteria and wish to enter Y12 of the 6th form, no external applicants will be considered.
    
    Where there are more external applicants for any available 6th form places than places available, after the admission of students with special educational needs where the Academy is named on the statement, the oversubscription criteria in paragraph 27a)-27d) above will be applied to determine who is admitted.
29. There will be a right of appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel for internal pupils refused transfer and external applicants refused admission.

Operation of waiting lists

30. Subject to any provisions regarding waiting lists in Kent County Council's co-ordinated admission scheme, Longfield Academy will operate a waiting list. Where in any year Longfield Academy receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate until a month after the admission date. This will be maintained by the Leigh Academies Trust and it will be open to any parent to ask for his or her child's name to be placed on the waiting list, following an unsuccessful application.
31. Children's position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out in paragraph 27 above, [or for post-16 paragraph 28 above]. Where places become vacant they will be allocated to children on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.

Arrangements for admitting pupils to other year groups, including to replace any pupils who have left Longfield Academy

32. Subject to any provisions in Kent County Council's co-ordinated admission arrangements relating to applications submitted for years other than the normal year of entry, the Leigh Academies Trust will consider all such applications to Longfield Academy and if the year group applied for has a place available, admit the child unless one of the permitted reliefs apply. If more applications are received than there are places available, the oversubscription criteria in paragraph 27 [or for post-16 places, paragraph 28] shall apply. Parents whose application is turned down shall be entitled to appeal.
    
    Longfield Academy will participate in Kent County Council's In-Year Fair Access Protocol.

Arrangements for admission of pupils as Longfield Academy builds to its full capacity

33. Longfield Academy will open on 1 September 2008 with a Published Admission Number relating solely to students in Year 7 and, where relevant, Year 12. In 2008, Year 7 students will be those who were offered a place at the predecessor school, Axton Chase School. Students in subsequent year-groups will have been transferred automatically from the predecessor school, Axton Chase School, which will close on 31 August 2008 if the Secretary of State gives approval to the opening of the Academy.
34. Admission to Year groups without a Published Admission Number will be based upon the size of teaching groups already existing in Longfield Academy's predecessor school and the efficient use of resources.
35. There will be a right of appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel for unsuccessful applicants.