Admissions criteria for community secondary schools

These admissions criteria are used by:

• Deptford Green School
• Forest Hill School
• Sydenham School

Where there is oversubscription, places will be offered to:

A looked-after child or a child who was previously looked after but, immediately after being looked after, became subject to an adoption order (in accordance with the Children Act 2002), child arrangements or a special guardianship order (Sections 8 or 14A of the Children Act 1989).

A looked-after child is a child who is:
a) in the care of a local authority (in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989)

OR

b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).

Confirmation of a child's looked-after status must be supplied by the allocated social worker or foster carer with the application, along with a copy of the adoption order, care order or special guardianship order.Children who were adopted from overseas do not qualify under this criterion.

1. In exceptional circumstances, there is discretion to admit a child on the grounds of their, or their family’s, severe medical or social need for that particular school, and who would not otherwise qualify for admission. The application must be supported by a letter from a hospital consultant, social worker or similar professional, setting out the reasons why the school is the only one to meet the child’s needs before an admission decision is made. The admission decision will be considered in consultation with a panel of teaching and medical professionals. The medical professional provides advice on applications made under medical conditions and teaching professionals advise on applications made for social or special reasons. Supporting evidence must be provided with the application by 31 October 2024, the closing date for applications.
   
   
2. a) 11–16 community schools – children whose older brother or sister is on the roll of the school on the closing date for applications as well as those whose sibling was a former pupil of the school and who transferred to a 16–18 education provision at the end of the previous academic year. If the school is oversubscribed entirely with siblings, priority will be given to:
   
   (i) those with exceptional social and medical need and
   (ii) those living nearest the school
   
   OR
   
   b) 11–18 community schools – children whose brother or sister is on the roll of the school on the closing date for applications and will still be on the roll of the school at the intended date of admission. If the school is oversubscribed entirely with siblings, priority will be given to:
   
   (i) those with exceptional social and medical need and
   (ii) those living nearest the school
   
   
3. Children of staff - Priority to children of staff will be given only 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/or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

Siblings include all blood and adoptive siblings, half-siblings, foster siblings of looked-after children and step-siblings. Siblings must all live at the same address as the child applying. Proof of the sibling relationship may be required.

1. Children who live nearest to the school. All distances will be measured to a central nodal point in the school premises, using digital mapping software of the area, from a nodal point in the applicant’s permanent home address. If more than one applicant lives in a multi-occupancy building (e.g. flats), priority will be given to the applicant whose door number is the lowest numerically or alphabetically.

Twins, triplets and other multiple births

Where twins, triplets or children from other multiple births qualify for the last school place to be allocated, we will admit all of the qualifying siblings in excess of the published admissions limit and they will be considered 'excepted pupils'.

Tie break

On the rare occasion, where two or more identical applications qualify for the last available place, lots will be drawn to decide which qualifying child is offered the place.

Waiting lists

In accordance with the London-wide scheme, and to ensure we meet our duty to continue to coordinate admissions beyond offer date and comply with the parents’ highest possible preference, we will ensure that waiting lists do not contain lower-ranked preferences except where we (or the home local authority) have agreed to a parental request to change the order of preferences. In such cases, where there is a parental request to change the order of preferences, the original application, including any offer made under coordination, will be withdrawn and the applicant will be required to re-apply.

Waiting lists for our community schools will include those who have moved to the area since the national closing date and were therefore unable to make an 'on-time' application. Waiting lists will be held in criteria order and children's names may go up as well as down a list as new applicants are added. 

Waiting lists will be held for the first term of Year 7 only (until the end of December 2024). Those with a continuing interest in a place at a school beyond this time will be required to make an in-year application.