To be applied for admissions from September 2008. St Mary's Catholic High School , for children between the ages of 11 to 16, is under the trusteeship of the Diocese of Nottingham and is maintained by North East Lincolnshire Local Education Authority. The school was built by the Catholic community and paid for by the voluntary contributions of past generations. We provide a Christ centred education based on the teachings of the Catholic Church. We welcome applications from families with baptised Catholic children and other families in our local community. We also welcome children with special needs and children of families in social need. St Mary's High School works in partnership with St Joseph 's and St Mary's Primary Schools as a Pyramid of Catholic Schools. There is close consultation over Admission Policies and Strategies and we share a common Statement of Mission At St Mary's we, Value all in the name of Jesus the Christ. We believe everyone has the right to have their dignity respected, their worth valued and to become fully human and fully alive. This belief is paramount to all we do and say at St Mary's. Here at St Mary's we welcome children from the Catholic Faith, all faiths and no faith. St Mary's Catholic High School believes that good standards of behaviour are vital to efficiency in the learning process, and to proper social education. The students are expected to work hard and behave well and are encouraged to do so by a rewards system. Dates of Admission Children are admitted in the September of the year in which they will be eleven. If children are moving from somewhere else, they can be admitted at any time in the school year, providing there is a vacancy in that age group. The Governors have set an admission limit of 75 per age group. No of applications received (2006/2007) = 125 Admission Arrangements As a voluntary aided school, the School Governing Body is an admission authority in its own right . All decisions about admissions including this policy are determined by the Governing Body. All allocations of places are determined by a Committee of the Governing Body with delegated powers. The admissions process is co-ordinated by the LEA on behalf of the Governing Body. Application for admission must be on the form provided by the L.E.A. which is available from the school office. Documentation required : A birth certificate will be required and a certificate of baptism, if Catholic, may be requested. The closing date for applications will be as publicised in the LEA Guide Book to Parents. Allocation of places will be completed as publicised in the LEA Guide Book to Parents. Late applications: any applications received after the closing date will be accepted but considered only after those received by the closing date. You are therefore encouraged to ensure your application is received on time. Over-subscription Criteria If there are more applications than places the Governors will make allocations based on the following criteria. 1) Catholic children in the care of a local authority (See Note 5). 2) Baptised Catholic pupils attending the relevant feeder schools (St Joseph 's or St Mary's Primary Schools). Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 3) Baptised Catholic pupils who do not attend the relevant feeder schools and are resident in the Deanery of North East Lincolnshire. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 4) Baptised Catholic pupils. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 5) Other children in the care of a local authority (See Note 5). 6) Pupils belonging to other Christian denominations who attend the relevant feeder schools. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 7) Pupils belonging to other world faiths who attend the relevant feeder schools. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 8) Pupils who attend the relevant feeder schools for a minimum of two years. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 9) Pupils belonging to other Christian denominations. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 10) Pupils belonging to other world faiths. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. 11) Pupils whose parents, guardians or carers are seeking a Christian environment for their children's education. Those with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of proposed admission will be given priority. If all factors are equal after the above process, final allocations in all categories will be decided on a distance basis. This means that places will be allocated first to children whose home address is nearest to the school. We do not operate a waiting list. Definitions Note 1 Definition of Sibling Siblings (brothers or sisters) are considered to be those children who live at the same address and either a) have one or both natural parents in common b) are related by a parent's marriage or c) are adopted or fostered Note 2 Definition of Catholic • A child baptised in the Roman Catholic Church or baptised in one of the other rites of the Catholic Church whose members are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (Pope Benedict XVI) (eg The Greek Catholic Church). Advice is available from the Diocesan Education Service. • A child baptised in another Christian faith who has been received into full communion in the Roman Catholic faith. • A child who, with his or her family, is enrolled in a recognised course of preparation leading to baptism (parishes are requested to keep appropriate records). Note 3 Definition of Child in Public Care (Looked after) This includes any child/young person who is subject to a Full Care Order, an Interim Care Order, accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 or is remanded or detained into Local Authority accommodation under Criminal Law. Note 4 Churches Together in England (Orthodox churches in bold type) The Baptist Union of Great Britain Cherubim and Seraphim Council of Churches Church of England Church of Scotland Congregational Federation Council of African and Afro-Caribbean Churches Council of Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches Free Churches' Council Greek Orthodox Church Independent Methodist Churches Joint Council for Angle-Caribbean Churches Lutheran Council of Great Britain Methodist Church Moravian Church New Testament Assembly Religious Society of Friends Roman Catholic Church Russian Orthodox Church Salvation Army United Reformed Church Wesleyan Holiness Church Ichthus Christian Fellowship The school reserves the right to seek a certificate of baptism or dedication. Note 5 Children in Care A child who is looked after by a local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children's Act 1989 (b) at the time application for his/her admission is made and who the Local Authority has confirmed, will still be looked after at the time when he/she is admitted to school, Applications outside the normal round Applications from parents made following the allocation day will be considered by the Admissions Committee of the Governing Body. If the respective year group total is below the Admission Number for that year, the child will be offered a place. If the respective year group total is above the Admission number, the child will be offered a place only if the Committee decides that there will not be prejudice to the provision of efficient education and resources. Right to Appeal If you are not allocated a place, you have a right to appeal. You should do so by writing to the Clerk to Governors no later than two weeks (i.e. ten working days) after you have received your refusal letter. Your appeal will be arranged on behalf of the Governors by the Diocesan Education Service and will be heard by an independent panel. The decision of this panel will be binding by the school and the parent. False Information If the Governing Body has made an allocation of a place on the basis of fraudulent or intentionally misleading information, that place will be withdrawn. Consultation This policy has been drawn up in consultation with the Governing Body of St Mary's Catholic High School . Before finally determining the policy, the Governing Body has consulted with the Diocesan Education Service, the Local Education Authority and all other schools in the relevant area in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 2002. |