Admissions Policy 2012-13

Posted on 01/04/2011

TORQUAY GIRLS’ GRAMMAR SCHOOL SIXTH FORM

ADMISSIONS’ POLICY for entry 2012-13

Applications for the Sixth Form are welcomed from all students who would benefit from the post-16 curriculum that is offered at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School subject to the following conditions being met:

· That the applicant is under 19 years of age at the start of her programme of study.

· That the applicant has the right of abode in England.

· That the applicant meets the Academic Admissions’ Criteria (see Academic Admissions’ Criteria).

· That acceptance of the applicant would not exceed the student admission number of the maximum class size number (see Over-subscription below).

· That any applicant for the GCE curriculum is female.

A student in Year 12 is defined as one who is following the GCE AS Level specifications in a majority of her timetabled lessons. A student in Year 13 is defined as one who is following the GCE A2 Level specifications in a majority of her timetabled lessons.

There is an assumption that students who complete Year 12 and meet the criteria for Year 13 will continue into Year 13 without any further action on their part – no action is needed by the student. In all other cases it is important that prospective Sixth Form students meet the following admissions’ deadlines, as failing to do so is one of the oversubscription criteria which may be used to differentiate between students:

· For Year 12 students the deadline for application forms to be received by the school is Friday, 6^th January 2012;

· For new Year 13 students, existing students failing to meet the eligibility criteria for Year 13 or students wishing to undertake Year 14 the deadline to contact the Head of Sixth Form is 2nd September 2012.

The Sixth Form timetable is designed to accommodate the greatest number of chosen combinations but we cannot guarantee that every combination will be possible, so a few students may be asked to re-opt. In such cases their new option(s) will be considered as though they had made them at the time that their application was submitted and in the same order of preference as the original option(s).

Prospective Year 13 and Year 14 students may undertake AS Level courses, if they qualify for a place and the chosen course(s) can be fully accommodated within their Year 13 or Year 14 timetable. To qualify for a place, they must meet the relevant Academic Admissions’ Criteria for Year 12 and their application must not exceed the maximum class size number. Priority is given to new Year 12 students over those wishing to repeat Year 12 here.

Academic Admissions Criteria

Entry into Y12

All students must meet the general academic admissions’ criteria to qualify for a place in the Sixth Form as well as the specific Academic Admissions’ Criteria for the courses they have chosen, regardless of the student admission number and the maximum class size number.

For prospective Year 12 students who have previously undertaken at least 7 GCSE subjects, the general academic admissions criteria are;

· 7 full-course GCSE grades at grade B or above*.

· Grade C or above in both English Language and Mathematics

· The required GCSE grade as specified by subjects.

*Note. Two short course GCSE grade As or above can be counted as one of the 7 full course GCSE grades. Non GCSE subject equivalence will be determined by the DoS and subject staff

Entry into Y13

For prospective Year 13 or Year 14 students, admission is subject to;

· Any student who wishes to go into Year 13 must hold three AS Levels with a grade D or better. Those with an E or below cannot continue the subject. If they hold two AS Levels with grade D or better, then they have to apply to re-enter the Sixth-Form in Year 12.

· An attendance rate of above 80%.Where a student’s attendance rate is below 80% in Year 12 with no satisfactory health or other reason, the school reserves the right to not allow the student into Year 13.

Over-subscription

If applications exceed either the student admission number of the maximum class size number, as defined below, over-subscription criteria will be used to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful applications.

The student admission number is defined as the maximum number of students in any year group which can be accommodated by the school’s infrastructure and resources without prejudicing the education of all students in the Sixth Form. For admissions in 2012 this number is 145. If this number is exceeded, the Over-subscription Criteria (outlined below) apply.

The maximum class size number is defined as the maximum number of students in any teaching group which can be accommodated by the class infrastructure and teaching and learning resources without prejudicing the education of all students in that teaching group. For admission in 2012, this number is 20. If this number is exceeded the following Oversubscription Criteria apply.

Over-subscription Criteria for Notional Admission to the Sixth Form Before Application Deadline

Internal students who hand their form in before the deadline and meet the admissions’ criteria have a guaranteed place.

For External students who hand their form in before the deadline and meet the admissions’ criteria, places are allocated according to the following order of priority:

1. Date of receipt of application before the deadline.

2. Applicants in care embarking on and able to undertake a programme of courses with at least 600 guided learning hours.

3. Disabled applicants embarking on and able to undertake a programme of courses with at least 600 guided learning hours.

4. Descending rank order according to total GCSE points or the equivalent.

5. Applicants with siblings who would be studying concurrently at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School.

6. Those living nearest the school when measured by straight line at the time the application was received.

7. Ballot.

Oversubscription Criteria for Notional Admission to the Sixth Form After the Application Deadline

1. Date of receipt of application after the deadline.

2. Applicants in care embarking on and able to undertake a programme of courses with at least 600 guided learning hours.

3. Disabled applicants embarking on and able to undertake a programme of courses with at least 600 guided learning hours.

4. Descending rank order according to total GCSE points or the equivalent.

5. Applicants with siblings who would be studying concurrently at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School.

6. Those living nearest the school when measured by straight line at the time the application was received.

7. Ballot.

Oversubscription Criteria for Individual Courses at A.S.

Places are allocated according to the following order of priority:-

1. Date of receipt of application after deadline

2. Availability in the chosen subjects in terms of numbers;

3. Applicants in care

4. Disabled applicants.

5. Year 13 and 14 applicants

6. Ballot.

Appeals

The TGGS Admission Panel will consider the admission of students who fail to meet the stated criteria due to exceptional or extenuating circumstances. Those wishing to appeal must submit in writing the reason(s) for consideration to the Chair of the Panel which will meet as soon as is practical after Results’ Day. The expectation is that significant issues will have already been communicated to the Director of Sixth Form prior to Results’ Day. Please collect form from Director of Sixth Form. No student who gains a place through the Appeal process will be allowed back into Year12 should they not meet the academic/attendance criteria to continue into Year 13.