St Mark’s School School Admission Arrangements 2024-25

Introduction

St Mark’s School (“the school”) is a state-funded Academy based in the City of Bath. The school promotes self-worth in students to inspire them to live well, achieve their goals and be a force for good both in school and the world beyond. Matthew 5:16 tells us to ‘Let your light shine’ which reminds us to have Aspiration, Resilience and to value the importance of Community. We work hard to be the best version of ourselves.

Apply for a secondary school place (Year 7) – Closing date 31st October 2024

https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/secondary-admissions-arrangements-2023-2024

Admission Numbers

The published admission number (PAN) of the School is 120 for entry in Year 7. The School will accordingly admit this number of students if there are sufficient applications. Where fewer applicants than the PAN are received, the School will offer places to all those who have applied.

If the School decides that it is able to admit Year 7 students about its PAN, it will notify the Local Authority (LA) in good time to allow the LA to deliver its coordination responsibilities effectively.

Oversubscription Criteria

The School Admissions Code requires the governors to admit any children with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHC) naming St Mark’s School before the consideration of any other applications.

Where there are more applications than there are places available within the required year group, the governors will consider all applications received against the oversubscription criteria set out below. This will enable the governors to rank children according to priority and identify those children who should be allocated a place within the Published Admission Number or admission limit and those who should be refused. Where there are fewer applications than places available within the Published Admission Number or admission limit set for the required year group, places will normally be provided for every child.

1) Looked after child

a) A ‘looked after child’ is a child who is (a) in the care of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions, in England.

or b) A ‘previously looked after child’ is a child who was looked after (in England), but ceased to be so because they were adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements or special guardianship order, as well as a child who appears to the Trust Board to have been in state care outside of England care (i.e. in the care of or accommodated by a public authority, religious organisation or any other provider whose sole/main purpose is to benefit society), but ceased to be so as a result of being adopted.

2) Children with a sibling attending the school at the time of application and still be on roll at the time of admission (see section 6.5 Siblings)

3) Children living within the parish of St Saviour’s, Larkhall and Swainswick, who are themselves, or whose parent(s) are practising members of the Church of England or another Christian group (see sections 6.7 Home address, 6.8 Supplementary Information Form and 6.13 Parish map)

4) Children living within the parish of St Saviour’s, Larkhall and Swainswick (see sections 6.7 Home address and 6.13 Parish map)

5) Children living in the parishes of Bathampton, Bathford, Batheaston, Charlcombe, Kelston, North Stoke, and St Catherine who are themselves or whose parent(s) are practising members of the Church of England or another Christian group (see sections 6.7 Home address, 6.8 Supplementary Information Form and 6.13 Parish map)

6) Children living in the parishes of Bathampton, Bathford, Batheaston, Charlcombe, Kelston, North Stoke, and St Catherine at the time of application (see sections 6.7 Home address and 6.13 Parish map)

7) Children living within the GBC who themselves, or whose parent(s) are practising members of the Church of England or another Christian group (see sections 6.7 Home address, 6.8 Supplementary Information Form and 6.13 Parish map)

8) Children living within the GBC (see sections 6.7 Home address and 6.13)

9) Children living in the Parish of Wick who are themselves, or whose parent(s)/carer(s) are practicing members of the Church of England or another Christian group (see section 6.8 Supplementary Information Form).

10) Children living in the Parish of Wick

11) Children who are themselves, or whose parent(s)/carer(s) are practising members of the Church of England or another Christian group (see section 6.8 Supplementary Information Form)

12) ‘In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church has been closed for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of these [admissions] arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to

the period when the church or alternative premises have been available for public worship’.

Late applications

All applications received by the Local Authority after the deadline will be considered to be late applications. Late applications will be considered after those received on time. If, following consideration of all applicants the school is oversubscribed, parents may request that their child is placed on the school’s waiting list.

Admission of children outside their normal age group

Parents may request that their child is admitted outside their normal age group. To do so parents should include a request with their application, specifying why admission out of normal year group is being requested and the year group in which they wish their child to be allocated a place.

When such a request is made, the School will make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned, taking into account the views of the Headteacher and any supporting evidence provided by the parent.

Waiting Lists

The School will operate a waiting list for each year group. Where the School receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate until 31st December after the beginning of the school year. This will be maintained by the School and it will be open to any parent who asks for his or her child’s name to be placed on the waiting list, following an unsuccessful application.

Appeals

All applicants refused a place have a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel constituted and operated in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code. Appellants should contact admissions_transport@bathnes.gov.uk for information on how to appeal. Information on the timetable for the appeals process can be found on the Bath & North East Somerset Council website: http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/schools-colleges-andlearning/admissions-schools/admissions-appeals.

Parish map

The governors prioritise some school places on the basis of parish areas. A map indicating the parish boundary of St Saviour’s is available to view as per below:

Home Address

The home address is where a child normally lives. Where a child lives with parents with shared parental responsibility, each for part of a week, the address where the child lives is determined using a joint declaration from the parents stating the pattern of residence. If a child’s residence is split equally between both parents, then parents will be asked to determine which residential address should be used for the purpose of admission to school. If no joint declaration is received where the residence is split equally by the closing date for applications, the home address will be taken as the address where the child is registered with the doctor. If the residence is not split equally between both parents then the address used will be the address where the child spends the majority of the school week.

Sibling

‘Sibling’ means a natural brother or sister, a half brother or sister, a legally adopted brother or sister or half-brother or sister, a step brother or sister or other child living in the same household as part of the same family who, in any of these cases, will be living at the same address at the date of their application for a place.

Admissions Policy 2024/25:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mTZ1F73_tjqant7JVhlWORcVLOe0g0mU

Appeal Form:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17dMlboYuK3asnfvR7BcmTVLG4XUrvFVa/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115801857050162939511&rtpof=true&sd=true

Admissions Appeal Timeline

3rd March 2025	National Offer Day
31 Mar 2025	Deadline for Lodging Appeal
Appeals heard within 40 days of appeals deadline

Please see further details for Admission Appeals Timetable

In Year Admissions

We advise parents/carers to complete the In Year Application Form in full. Please note Section 4 has to be completed by your child’s current/most recent school (we cannot progress the application unless this is completed). We also require the Application Form – Supplementary Information to be completed in full and sent with the In Year Application Form.

Please return both completed forms to the Headteacher’s Personal Assistant at St Mark’s School. The application will then be reviewed and considered by the Governors’ Admissions Panel. Should you need any further help or guidance please do not hesitate to contact the School.