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Secondary school admission criteria

Secondary school places are limited by the physical space in each school. If the number of pupils requiring places at a school exceeds their admission number then not everybody will be successful in obtaining a place there. This is what is meant when a school is said to be ‘oversubscribed’.

If the school is oversubscribed the places available will be allocated according to set admission criteria. The admission criteria will vary depending on which school your are applying to.

Community secondary schools

The admission criteria for Salford's Community schools is set by Salford Local Authority (LA) and are as follows:

1. Medical reasons - If claiming medical reasons, parents/carers must provide evidence from their doctor that the child has a medical condition that means that admission to a particular school is essential.

SEN - Children whose statement of special educational needs stipulates that specific school.

Child in Need - Children in need as defined by the Children Act (1989). Those who are unlikely to achieve or maintain or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of health or development or a child/children whose health or development would be further impaired without the provision of services by the Local Authority. Applications under this criterion would need to be supported by an appropriate professional stating that attendance at a particular school is essential. This includes children in public care.

2. Older brother or sister in attendance at the school at the date when the pupil is to be admitted. This includes step-children and foster children living with the same family at the same address. Other children may be considered under the sibling criterion provided proof is available to demonstrate that the children are permanently resident at the same address as part of the same family unit. The authority accepts that in some family units the children may not be natural brother and / or sister.

3. Attendance at an associated primary school – Each school has a group of associated primary schools. Details of associated primary are included in pages 20-22 of the secondary admissions booklet, linked to in the downloadable documents area below. Strong ties are built up between primary schools and their associated secondary schools to make the move between the two schools as easy as possible

4. Distance from the school - This would involve a measurement being made between the child’s permanent place of residence and the preferred school in a straight line (as the crow flies). Those children who live closest to the school will be those who get priority for places.

Voluntary aided secondary schools and Academies

The admissions criteria and the way places are allocated for both Roman Catholic and Academies is decided by the Governors of the school. Parents/carers who wish to express a preference for a voluntary Aided School are advised to check the ranking policy with the appropriate school.

To check the admissions criteria for each school please refer to the secondary admissions booklet, linked to in the downloadable documents area below.

Independent schools

Independent schools control their own admissions and you will have to contact them directly to find out what to do next.

Schools in other LAs

The admissions criteria for schools controlled by another LA will be set by that LA, so you will need to contact them to find out what their admission criteria are - a good place to start would be their council website.

This page was last updated on 27 August 2008

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