Admission Policy

Admission criteria for Admission Year 7 - 11 to the School in September 2006

Bishop Walsh is a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided School serving, in the first instance, the local Roman Catholic Community*.
Pupils are normally admitted to the school between the ages of 11 and 16 years, the operative date being 1st. September of the current school year.

All pupils are expected to take part in Religious Education lessons. All the criteria apply for years 7 - 11 in the school.

If the number of applications exceeds the standard number of 150 in each year group, places will be allocated in the following order:-

1. Roman Catholic children
a) in the feeder schools**.
b) from the four parishes*** who are not in the feeder schools.
c) residing outside the four parishes
(i) in Roman Catholic schools
(ii) in other schools.

2. Non-Roman Catholic children
a) in the feeder schools
b) in Roman Catholic schools
c) in other schools.

Within each category priority will be given to:

a) children who are in the care of the Local Authority

b) brothers and sisters of current pupils at the time of admission.

c) those who are in regular attendance at a Catholic Church

To support their application, parents/ guardians will be required to provide evidence that their children are baptised Catholics.

The Governors have adopted Birmingham LEA’s definition of brothers and sisters and residency. The Governors have the right to check with Parish Priests that in category 1b the child’s residency lies within the four Sutton Coldfield parish boundaries.

These priorities having been applied, in the event of over-subscription, applications will be admitted in an order of priority within the appropriate category, based upon the proximity of their domicile to the front door of Holy Trinity R.C. Church, measured in a straight line.

* Roman Catholic in this context refers to those baptised into, or received into full communion with, the Roman Catholic Church

(1) **Feeder schools are:
St. Joseph’s, Sutton Coldfield
Holy Cross, Walmley
St. Nicholas, Boldmere

(2) ***The four parishes are:
Holy Trinity, Sutton Coldfield
Holy Cross and St. Francis, Walmley
St. Nicholas, Boldmere
Sacred Heart, Four Oaks

In cases of refusal of admission by the Governors, parents have the right of appeal against that decision and, in such a case, an Appeals body will be constituted in accordance with the arrangements laid down by the 1998 Education Act.

There is a separate Admissions Criteria for the Sixth Form.

Admission Criteria for External Applicants to Bishop Walsh
Catholic School Sixth Form Centre

Entry requirements for courses:

A level: 5+ GCSEs at Grades A* - C in five separate subjects

One year intermediate courses (BTEC): 4/ 5 GCSEs at Grades D – E

Internal applicants
Priority for places is given to students in Year 11 currently on roll who meet the entry requirements for post-16 courses and who have submitted a Governors’ application form.

External applicants
Where there are spare places the governors will consider external applicants.

External applicants are required to complete a Governors’ Application form for a Sixth form place and sign to accept the conditions of entry. All candidates will be interviewed and references will be called for from schools currently attended by applicants. In addition, if more applications are received than there are places available the Governors will allocate places in the following order:

• Baptised Catholic students with brothers or sisters already in the school
• Baptised Catholic students already attending Catholic Secondary schools
• Baptised Catholic students attending non-Catholic Secondary schools
• Non-Catholic students with brothers or sisters already in the school
• Non-Catholic students attending other Catholic schools
• Non-Catholic students

The Governors have adopted Birmingham LEA’s definition of brothers and sisters and residency .

Places will be allocated first to internal candidates. The school aims to recruit no more than 110 students into the Sixth Form in September 2006. Application forms should be returned to the Head of Sixth Form.