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Admissions

Admissions

If you were unable to attend the Open Evening or want to see the Academy during the day, please call our school reception on 0121 558 8086.

Applying for Secondary School Places - September 2025

Is your child due to start secondary school in September 2025? Below is all the key information to help you navigate the application process for secondary school places.

Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: 31 October 2024
  • Offer Day: 3 March 2025 – you will receive the outcome of your application and be informed of your child’s allocated school place.


How to Apply

  1. Online Application: All applications for secondary school places must be submitted via your local council’s online admissions portal.
  2. Required Information: When applying, you’ll need the following details:
    • Your child’s full name, date of birth, and home address
    • Your own contact details
    • Your top preferences for schools – you can list several schools, make sure you put your preferred school as your first preference.


Tips for Parents

  • Submit your application on time – Late applications are less likely to be allocated your preferred school.
  • Visit schools – if you’d like to arrange to visit us, please get in touch with our school office – 0121 558 8086 or info@collegiateacademy.org.ukÌý


Applying from Out of Area

If you live outside Sandwell but wish to apply for our school, you must still apply through your own local council, listing our school in your preference list.


Contact Us

If you need further guidance or support with the application process, please contact your local council’s school admissions team or reach out to the schools you’re interested in directly.

We look forward to supporting your family as you prepare for this exciting transition to secondary school in 2025!

in-year admissions

For in-year admissions, contact Sandwell Local Authority: 0121 569 6765

Visit our policiesÌýpage to view our admissions policies for 2023-24 and 2024-25.

May 2024

Arts Aptitude registration opens – download an application form here.

July 2024

Local Authority Online Applications are available

17 September 2024

Open evening – 4pm-7pm

29 September 2024

Deadline for Arts Aptitude applications

31st October 2024

Deadline for Online Applications to the Local Authority

November / December 2024

Fair Banding Assessment Tests held at Â黨ÊÓƵ

1 March 2025

Parents notified of the result of applications

15 March 2025

Deadline for accepting offers

May/June 2025

Appeals considered

September 2024

Sixth Form Application forms available on the Academy website.

December 2024

Deadline for return of application form to the Academy for internal students.

July 2025

Deadline for the return of acceptance forms.

September 1st 2025

Deadline for application forms to the Academy Sixth Form

Students usually apply once they have attended the Shireland Sixth Form Open Evening in November. This evening starts with a presentation by the Principal and Head of Sixth Form and is followed by an opportunity to meet staff and current students to discuss subject choices. We also have a number of the local universities represented at the evening, who can offer an insight into course content and entry requirements.Ìý

We also offer students and their families the opportunity to have a school tour to see the Sixth Form students in action.

We have no closing date for application to Shireland Sixth Form. We do advise however, to apply early, in order to ensure the consultation can be booked promptly. The application form is online. Once we have your application you will receive from us a letter inviting you to attend a consultation.

Sixth Form Consultation evening

Students are invited to attend a consultation. Families are encouraged to attend too. Students must bring a copy of their school report, as well as any other supporting documentation/art portfolio work. The consultation will take about 20 minutes, during which a senior member of staff will ask questions about the student’s choice of subjects. This is designed as a supportive process, whereby students have the opportunity to discuss career plans and subject choice suitability.

Sixth Form Place Offer

Once a student has successfully completed the consultation, subject to a satisfactory reference, an offer will be made. This is by letter and is conditional on the student attaining specific grades at GCSE. This is in line with the entry requirements that we publish on our website. Students must then confirm they are accepting their offer and return the reply slip to the Sixth Form Office.

Transition Day

A Year 11 Transition Day usually takes place in June and all students who have been offered a place are expected to attend. The day includes an opportunity for students to discuss course content with teachers, experience an example lesson, as well being set summer homework.Ìý

GCSE Results Day

GCSE Results Day is on Thursday 24 August 2023. The Sixth Form team is on hand during the day and the days after to confirm places with students and discuss any subject changes at that time.

Induction Day

All Year 12 students follow an Induction Programme which takes place the beginning of the academic year. The dates for this will be confirmed in due course.

Students with Statements of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plans

The law requires the Academy to admit students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where a Local Authority has specifically named Â黨ÊÓƵ as the most appropriate placement and where they meet the academic requirements of their chosen course. These applications will usually be agreed in advance of the main allocation process. Where they are a late application, the Academy can be required to admit even if the admission number for external applicants has been reached.Ìý Students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP admitted to the Resource Unit will be allocated places in excess of the admission number (to be limited to the maximum capacity of the Resource Unit).

Other Students

Admission to Sixth Form will be as follows:

  • Students currently in Year 11 at Â黨ÊÓƵ (referred to as ‘internal applicants’) and students from outside the Academy currently in Year 11 (referred to as ‘external applicants’) who meet the academic entry criteria
  • Students from outside the Academy currently in Year 12 (referred to as ‘external applicants’) who are applying for restarting their academic studies
  • Students currently in Year 12 on a level one programme aiming to progress on to a level two programme

Academic criteria are usually measured by attained GCSE grades, but may include further skills required, in order to be successful on a course as indicated on the subject description of each course on the Â黨ÊÓƵ website.

The agreed minimum admission number for external applicants is 20 for entry in September 2023. The anticipated capacity for Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13) in September 2023 is 260. The Academy has only a limited capacity to offer certain courses.

Students on roll at the Academy are required to apply for a place in Sixth Form as are students from other Academies or Schools.

The entry requirements for admission to Sixth Form shall be the same for students on roll in Year 11 at Â黨ÊÓƵ and external applicants.

Students will be admitted into Sixth Form at the start of the Autumn Term in each Academic year.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements for Advanced Level Courses operate at two levels

  • Pathways based upon the number and type of Level Two courses gained at the end of Key Stage 4
  • Subject specific criteria

All students seeking admission to Sixth Form must achieve the academic requirements for access onto the courses they are taking – details are on the Academy’s website.

Over-subscription Criteria

As the Academy has only a limited capacity to offer certain courses. If the number of students applying for a particular course exceeds the capacity, that course will be deemed to be oversubscribed and the following criteria applied.

Where the number of eligible internal and external applicants for a course of study exceeds the places available, then admission for all applicants will be determined in accordance with the following priority of admission criteria:

  1. Looked after children who meet the academic requirements of the course. This category includes a ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously looked after but, immediately after being looked after, became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order.
  2. Children with exceptional medical or social reasons for requiring the Academy.
  3. Students with siblings in any year at the Academy at the time of admission, who meet the academic requirements of the course.Ìý Sibling is defined in these arrangements as children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers or sisters, adopted siblings, stepbrothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters
  4. All other applicants who meet the academic requirements of the course with straight line distance from the Academy as the tie breaker.Ìý This will be measured in a straight line from the front door of the student’s house to the door of the main reception area of the Academy using the local authority’s GIS system.Ìý In the event that two or more children live at the same distance from the Academy (for example, families living in flats) and there are fewer places available then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s).Ìý In the event that parents have shared responsibility for a child following the breakdown of their relationship and the child lives for part of the week with each parent, the relevant distance will be measured from the front door which is closest to the Academy.
  5. If courses are full, students will be offered a place with alternative course options.Ìý Â黨ÊÓƵ will hold a waiting list, in order of the above criteria, of students who have not been offered a place. The waiting list will operate for the first term, after which no more students will be admitted.

Extra students can sometimes be accommodated over the admission number if the student’s chosen courses are not full.

Where Â黨ÊÓƵ has made the offer of a place in Sixth Form on the basis of a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application which has effectively denied a place in Sixth Form to a student with a lower level of priority, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.

If an application is received after the deadline this will be considered ‘late’.Ìý Unless exceptional circumstances apply, e.g. hospitalisation of a parent/carer or a family has just moved into the area, late applications will be considered after the allocation of places.Ìý If Â黨ÊÓƵ is full, late applicants will be placed on the waiting list in order of the over-subscription criteria. Evidence will be required of exceptional circumstances.

Applications received after the start of the Academic year will only be considered if places on the requested courses are available and the student meets the academic requirements of the course.Ìý Further applicants will be added to the waiting list.

Places are offered on the understanding that there is a commitment to meet the academic requirements of the course.

Parents/carers are required to accept or decline the allocated place using the form sent with the conditional offer letter.Ìý The form must be returned to Â黨ÊÓƵ within two weeks from the date of the offer letter. Failure to respond may result in the place being withdrawn.Ìý Parents/carers are requested to advise Â黨ÊÓƵ at any stage, if they are not accepting the place for any reason.