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Mail :
School Admissions Team
Dept. for Children's Services
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth PL1 2AA
Phone :
01752 307469
Email :
secondary.admissions@plymouth.gov.uk
Fax :
01752 307403

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Parent's guide to secondary school admissions

About this page

This page sets out information about secondary education in the area that every Local Authority is required by law to publish. It includes a list of maintained secondary schools in Plymouth and the maximum number of children that each one has the capacity to admit in September 2008. It also contains information about church and foundation schools in the area, published on behalf of their governors.

The information contained in this page was correct at the time it was printed in July 2007 but readers should note that there may be changes to the published information that take effect during or after the 2007 to 2008 school year. The information on this page cannot therefore form the basis of a contract with parents.

Please refer to the glossary for definitions of terms used on this page.

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Main changes for 2008 admissions

The council has fundamentally changed the way in which secondary school places will be allocated from September 2008. This is in response to the government's latest code of practice on school admissions, which prohibits giving priority to a person's first preference over another's second preference. In other words, the Council can no longer retain its long-standing 'first preference first' system.

In its place, the Council has adopted an 'equal preference' scheme. This means that your list of preferred schools will, in the first instance, be given equal weight, subject of course to each school's oversubscription criteria. This might mean that two or even three of these schools could offer you places. Where this happens your own order of priority, as set out on the application form, will determine at which school a place is allocated.

The result of this change is significant and should lead to more parents getting the places they want.

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Who is responsible for school admissions in Plymouth?

Plymouth City Council - the Local Authority for Plymouth - controls admissions to community schools in Plymouth, but not to voluntary aided or foundation schools, where each governing body controls admissions. The Director for Children’s Services acts on the City Council’s behalf in allocating places in secondary schools: head teachers do not allocate places. The Council is also responsible for co-ordinating the admission arrangements between all secondary schools in the city.

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Admissions strategy in Plymouth

Through its co-ordinated admissions scheme for secondary schools (copies of which are available on request from the School Admissions Team), the City Council aims to ensure fair and equal access to school places and promote admission arrangements which serve the interests of all parents and children in the local community, in line with the Government’s codes of practice on school admissions and appeals, (available from The Stationery Office (TSO), PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Telephone: 0870 600 5522, Fax: 0870 600 5533, Email book.orders@tso.co.uk. Or online at Department for Children, Schools and Families website.

In particular, the City Council aims to ensure that parents living in Plymouth receive no more or less than one offer of a secondary school place by, amongst other things, sharing information provided by parents on school application forms with other local admission authorities. To assist in meeting these aims, the Council has established the Plymouth Admissions Forum to promote discussion and consultation between all local admission authorities and interests, including the neighbouring authorities of Devon and Cornwall County Councils; the Church of England (CE) and Roman Catholic (RC) Diocesan Education Authorities; community, voluntary aided and foundation school governors and head teachers; and parent representatives.

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The Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme

Government regulations require all Local Authorities to co-ordinate the admission arrangements for all maintained schools in their areas and define how such arrangements shall work. In Plymouth, this means that:

  • parents can apply for up to three secondary schools and rank them in priority order
  • each applicant will receive a single offer of a secondary school place
  • offers of secondary school places will be made on the same date (1 March or the next working day should this fall on a weekend or bank holiday) every year throughout the country

The arrangements described in this page meet the legal requirements. The information on this page explains in detail how the arrangements work locally.

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What secondary schools are available in Plymouth?

There are 17 secondary schools in Plymouth:

  • 14 comprehensive (including 8 community colleges with a wider educational role within their local communities and 2 single-sex Roman Catholic schools)
  • 3 single-sex grammar schools.

Comprehensive schools admit children of all abilities aged 11 to 16 or 18 without selection.

Grammar schools admit children aged 11 to 18 at the top end of the academic ability range, selected by means of the 11-plus exam. The Roman Catholic schools give priority to the admission of Roman Catholic children.

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Which children may be admitted to a secondary school?

Children normally start secondary education in the September following their eleventh birthday and remain until they are 16 or 18 years old. In September 2008, those born between 1 September 1996 and 31 August 1997 (inclusive) will be due to start.

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Can I choose any school for my child?

As a parent, you are legally entitled to 'express a preference' for a school or schools that you would like your child to attend and rank them in priority order. This is different to 'choosing' a school. You may apply for a place at any school you wish, but whether your request can be met will depend on:

  • how many others want places at the same school
  • the admission criteria for the school in question, your position in the order of priority, and the order in which you rank schools
  • in the case of a grammar school, your child's performance in the 11-plus tests

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How to decide for which schools to apply

As well as the information given in this page, each secondary school in the area publishes its own free brochure, giving details of the curriculum and other general information, such as the school uniform policy. Many schools have their own websites - web address can be found in the Plymouth Schools Directory They also hold meetings when parents and their children can visit and talk to staff - please refer to the next section.

A complete set of school exam results for Plymouth is published by the City Council in the local press during the autumn term. The Council’s view on what makes an effective school is set out in the next section, below. To obtain information about a particular school in Plymouth, contact the head teacher. For the exam results of, and any other information about, schools outside Plymouth, contact the school direct.

Council education officers at Windsor House, Tavistock Road, Plymouth are available to answer your questions. Please telephone the office on 01752 307469 to speak with someone or ask for an appointment if you prefer. Independent advice is available from ACE (Advisory Centre for Education) on their helpline: telephone 0808 800 5793 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm) and website: Advisory Centre for Education (ACE). You can also get impartial advice and information, from the Choice Advisor located at the Parent Partnership Service on telephone 01752 258933 or email them at parent.partnership@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Meetings at schools for parents and pupils

  • Coombe Dean School - Wednesday 12 September 7pm to 9pm
  • Devonport High School for Boys - Friday 21 September 9.15am to 12 noon
  • Devonport High School for Girls - Tuesday 25 September 7pm to 9pm and Wednesday 26 September 2.15pm to 3.30pm
  • Eggbuckland Community College - Thursday 4 October 6pm to 8.30pm
  • Estover Community College - Monday 24 September 7pm
  • Heles School - Wednesday 19 September 3.45pm to 5.15pm and 6.30 to 8.30pm
  • John Kitto Community College - Thursday 13 September 7pm to 9pm
  • Lipson Community College - Monday 10 September 6.30pm to 8.30pm and Thursday 27 September 3.45pm to 5.15pm
  • Notre Dame RC School - Wednesday 26 September 4pm to 6.30pm
  • Parkside Community College - Monday 17 September 9.30am to 11.30am and 6pm
  • Plymouth High School for Girls - Thursday 20 September 2pm to 3.30pm and 7pm to 8.30pm
  • Plymstock School - Tuesday 11 September 6.30pm
  • Ridgeway School - Tuesday 18 September 6.30pm to 9pm
  • St Boniface’s RC College - Monday 17 September 6pm (Head teachers presentation 7.30pm)
  • Sir John Hunt Community College - Wednesday 19 September 6.30pm to 8.30pm
  • Stoke Damerel Community College - Wednesday 12 September 6.30pm to 8.30pm
  • Tamarside Community College - Tuesday 18 September 6pm to 8pm and Thursday 27 September 4.30pm to 6.30pm

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What makes an effective school?

When applying for admission to a school, parents take an important decision that will have a significant impact on a child's life. In the City Council’s view, effective schools share a number of features in common and these are set out below. They may help you reach a decision as to which schools you would prefer your child to attend.

  • Professional leadership: the head teacher is the professional leader of the school. He or she is purposeful, fully involved in what goes on in the classroom, and helps make sure that staff have opportunities to show leadership and take part in making decisions.
  • Shared vision and goals: staff work together with a common sense of purpose and clear targets.
  • Learning environment: the school provides a climate in which pupils are able and willing to learn. The atmosphere is orderly and purposeful, and the working environment is attractive.
  • Concentrating on teaching and learning: the school’s activities have one central purpose - helping pupils to learn and to achieve.
  • Explicitly high expectations: the school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. These are communicated clearly to all pupils, and lessons are intellectually challenging.
  • Positive reinforcement: discipline is clear and fair. Staff make sure that pupils know how they are doing, and take particular care to praise them for good work.
  • Monitoring progress: staff systematically monitor and evaluate the achievements of pupils, and of the school as a whole.
  • Pupil rights and responsibilities: the school promotes pupils’ self-esteem. It encourages them to take responsibility, particularly for their own work.
  • Purposeful teaching: the quality of teaching is high, particularly because lessons are efficiently organised; they have a clear purpose and are well structured; and the teaching takes account of the fact that different pupils learn in different ways.
  • Learning organisation: the school presents learning as something that is for the adults working there, as well as for pupils. The school provides training and development including school-based staff development for its entire staff.
  • Home-school partnership: relations between home and school are supportive and co-operative. Parents get actively involved in their children's work and in the life of the school.

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How to apply for school places

If you live in Plymouth you need to apply to Plymouth City Council for a school place. A good way to tell if you live within the Plymouth City Boundary is to see who your Council Tax is paid to. Even if you live in Plymouth but your child goes to school outside Plymouth, you must still apply to Plymouth City Council at the Department for Children's Services, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth PL1 2AA

If you have decided which schools to apply for, apply online. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can apply by paper application. If you decide to apply by paper, fill in the form and return it to your child's head teacher as soon as possible. Whichever method of application you decide to use, you must apply by Wednesday 24 October at the latest. For impartial advice and information, contact the Parent Partnership Service on 01752 258933 or email them at parent.partnership@plymouth.gov.uk.

If you live outside Plymouth but want to apply for a school in Plymouth, do not complete the Plymouth application form. Instead, obtain an application form from your Local Authority and return it direct to them. That Authority will then pass your details to us.

If you live in Plymouth and want to apply for a place at Devonport High School for Boys, Notre Dame RC School or St Boniface’s RC College, you should complete and return not only the application form but also the school's own application form, available on request from the school.

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Will my child be allocated a place at a school I nominate?

Yes:

  • if there is a place and the school is suitable for your child's age, aptitude and ability.

No:

  • if the school is full and your child's admission 'would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources' (to quote the 1998 Education Act)
  • if he or she fails to qualify for a grammar school place
  • if you ranked the school lower than the one at which a place has been allocated

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How school places are allocated

Each school has a limited number of places available in its year 7 group, depending largely on the physical capacity of its building. The number of places available is called the 'Published Admission Number' (or PAN for short) and is shown in the list of maintained secondary schools in Plymouth.

Each school you list on the application form will be treated as an application for a place and, in the first instance, given equal weight (subject to each school's oversubscription criteria). This might mean that two or even three of these schools could offer you places. Where this happens, your own order of priority, as set out on the application form, will determine at which school a place is allocated. If none of the schools you list can offer a place, one will be allocated at the nearest community (or voluntary controlled) school to your home address.

Applications for each school are counted after the closing date. All applications for a particular school may be offered a place if the number of applications is the same as or less than the PAN. If the number of applications exceeds the PAN, all are put in priority order, according to the school's admission criteria, and places allocated accordingly.

All applications for grammar school places are required to take the 11-plus selection tests, and only those who qualify may be offered a place.

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Treatment of multiple births

The City Council recognises the desirability of keeping twins, triplets and other children of multiple birth together at the same school and will work with families to try to ensure that where possible, this happens. Where the admission criteria is applied and it is not possible to offer places to all children of the same multiple birth family in the school that the parent(s)/carer(s) have specified, an alternative placement will be offered.

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Can a place be reserved at the local school?

No: Places at schools are allocated strictly in accordance with the priority order for admission.

Under the equal preference scheme, your list of preferred schools will, in the first instance, be given equal weight, subject, of course, to each school’s oversubscription criteria.

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How priority for school places is determined

There are two different but equal types of secondary school in Plymouth - non-selective comprehensive and selective grammar schools. For all comprehensive schools except Notre Dame RC School and St Boniface’s RC College, priority is given to children who live in the catchment area, or have an elder brother or sister attending the school, or attend a linked primary school, regardless of their academic abilities. For the two Roman Catholic schools, priority is given to the admission of Roman Catholic children. For selective grammar schools - Devonport High School for Boys, Devonport High School for Girls and Plymouth High School for Girls, allocations will be made according to score attained in the 11-plus examination regardless of where the child lives. The higher the score, the higher the admission priority.

As your three school preferences will be considered equally, it makes sense to include your catchment area school as one of your preferences.

If you do not put your catchment area school as one of your three preferences and are not allocated a place at one of the schools you listed as a preference, you could find that all of the places at your local comprehensive school have already been filled by other applicants. For the small minority of parents who have been refused places at their preferred schools in recent years, several other schools have still had vacancies and a genuine alternative choice was therefore available.

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How the equal preference system works

We deal with everyone’s preferences equally and at the same time. When we work out which school a child could be offered a place at, we do not initially look at the order of preference that a parent has listed the schools. So, in the first instance, your list of preferred schools will be given equal weight, subject, of course, to each school’s oversubscription criteria. This might mean that two or even three of these schools could offer you places. We can of course only allocate one school place for each child so where this happens, your own order of priority, as set out on the application form, will determine at which school a place is allocated.

Applying for second and third preference ranked schools will not prejudice your first preference rank.

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What should be my priority?

Before completing the application form, consider your priorities very carefully. Is your top priority a place at a school outside your catchment area, or the local school? This is a key question. In previous years, some parents who were refused places at out-of-area schools found that their local schools were already full with others’ requests and the only vacancies were at schools further away, perhaps requiring a daily bus journey to and from school at parents’ expense.

The safest method is to include the school in whose catchment area you live as one of your preferences. Nevertheless, you have the right to apply for any school you wish but it is important at the outset to consider the potential consequences. Choice or certainty, which is it to be? Both are relative and the system cannot deliver both to everyone.

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Community comprehensive schools: admission criteria

Where a community comprehensive school is over-subscribed, the following criteria apply in order of priority.

Category

  1. Children living in the catchment area with a sibling who will be attending the school at the time of admission.
  2. Other children living in the catchment area: no sibling, but attending a linked primary school.
  3. Other children living in the catchment area: no sibling and not attending a linked primary school.
  4. Children living outside the catchment area with a sibling who will be attending the school at the time of admission.
  5. Children living outside the catchment area: no sibling, but attending a linked primary school.
  6. Other children living outside the catchment area.

Notes

a) A child whose special educational needs (SEN) statement names the parent’s preferred school will be admitted to that school.
b) Overriding priority will be given to the admission of a child in the care of the local authority.
c) Children are siblings if they are a full, half, step, or adoptive brother or sister, and living in the same family unit and household.
d) If it is necessary to differentiate between children in category 4, those attending a linked primary school have priority over other children within that category.
e) If it is necessary to distinguish between children in a particular category, or between pupils in a sub-category of category 4 (see note (d) above), priority will be determined on the basis of distance between home and school Measurements are taken by a straight line on a map using the Council's electronic mapping system – the shorter the distance the higher the priority. Measurement points will be from an internal point of the building concerned (usually the visual centre of the building). Flats are therefore taken to be the same measurement point regardless of floor of location.
f)

Priority may be given to the admission of a child for whom a particular medical or social justification is demonstrated, This could be for example;

  • a serious medical condition, which can be supported by medical evidence
  • the recent death of a parent
  • a significant caring role for the child which can be supported by evidence from Social Services.

Parents/carers or their representative will have to demonstrate that only the preferred school can meet the exceptional medical or social needs of the child. This can be in the form of a testimony from a medical practitioner, social worker or other professional who can support the application on an ‘exceptional’ basis
g) Priority may be given to the admission of a child for whom admission to the nearest alternative school at which a place is available would require unreasonable transport arrangements.
h) Priority may be given to a child who is to be admitted to a designated SEN support centre or who otherwise requires specialist provision available at the school in question.
i) Children attending Manadon Vale Primary School who live in that part of its catchment area which is within the catchment area of Eggbuckland Community College have priority 2 status for places at Eggbuckland Community College.
j) Children attending Hyde Park Junior School who live in that part of its catchment area which is within the catchment area of Lipson Community College have priority 2 status for places at Lipson Community College.
k) Allegations of parents providing false or accommodation addresses when applying for school places shall be fully investigated and, if found to be substantiated, allocated places may be withdrawn as appropriate. Primary schools check addresses provided by parents of Year 6 pupils on secondary school preference forms against the school register. The Local Authority will also carry out checks as appropriate.
l) A child’s home address is defined as the address at which the child is normally resident or, where a child lives at more than one address, the address at which the child lives for the majority of the time. The home address would normally be the address to which the Child Benefit Allowance is payable.

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Devonport and Plymouth High Schools for Girls

Admission to a girls’ grammar school in Plymouth is based on selection by ability and aptitude. If you nominate either Devonport High School for Girls or Plymouth High School for Girls as a preference on the application form:

  • arrangements will be made for your daughter to take the City Council’s 11-plus tests
  • you will be informed of the school at which she will take the tests
  • you will be sent a copy of the Council’s 11-plus code of practice and Secondary Selection Procedure Code of Practice

Places will be allocated to those girls who score highest in the 11-plus test. Competition for places is very high.

In the event of a tie, priority will be given in accordance with the criteria set out in the City Council’s Secondary Selection Procedure Code of Practice.

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The City Council’s 11-plus procedure

The Council’s 11-plus procedure is used for assessing girls whose parents apply for a place at Devonport High School for Girls or Plymouth High School for Girls and for no other purpose. It is designed to measure a child's academic ability, to determine whether she would be suited to a grammar school education. Great care is taken to try to ensure that no child is allocated to a course of education to which she would be unsuited; and that the standard of entry to the grammar schools remains consistent from year to year.

The procedure comprises two NFER (National Foundation for Educational Research) standardised tests in a multiple choice and a locally set English paper, normally taken at one of the girls' grammar schools during the spring term (or later as necessary). The test dates will be Saturday 12 January 2008 (short familiarisation test, verbal reasoning test and locally-set English paper) and Saturday 19 January (short familiarisation and Maths test). The locally-set English test will be evaluated only in cases where parents lodge statutory appeals against the decision not to allocate a grammar school place (see below).

Places at the two girls grammar schools will be allocated according to highest score attained. To determine this, the results of the two NFER tests will be added together and candidates will be placed in descending rank order according to score attained. Places will be allocated to the highest performers for each school to the 120th place (each school will accept 120 pupils) taking into account the parent’s ranked preference. Places will be allocated under the equal preference scheme which means that a place will only be allocated at a grammar school if;

(i) the candidate qualifies on score and is therefore considered as eligible and

(ii) it is not possible to offer a place at a school ranked higher by the parents on their application form.

Candidates not allocated a place will automatically be placed on a waiting list, which will be maintained until the end of term one in October and which will be ranked by test score attained. Should a vacancy become available, the place will be offered to the next girl on the list. At the end of term one, only candidates whose 11-plus test score is not more than 2 marks below the lowest test score achieved by a successful candidate will be invited to join the next waiting list. Parents/carers will then be invited to rejoin that waiting list by completing a form each term. If the Council does not receive a form within the specified timescale, the candidate’s name will not join the next waiting list.

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Devonport High School for Boys

Admission to Devonport High School for Boys is based on selection by ability or aptitude.

If you live in Plymouth and nominate the school on the Council’s application form, you must also complete and return the school’s own form, available on request from the school. If you live outside Plymouth, apply on the form available from your Local Authority as well as on the school’s own form.

All candidates take NFER verbal reasoning and maths tests, as well as the school’s own English paper, which tests composition and comprehension skills. The tests will be conducted at the school on two consecutive Saturday mornings in mid January and the standardised results placed in one of two bands:

  • Band A - Candidates who achieve a qualifying score and are therefore eligible for consideration for a place.
  • Band B - Candidates who do not achieve a qualifying score and are therefore ineligible to be considered for a place.

Right of review/appeal: after allocation day, parents of candidates who fall within band B may apply to have their son’s test result reviewed by the Admissions Panel to assess if they qualify for admission, should a place be available. The panel will take account of the evidence provided by the parents (that may include the primary Head teacher’s' recommendations and work provided by the primary school) and the English test paper (as evidence of first-draft prose). Those deemed to have qualified will be transferred to band A and will be eligible for any place that may become available, the order being ruled by the over-subscription criteria (see below). In addition, all parents have the right of an appeal to an independent panel and should contact the school for the forms and further details.

If more candidates qualify for places than the number of places available, then the following order of priority will apply:

1. Priority will go to boys with a qualifying score who:
a) have a statement of special educational need that names the school; and/or
b) are in LA care.
2. Of the remaining, those achieving the highest NFER score will have priority.

To resolve any tied positions within this ranked list the following criteria will be used (strictly in this order):

3. Those who have siblings at Devonport High School for Boys or Devonport High School for Girls or Plymouth High School for Girls then will have priority.
4. In the event of an unresolved tie, then the mark for the English paper will be used to discriminate between candidates
5. Finally, if there is still a tie then distance from the school, measured in a straight line on a map, will be used to favour those living nearer to the school.

Parents of any boys taking the 11-plus test late and who qualify by virtue of a score higher than the 174th candidate (ie band A) who are not initially allocated a place, will be automatically placed on our waiting list. This list gives priority strictly by the over-subscription criteria. Please refer to the school for details regarding the allocation of any places that may become available during the summer.

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Can I send my child to a church school?

Yes, there are two single-sex Roman Catholic schools in Plymouth. If you live in Plymouth and wish to apply for a place at either Notre Dame RC School or St Boniface’s RC College, you must complete and return the Council’s application form as well as the school’s own form, available on request from the school, see the Plymouth School's Directory for contact details. If you live outside Plymouth, apply on the form available from your Local Authority as well as on the school’s form.

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Notre Dame RC School

To apply for a place at Notre Dame if you live in Plymouth, complete and return not only the Council’s application form but also the school’s own application form, available from the school on request. If you live outside Plymouth, apply on the form available from your Local Authority as well as the school’s own form.

Children with Statements of Special Educational Need and Looked After children will be admitted before any other child ranked by the criteria below. All applications will be given equal ranking.

If the school is over-subscribed, the following criteria will be applied:

  1. Baptised RC girls whose school application form is countersigned by the RC parish priest;
  2. Girls of other Christian denominations who have a sibling at the school or at St Boniface’s College or who attend a RC primary school and whose application form is signed and supported by a letter from their Christian Minister of religion;
  3. Girls of other Christian denominations whose application form is signed and who are supported by a letter from their Christian Minister of religion;
  4. Girls who are members of another faith community whose application is signed and who are supported by a letter from a senior leader of that faith community;
  5. Applicants who can demonstrate a sympathy for the ethos of the school;
  6. Other applicants who do not fall into the above categories.

In the event of two or more children meeting the same highest criterion, their rank order will be determined by a straight line between the home and school address (as determined by the LA’s geographical information system).

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St Boniface's RC College

To apply for a place at St Boniface’s if you live in Plymouth, complete and return not only the Council’s application form but also the college’s own application form, available from the college on request. If you live outside Plymouth, apply on the form available from your Local Authority as well as the college’s own form.

All applications to the college will be measured against the following criteria and placed in rank order. In the case of over-subscription, in each criterion, the tie will be resolved using the nearest to college by a straight line on the map. All applications will be ranked according to an equal preferences system.

Criteria in order of priority:

  1. Baptised Roman Catholic boys, with at least one parent/guardian also being Roman Catholic, who adhere to the Roman Catholic faith and whose college application is countersigned by the RC Parish Priest. A baptismal certificate for the named applicant to be supplied to the college at the time of making application.
  2. Baptised/dedicated Christians of other denominations or members of other Faiths who have a sibling at the college or at Notre Dame RC School or who are in attendance at a RC linked primary school and whose application to the college is supported by a letter from a Christian Minister of Religion or Senior Leader of the Faith Community and a baptismal/dedication certificate (for Christian applicants) to be supplied to the college at the time of application.
  3. Baptised/dedicated Christians of other denominations whose application for admission is supported by a letter from a Christian Minister of Religion and a baptismal/dedication certificate for the applicant is supplied to the college at the time of application.
  4. A boy who is a member of another faith community whose application is supported by a letter from a senior leader of that faith community.
  5. A boy whose parents seek admission to the college who can demonstrate both an understanding and sympathy for the ethos of the college.
  6. Any other valid application.

A boy with a statement of special educational need which, in consultation with the Governing Body, names the college shall be given precedence over other applicants. A boy in care who is a baptised Catholic will be given precedence over all other applicants. A boy in care from other denominations/faiths will be given precedence over all other applicants from other denominations/faiths.

Notes of the above criteria

  • It is important to note that in making decisions on admissions the Admissions Committee of the Governing Body will take into account the contents of the supportive letter in respect of the adherence of the applicant to the practice of his faith at the time of making application to the college.
  • Siblings are full, half, step or adoptive brother or sister and living in the same family unit and household.
  • If it is necessary to distinguish between applicants in a particular category, priority will be determined on the basis of distance between home and school measured along the shortest public walking route, the shorter distance the higher the priority
  • A pupil who has a statement of special educational need which, in consultation with the Governing Body of the college, names this college shall be give precedence over other applicants.
  • Pupils who are in the care of the Local Authority [LA] and who are baptised members of the RC faith and who make application for admission to the college will be given precedence over other applications.

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What is a Published Admission Number?

The Published Admission Number (PAN) is the number of places available in the first year (Year 7) of a secondary school, based on its physical capacity. It is usually the maximum number of places available, but it may be exceeded in exceptional circumstances, at the admission authority’s discretion or as a result of a statutory appeal (see Can I appeal?).

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In which catchment area do I live?

If you are not sure, you should find out which catchment area you live in because it affects your child’s position in the order of priority for a comprehensive school place. The grammar and RC Schools do not have catchment areas.

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What is a linked primary school?

Every primary school in Plymouth is linked to a particular secondary school. This means that there are close links between them including, for example, regular meetings between teachers to discuss the curriculum, the transfer of pupils and other matters of mutual interest. The primary school a child attends and whether it is linked to the nominated secondary school may affect the child’s position in the order of priority for a place if the school is over-subscribed. But more important than that is the child’s home address and whether it is within the catchment area of the nominated school. A list of comprehensive schools and their linked primary schools is set out below.

Comprehensive School Linked Primary School
Coombe Dean Goosewell, Wembury (Devon)
Eggbuckland Austin Farm, Compton CE, Eggbuckland Vale, St. Edward's
Widey Court (see also the section 'Community comprehensive schools: admission criteria (i) - Manadon Vale)
Estover Bickleigh Down CE (Devon), Estover, Leigham, Thornbury, Widewell
Hele's School Boringdon, Old Priory, Woodford
John Kitto Chaucer, Hyde Park, Knowle, Manadon Vale, Montpelier, Pennycross, South Trelawny, West Park
Lipson Highfield, Laira Green, Lipson Vale, Mount Street, Plym View, Prince Rock, Salisbury Road (see also the section 'Community comprehensive schools: admission criteria (j) - Hyde Park)
Notre Dame RC Cathedral, Holy Cross, Keyham Barton, St. Joseph's, St. Paul's, St. Peter's RC
Parkside High Street, Marlborough, Morice Town, Mount Wise, St. George's CE, St. Peter's CE
Plymstock Dunstone, Elburton, Hooe, Oreston, Pomphlett
Ridgeway Chaddlewood, Glen Park, St. Maurice, Yealmpstone Farm
St. Boniface's RC Cathedral, Holy Cross, Keyham Barton, St. Joseph's, St. Paul's, St. Peter's RC
Sir John Hunt Langley, Mary Dean's, Southway, Tamerton Vale, Whitleigh, Woodfield
Stoke Damerel Drake, Ford, Hyde Park, College Road, Montpelier, Pilgrim, St. Andrew's, Stoke Damerel, Stuart Road
Tamarside Barne Barton, Bull Point, Ernesettle, North Prospect, St. Budeaux Foundation, Victoria Road, Weston Mill

Note: all three Plymouth grammar schools have links with all primary schools in the city.

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When can I expect a decision?

Government regulations have set a 'National Allocation Date' for the whole country. This means that, if you apply for a secondary school place by 24 October 2007, we will write to you by first class post on 3 March 2008 (the national allocation date is 1 March or the next working day should this day fall on a weekend or bank holiday) to let you know at which school your child has been allocated a place. You should therefore expect to receive a letter on or soon after 5 March 2008.

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What if my child is not allocated a place at a school I nominated?

In this case, a place will be allocated at the nearest appropriate school to your home with a vacancy, but only if it is not possible to allocate a place at one of the schools you nominated on the application form.

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Is there a waiting list for places?

Yes, Your child’s name will automatically be placed on the waiting list of any school at which your application has been refused as long as the school(s) was ranked higher than the school allocated. If a place becomes available before any statutory appeals are heard (see below), your case will be considered alongside others on the waiting list, including any appeal cases and late applications, in accordance with the published admission criteria. The only exceptions are band B applicants for Devonport High School for Boys, who are ineligible for places on the waiting list.

The waiting list will be maintained up until the end of term 1.

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Can I appeal?

Yes, you are entitled to lodge a statutory appeal for a place at any school at which your application has been refused.

There is an independent appeals panel that normally meets during the summer term to consider statutory appeals for community schools. The panel’s decision is binding in law. Foundation and voluntary aided schools have their own independent appeals procedures.

Appeal arrangements differ for children with statements of special educational need. It is the SENDIST Tribunal - not the local school appeals panel - that hears appeals against the school named in a statement.

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What happened last year?

Two out of the 12 community comprehensive schools, both RC schools and all three grammar schools were over-subscribed with first preference requests. There follows a summary of the September 2007 allocations and statutory appeals.

Number of Applicants

School

Places

1st preference

2nd preference
Coombe Dean 180 160 208
Eggbuckland 243 284 237
Estover 210 190 137
Hele’s 210 218 150
John Kitto 240 155 147
Lipson 240 208 75
Parkside 90 21 21
Plymstock 260 271 133
Ridgeway 210 146 141
Sir John Hunt 180 115 97
Stoke Damerel 240 209 135
Tamarside 240 158 82

Places allocated

School

Places

1st preference categories

2nd preference categories
Coombe Dean 180 All All
Eggbuckland 243 1 to 4, some 5 None
Estover 210 All All
Hele’s 210 1 to 5, some 6 None
John Kitto 240 All All
Lipson 240 All All
Parkside 90 All All
Plymstock 260 1 to 5, some 6 None
Ridgeway 210 All All
Sir John Hunt 180 All All
Stoke Damerel 240 All All
Tamarside 240 All All

Places refused

School

Places

1st preference categories

2nd preference categories
Coombe Dean 180 None None
Eggbuckland 243 Some 5, All 6 All
Estover 210 None None
Hele’s 210 Some 6 All
John Kitto 240 None None
Lipson 240 None None
Parkside 90 None None
Plymstock 260 Some 6 All
Ridgeway 210 None None
Sir John Hunt 180 None None
Stoke Damerel 240 None None
Tamarside 240 None None

Appeals

School Appeals allowed Appeals dismissed
Devonport High (Boys) Refer to school Refer to school
Devonport High (Girls) 1 7
Eggbuckland 2 14
Hele’s 0 1
Notre Dame RC (Girls) Refer to school Refer to school
Plymouth High (Girls) 1 0
Plymstock 0 2
St Boniface’s RC (Boys) Refer to school Refer to school

The results shown above are based on the ‘first preference first’ scheme which was in operation last year. The method of school place allocation has changed for the 2008 allocations to an ‘equal preference’ scheme. As well as method of allocation, results will be dependant on parental preference. Last year’s results should not therefore be taken as a set indicator for future results.

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May I apply again if my appeal is dismissed?

The City Council will not consider repeat applications for the same school in the same school year unless there are significant and relevant changes in your circumstances or those of the school in question. If the City Council does not consider an application, there can be no further appeal.

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What if my application is late or I change my mind?

  • It is very important when notifying a change of preference, to also tell us if you no longer wish to be considered for a place in a school previously listed in an application.
  • If you have recently moved to the area you should fill in an online application or a paper application form and submit it as soon as possible.
  • All changes must be submitted in writing. If this presents a problem, please speak with the School Admissions Team.

i) What if I change my mind before the application deadline?

You can alter your application as many times as you like before the application deadline. We will act upon your latest application which means that we will disregard any earlier application received from you.

If you change your mind before the application deadline, you must write to us clearly stating your new ranked preferences giving any relevant information, which may have a bearing on your child's allocation of a place. Your letter must arrive by the application deadline.

ii) What if I change my mind or apply after the application deadline?

The School Admissions Code of Practice confirms that once parents have made their preferences, local authorities must not allow them to be changed after the application deadline without a genuine reason for doing so, for example, if the family has recently moved address. For this reason, any change of preference, unless accepted as a valid reason, would normally be looked at after all other applications that had been submitted on time had been dealt with. If there is a valid reason for a late application or a change of preference eg. a proven change of address, we will try to include your amended application in the first allocation round. However, in all probability your requested change will be received too late as there are a lot of administrative processes that need to be completed between the application close date and the allocation date. Some schools will be filled in the first allocation round. Please ensure that all requests for change are clearly made and that you give direction for the treatment of schools listed in earlier applications.

Two further allocation rounds will be held after the initial round, one in May and one in June. If you miss the initial round, your application will be held until May, likewise, if you miss the May allocation, it will be held until the June allocation. Thereafter applications will be considered upon receipt.

Note: It is not normally possible to change your ranked preferences in the period after the application close date and before the allocated school is notified. Please therefore think very carefully about your ranked school preferences before submitting your application.

iii) What if I reject the school allocated?

If you no longer require the school place allocated to your child, please tell us in writing because there could be other children waiting for places at that school. We are unable to withdraw the allocation of a school place unless you formally tell us that you do not want to accept it.

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What if I plan to move house?

If you move before your child starts secondary school, his or her position in the order of priority for places at a particular school may change, depending on where you live now and where you plan to move. You must notify any change of address and you would be expected to provide the City Council with clear proof of the move by submitting, for example, a solicitor’s letter confirming that contracts have been exchanged on a specified property. Confirmation of intention to buy, or that a contract has been signed, is insufficient proof. A change of address cannot be taken into account until this evidence is provided as a proposed move may fall through.

If you are moving out of the area or have made alternative arrangements for schooling and no longer need the place allocated to your child, you must let us know so that we can reallocate that place to someone else on the waiting list.

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What if my child attends Bickleigh Down C of E Primary or Wembury Primary and wants a school in Plymouth?

If you live in the South Hams area of Devon you may prefer that your child attend a school in Plymouth (Bickleigh Down CE Primary is a linked primary school for Estover Community College and Wembury Primary is a linked primary school for Coombe Dean School). If so, you will need to complete the application form in the Devon Next Step booklet or online to Devon County Council. Residents of South Hams should not complete the Plymouth City Council application form. At the appropriate time, Devon County Council will inform us of your interest in a Plymouth School and your request will be considered at the same time as those from Plymouth residents.

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What if I want a school outside Plymouth?

If you live in Plymouth and want to apply for a school outside Plymouth, complete an online application or a paper application form. We will then send details of your request to the appropriate Local Authority. The City Council will write to you by first class post on 3 March 2008 to inform you of whether a place can be offered at the school.

For secondary schools in Saltash and Torpoint, the Local Authority is Cornwall County Council and the deadline for applications is 24 October 2007. Contact County Hall, Truro on 01872 322032 for further information. For secondary schools in Ivybridge and Tavistock, Devon County Council is the Local Authority and the deadline for applications is 19 October 2007 for paper applications and 26 October for online applications. Contact County Hall, Exeter on 0845 155 1019 for further information.

Details of open evenings for parents and pupils are set out below:

  • Ivybridge Community College - Thursday 20 September and Thursday 27 September 6pm
  • Saltash.net Community School - Wednesday 3 October and Thursday 4 October 6.30pm
  • Tavistock Community College - Thursday 20 September 6.30pm
  • Torpoint Community School - Wednesday 19 September from 5pm

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Can my child travel free to school or benefit from cheap bus fares?

Local Authority responsibility for transport depends on where a child lives.

Pupils of secondary school age who live more than 3 miles from their designated school (that is, the school in whose catchment area they live) are entitled to travel free to and from school. In Plymouth, however, pupils are not normally entitled to free travel as all live within 3 miles of their designated school. There are no Council subsidies for travel to grammar or church schools.

Where a school is full and unable to admit a child living in its catchment area, the City Council may nominate and provide free travel to the nearest alternative school if this is beyond 3 miles.

Where a parent expresses a preference for their child to attend a school other than the designated school: if the designated school becomes full after the parent has expressed a preference for another school, free travel to the other school will not be provided.

Free travel may also be provided at the Council’s discretion for exceptional reasons, for example, on medical grounds.

From September 2008 the government is introducing new eligibility criteria for pupils who are entitled to free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of their maximum level of Working Tax Credit. Pupils will qualify for free travel to school if they are attending one of their three nearest qualifying schools and the school measures between 2 and 6 miles from home. For pupils attending a school on the grounds of religion or belief the mileage is extended up to 15 miles. This new criteria does not include travel to grammar schools.

Travel application forms are available online or by paper copy from the School Transport Team on 01752 307313, 307499, 307411 or 307410.

For pupils who do not qualify for free travel but are entitled to free school meals the Council’s concessionary fare scheme entitles pupils to travel to and from school at half the adult fare, capped at 60p per journey (subject to change by bus operators).

All major bus operators in Plymouth offer child fares and various season tickets and day rider tickets for children of statutory school age.

Further information on entitlement to free or concessionary travel is available from Plymouth City Council.

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Sustainable travel

At the start and end of the school day, about 20 percent of traffic is related to schools and colleges. The obvious effect of this is apparent every morning, increased congestion, pollution and risk to safety. Plymouth City Council promotes sustainable school travel and you can help. When making your school choices, take a moment to consider how your children will travel to school. Is there an opportunity to walk or cycle? If you live further away, could you use public transport, car share or 'Park and Stride'. Encouraging sustainable choices from an early age will have a positive effect on our health, safety and environment, with children gaining valuable life and social skills along the way. We can all have an impact on the wider environment by acting smarter and reducing our Carbon Footprint.

Note that the Local Authority responsibility for transport depends on where a child lives. If you do not live in Plymouth, please ask your home LA for details of transport entitlement.

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Who is responsible for the travel arrangements?

For children receiving free school transport, parents are responsible for ensuring their child's safety between home and the school transport picking-up and setting-down points. Where there is no entitlement to free travel, the parent is entirely responsible for making and paying for all the travel arrangements.

There is an appeals procedure for school transport disputes between parents and the City Council, details of which are available from the School Transport Officer on 01752 307412. For information on suitable bus routes to each secondary school, see The Next Stop leaflet, or contact Traveline on 0870 6082608.

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Can a child go to secondary school a year early?

Yes, but only in very exceptional circumstances, where the child is highly intelligent; would benefit from early admission; and possesses the necessary physical, social and emotional maturity to cope with life in a secondary school. The City Council would normally consult the relevant primary and secondary head teachers before reaching a decision in such cases.

There are very few children admitted early to secondary schools. Children being considered for early admission to a grammar school take the 11-plus tests but only if it is agreed that he or she meets the above criteria. If you are thinking of requesting early admission you should consult your child's head teacher first. Early admission to a secondary school does not alter a child's school leaving date at 16 years old.

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Can a child stay on an extra year in primary school?

Yes, but only in very exceptional circumstances, where the child has not yet developed sufficient physical, social and emotional maturity to cope with life in a secondary school. The City Council would normally consult the relevant primary and secondary school head teachers and an educational psychologist before reaching a decision in such cases.

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Special educational needs

If your child has a statement of special educational need or is undergoing statutory assessment, professional advice will be sought and your school preferences taken into account. Parents of children with a statement have the same entitlement as others to express a preference for a mainstream school. A school is required by law to admit a pupil with a statement where the school has been named in the statement.

You should complete and return an online application or a paper application form naming mainstream secondary schools for September 2008 if your child is being considered for:

  • a special school placement, but currently attends a mainstream primary school (to secure your position if the special school placement is not forthcoming);
  • a mainstream secondary school placement, but currently attends a special school.

The City Council will co-ordinate the admission arrangements and annual reviews of statements to ensure that Year 6 pupils attending special schools or undergoing formal assessment are not disadvantaged when applying for mainstream secondary school places.

Appeal arrangements are different for children with statements (see Can I appeal?). Further information about special educational provision and appeals is available from the Special Services Team, Department for Children’s Services, on 01752 307407. Advice and support is also available from the Parent Partnership Service on 01752 258933.

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Education Welfare Service

The Council’s Education Welfare Service provides support and advice on school attendance, bullying, exclusion, alternative educational provision, child employment and entertainment performance, links to other child welfare agencies, and child abuse procedures. Every child in Plymouth has a named Education Welfare Officer. To find out who it is, phone 01752 307404.

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Private and boarding schools

Parents who want a place at a private or boarding school should approach the school direct. The Council does not normally assist with the cost of boarding placements, and it is at the Council's discretion whether to provide assistance with the cost of private education. It would do so only in very rare and exceptional circumstances.

The rest of this page refers to maintained schools only.

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Charges for educational activities

There are restrictions on charges for educational activities. Details of the City Council's policy on charging are available from schools, local libraries, and the Department for Children’s Services. Details of each school's policy are available from the head teacher.

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School meals and milk

Meals are available in all Plymouth schools as are facilities for those who wish to bring sandwiches. The City Council does not provide milk for pupils other than that which some schools sell to pupils.

Free school meals are available to children of parents who receive Income Support, Income Based Job-Seekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit with no entitlement to Working Tax Credit and an income as assessed by the Inland Revenue that does not exceed the threshold of £14,495 (up to 31 March 2008), or Guarantee element of State Pension Credit. Further details and an application form are available from the Council’s School Meals page, The Free School Meals Team on 01752 307410, or from schools direct. Application forms should be returned to your child’s school for authorisation.

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Insurance

The City Council is insured against legal liability for any injury, loss or damage caused to pupils as a result of negligence on its part or that of its employees. Pupils are not insured for personal accident while on school premises or on work experience schemes. However, cover is provided for pupils on organised school trips and visits: head teachers can provide details. Pupils are expected to accept responsibility for their personal possessions, including money. Parents may wish to consider taking out their own insurance to cover any risks.

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Data Protection

All information provided in respect of your application may be processed by or on behalf of any Plymouth secondary school and by Plymouth City Council and exchanged with other Local Authorities for the purposes of dealing with school applications and related matters (for example, admission appeals). It may be also be exchanged within the Council for the purpose of prevention and detection of fraud.

Ultimately the information provided will be retained by the Council and/or the school at which the child is placed and may be used for the purposes of dealing with matters connected with or ancillary to the child’s education and to update any other records which either the school or the Council hold relating to the child.

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Complaints

Details of the City Council’s complaints procedure or information on complaining to a school governing body about the curriculum and related matters, are available from the head teacher or principal, or the Department for Children’s Services Complaints about schools page.

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Department for Children’s Services - contact

School Admissions Team, Department for Children’s Services, Plymouth City Council, PL1 2AA. Telephone 01752 307469, Fax 01752 307403, Email secondary.admissions@plymouth.gov.uk.

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