2024 to 2025 Co-ordinated admission arrangements: Primary and Secondary transfer

Introduction

Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, local authorities are required to formulate and determine co-ordinated arrangements for primary and secondary school admissions. These regulations and the School Admissions Code 2021 specify what must be included in the coordinated arrangements.

Our Coordinated Admission Arrangements (‘the arrangements’) provide an open and fair way for considering parental preferences for admission to schools. It applies to all mainstream state funded primary and secondary schools in North Yorkshire that admit children at the ‘normal year’ of entry, that is at the start of Reception, transferring from an infant to a junior school and at the start of Year 7. The scheme is reviewed annually.

The aim of the arrangements is to ensure that every child living in North Yorkshire, who is due to start at a North Yorkshire primary school, or transfer to junior or secondary school, is offered a single school place on the same day. It aims to ensure that each parental preference is considered equally and parents receive a school place in accordance with their highest ranked preference that is available. This scheme applies to admissions in the normal round but not those that take place in-year. In-year admissions are those made during the school year and applications for admission to age groups other than the normal year of entry.

North Yorkshire Local Authority will work with Community, Voluntary Controlled, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust primary and secondary schools and Academies including Free Schools within North Yorkshire, to ensure the co-ordinated scheme operates as smoothly as possible for parents and we will work closely with our thirteen neighbouring authorities to ensure admission arrangements are coordinated. Our 13 neighbouring admission authorities, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust schools and Academies are listed in Appendix 3 and Appendix 4.

The admission of children with an Education, Health and Care plan are covered by different admission regulations. Following negotiation, if a mainstream school has been named, a place will be allocated for these children before considering other applications.

After consideration of all parental preferences for all schools with reference to the order in which these are ranked, the local authority will notify parents living within North Yorkshire of the offer of one school place on behalf of all admission authorities operating within the co-ordinated admissions scheme.

The detailed arrangements and timetables for co-ordinating school admission with the separate arrangements for secondary and primary schools can be found in Addendum 1 and 2.

The arrangements for In Year admissions can be found in a separate document Co-Ordinated admission arrangements 2024-2025 – In Year. This document is also available on the admissions page of our website.

The website includes information about:

• the operation of our admissions schemes for all North Yorkshire Community and Voluntary Controlled schools
• the timescales and timetables for each admission process
• the number of allocations made at each school in the previous school year
• the number of schools that were oversubscribed resulting in parental appeals and the numbers and outcome of these appeals. This information about allocations and appeals should help parents to assess realistically their likelihood of obtaining a place at their preferred schools

Co-ordination

1. The scheme does not affect the duty of the governing bodies of Academies including Free Schools, Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Trust schools to determine their own admissions policies.
2. We will receive information of children expressing preferences for our Community, Voluntary Controlled, Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Trust Schools and Academies including Free Schools from neighbouring local authorities, which we will process as part of our co-ordinated arrangements along with those for North Yorkshire children.
3. Parents requesting literature on Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust schools or Academies including Free Schools or non-North Yorkshire schools will be referred to the appropriate school or admissions authority. Where non-North Yorkshire parents complete our form in error, we request that parents submit a further form through their home authority.
4. We will receive complete ranked lists of all preferences from North Yorkshire Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust schools and Academies including Free Schools as well as lists from neighbouring Local Authorities of children to whom they can offer places. We will produce lists of children to whom we can offer places at our Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools. We will inform our neighbouring local authorities which of their children can and cannot be offered places at any of our schools.
5. Having received information from other admissions authorities, we will allocate places to children living in our area according to the highest ranked preference for which a place is available.
6. Where we cannot meet any of the parental preferences expressed for a North Yorkshire child we will allocate a place at an alternative school with places available after all those listing a preference for the school have first been allocated a place. This may or may not be the local school and may be some distance from their home.
7. Supplementary Information Forms may need to be completed by parents applying for Voluntary Aided primary or secondary schools or Academies including Free Schools.

Admissions co-ordination 2024 to 2025

The number of schools as at October 2022

Secondary

North Yorkshire’s coordinated admissions scheme applies to one Voluntary Aided Secondary School, 14 Community Secondary schools, 27 Academies, and one Free School UTC.

Primary

One Foundation Primary, 105 Academy, 22 Voluntary Aided Primary Schools, 170 Voluntary Controlled and Community Primary Schools and two Free Schools.

We coordinate with four Diocesan Authorities and 13 Neighbouring Authorities.

Online applications for school places can be made via our primary and secondary admissions pages.

Applying for a primary, infant, junior or secondary school place

8. Parents can list up to five schools in order of preference. Parents should consider including their local/catchment school as one of their preferences, because if we are unable to meet a higher preference and their local/catchment school is oversubscribed, we will allocate children a place at the nearest school with places available which may be some distance from their home.
9. If parents name a school other than their catchment area school, they will be responsible for transport under the terms of the Home to School Transport Policy.

Late applications

10. Any Common Application Form for school places received after the closing date of 31 October 2023 for secondary schools and 15 January 2024 for primary schools will be considered as a late application unless a reason has been provided that is acceptable to us as the admission authority. Late applications whose reasons have been agreed will be considered along with applications received on time.
11. Applications received on or after 1 March 2024 for secondary schools or 16 April 2024 for primary schools will be coordinated using the same arrangements and criteria as previous applications. The offer of a school place will be made in accordance with our agreed and published scheme. However, applications received after the first day of the school year will be considered as in-year applications.
12. Any changes of address for secondary school applications received after 30 November 2023 and for primary school applications after 18th February 2024 will not be considered until after the respective national offer day.
13. Changes cannot be made, in respect of preferences, for secondary schools after 30 November 2023 and to primary applications after 18 February 2024. Any late applications and changes received after these dates will only be processed after the allocation dates of 1 March 2024 for secondary applications and 16 April 2024 for primary applications.

The offer of a place

14. No places will be held in reserve for any school.
15. We will contact all parents of North Yorkshire children on 1 March 2024 for Secondary Schools and on 16 April 2024 for Primary, Infant and Junior Schools, notifying them of the single school place allocated to their child or children.
16. The place offered could be at one of our Community or Voluntary Controlled schools, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust schools or Academies including Free Schools within North Yorkshire or a school in an area served by another local authority.

Appeals

17. Where we have been unable to offer a school place listed as a higher preference, parents will be offered the statutory right of appeal against the decision.
18. In such circumstances, the offer email or letter will give the reasons why we have been unable to allocate their other listed preferences. Where the statutory right of appeal is the responsibility of North Yorkshire local authority we will inform the parents where the appeal forms can be located on our website.
19. Where the responsibility is that of another admissions authority, we will advise parents to contact them to confirm appeal arrangements.
20. Where the local authority has multiple appeals for one school these will be grouped appeals unless the authority decides that this would not be appropriate.
21. Parents refused a place at a North Yorkshire school by their home authority will be informed that they should contact us to discuss the appeals process.
22. The outcome of successful admission appeals will lead to further modifications to the original allocation. These changes must be communicated to other admission authorities (and theirs to us) to enable all authorities to make final adjustments to the allocation.
23. Once appeals have been completed, we will communicate with all the schools within our boundary to ensure that they have a correct and up-to-date allocation list.

Waiting lists

24. A waiting list must be maintained for all oversubscribed Community, Voluntary Controlled, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust Schools and Academies including Free Schools until at least 31 December 2024. Each child added to the waiting list will require the list to be ranked again in line with the school’s published oversubscription criteria.
25. The local authority requires the governing body of Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust Schools and Academies including Free Schools to update us when places become available unless the local authority is maintaining the schools waiting list on their behalf. The co-ordination regulations require that any offer of a school place must always be made by the local authority.
26. Where places become available they will be allocated from the waiting list in accordance with the published oversubscription criteria. The school admissions team will offer the place to the child at the top of the waiting list. Parents will have five working days to reply before the place is offered to another child. If we, after using all advised contact details, is unable to contact a successful applicant to offer a place, the available place will be offered to the next child who qualifies for that place from the waiting list. The Authority will confirm, in writing, that the child has been removed from the waiting list. Should a parent wish for a child(ren) to be placed back on the waiting list they will need to notify the local authority in writing. It is the applicant’s responsibility to keep the authority informed of updated contact and address details.
27. If a family change address whilst their child is on a waiting list, they will be required to send evidence of the new address. If the change of address affects their child’s position(s) on any waiting list(s), then the position will be changed accordingly.
28. Where we are able to offer a place to a non-North Yorkshire child from the waiting list we will liaise with their home authority.

Secondary Transfer Scheme 2024 to 2025

29. The secondary scheme enables parents living within North Yorkshire whose children are transferring to secondary school to complete a single application either online or in paper form.
30. The parents of Year 6 children who will be Year 7 in September 2023 will be informed by letter via their child’s primary school that they will need to apply online for a school place. They can express up to five preferences for admission to any Community, Voluntary Controlled, Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Trust schools and Academies including Free Schools within both North Yorkshire and neighbouring local authority areas, giving reasons for their preferences where appropriate.
31. Parents without internet access will be informed that they will need to contact the admissions team for a paper copy of the common application form to enable them to apply for a school place for their child.
32. Parents will be informed that supplementary information may also be requested by Voluntary Aided, Academies including Free Schools or non-North Yorkshire schools, in order for the school to apply their oversubscription criteria.
33. Common application forms will be required for all transfers at Year 7. Applications for any other year group, apart from the normal year of entry (Year 7) will be dealt with as in-year applications.
34. Parents must return their applications by the closing date of 31 October 2023.
35. Parents will not be allowed to change their preferences after 31 October 2023, without a reason that is acceptable to the admission authority. The final date to accept any change or a late application is 30 November 2023.
36. Parents who wish their children to attend independent schools will be encouraged to tell us. Independent schools are not included in the co-ordinated arrangements. These parents may also wish to apply for a place at a North Yorkshire school.
37. If parents living outside of North Yorkshire enquire about our schools, they will be directed to our website. Parents will be advised to complete a common application form for their home authority.
38. On the common application form, parents will need to provide their child’s name and residential address. The address provided must be where the child lives permanently. If residency is split, the address provided should be the place where the child lives for the majority of the school week (Monday to Friday). Confirmation and agreement in writing by both parents will be required.
39. The offer of a single school place will be made on 1 March 2024 and allocation emails will be sent on that date. For those who have completed a paper application or requested a letter, letters will be sent on that date by second-class post.
40. We will offer a place at a North Yorkshire school even if parents have not completed a common application form because we have a duty to ensure a school place is available for every North Yorkshire child.
41. Parents who do not wish to accept a place at a school offered to them must notify the admission authority as soon as possible in writing advising the local authority of the alternative provision that is being made. Without this information, the place will remain allocated.
42. The timetable for secondary school admissions is attached in Addendum 1 of this document - the Co-ordinated Admissions Arrangements, Secondary Transfer 2024 to 2025.

Selection

43. There are three selective grammar schools within North Yorkshire; a Voluntary Aided boys’ school, a mixed co-educational school and a girls’ school, which has Academy Trust status.
44. If a child is entered for selection testing, parents must make sure that they name the selective school they would like them to attend on the common application form.

Skipton Selection

45. Ermysted’s Grammar School is a selective grammar school that offers education to boys aged 11 to 18 who are deemed suitable for a grammar school education in accordance with their selection scheme. Further information about the tests can be obtained directly from the school
46. Skipton Girls’ High School is a selective grammar school that offers education to girls aged 11 to 18 who are deemed suitable for a grammar school education in accordance with their selection scheme. Further information about the tests can be obtained directly from the school
47. The governing bodies of Ermysted’s Grammar School (Voluntary Aided) and Skipton Girls’ High School (Academy Trust) are responsible for applying their own admissions policies and the local authority applies the published co-ordinated admissions arrangements on behalf of these schools.
48. The Skipton Academy is a non-selective Academy and Upper Wharfedale School is a non-selective secondary school in a selective area offering education for children aged 11 to 16.

Ripon Selection

49. Places will normally be provided at Outwood Academy Ripon and Ripon Grammar School for children who live in the City of Ripon together with the parishes of Aldfield, Azerley, Bishop Monkton, Bridge Hewick, Burton Leonard, Copt Hewick, Eavestone, Givendale, Grantley, Grewelthorpe, Hutton Conyers, Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton, Lindrick, with Studley Royal and Fountains, Littlethorpe, Markenfield Hall, Markington-with- Wallerthwaite, Newby-with-Mulwith, North Stainley with Sleningford, Sawley, Sharow, Skelding, Skelton, Studley Roger and Winksley.
50. Outwood Academy Ripon is a non-selective Academy in a selective area offering education for children aged 11 to 18. Ripon Grammar School is a selective grammar school that offers an education for children aged 11 to 18. Children can only be admitted to Ripon Grammar School if they have been deemed suitable for a grammar school education, in accordance with the local authority selection scheme. The local authority administers both the published selection scheme and the allocation of school places at Ripon Grammar School, as it is a community school. The local authority will apply the published co-ordinated admission arrangements on behalf of both Outwood Academy Ripon and Ripon Grammar School.
51. All children living and attending schools within the area served by the Ripon schools will be invited to sit the selection tests. Parents will be required to return a reply slip to confirm if they wish their child to sit the test.

Ripon Selection Tests

52. Tests for all forms of selection must be clear and objective and give an accurate reflection of the child’s ability or aptitude, irrespective of sex, race or disability. It is for the admission authority to decide the content of the test, providing that the test is a true test of aptitude or ability.
53. The results of these selection tests are used to identify the highest scoring 28 per cent or as close as possible of Year 6 children who live in the Ripon selective area. This procedure sets the cut-off mark in the selective area and sets the standard, which children in Ripon must reach, to be deemed suitable for a grammar school education.
54. For us to consider children who live outside the selective area to be deemed suitable for a grammar school education at Ripon Grammar School they must reach the cut-off mark which is set by the performance of the children who live in the selective area, as explained above.
55. There is no guarantee that children who reach the cut-off mark in the selection tests will be allocated a place at Ripon Grammar School. If the school is oversubscribed with children who are deemed suitable for a grammar school education, places will be allocated using the published oversubscription criteria.
56. The local authority ensures that parents are aware that meeting the academic requirements for entry to Ripon Grammar School is not, in itself, a guarantee of a Grammar School place.
57. If a child is refused a place at the school on 1 March 2024, parents will be offered their statutory right of appeal for a place at the school.
58. The School Admissions Code 2021 states that local authorities should take all reasonable steps to inform parents of the outcome of selection tests before the closing date for secondary applications on 31 October so as to allow parents time to make an informed decision when selecting their preferences.
59. The local authority must ensure that tests are accessible to children with special educational needs and disabilities, having regard to the reasonable adjustments for pupils with a disability required under equalities legislation.

Selection Testing 2024 to 2025

60. Selection testing will take place on Saturday 9th September 2023 and the results of selection testing will be sent out to parents on 11 October 2023.
61. Late tests will take place on designated dates during the year. There will be dates set in January for any children moving into the area or for any children where there is a genuine reason that is agreed by the local authority. Any other late tests will take place in April, June and August.

Primary transfer scheme 2024 to 2025

62. The primary scheme enables parents living within North Yorkshire to complete a single application either online or in paper form listing up to five preferences for admission to any primary, infant or junior schools within both North Yorkshire and neighbouring local authority areas, giving reasons for their preferences where appropriate.
63. Parents without internet access will be able to contact the local authority for a common application form to enable them to apply for a primary school place for their child.
64. If parents list a Voluntary Aided school or Academy including Free Schools as a preference the school may request supplementary information in order for them to apply their oversubscription criteria.
65. Parents must return the common application forms by the deadline of 15 January 2024.
66. Parents will not be allowed to change their preferences after 15 January 2024 without a reason that is acceptable to the admission authority.
67. Parents who wish their children to attend an independent school will be encouraged to tell us. Independent schools are not included in the co-ordinated arrangements. These parents may also wish to apply for a place at a North Yorkshire school.
68. If parents living outside of North Yorkshire enquire about our schools they will be directed to our website. Parents will be advised to complete a common application form for their home authority.
69. On the common application form parents will need to provide their child’s name and residential address. The address provided must be where the child lives permanently. If residency is split between two parents, the address used must be the address where the child lives for the majority of the school week (Monday to Friday). Confirmation and agreement in writing from both parents will be required.
70. For primary school applications, where a parent has applied on time, an offer of a school place must be made on 16 April 2024.
71. Parents who do not wish to accept a place at a school offered to them must notify the admission authority as soon as possible in writing advising the local authority of the alternative provision that is being made. Without this information, the place will remain allocated.
72. The timetable for primary school admissions is attached at Addendum 2 of this document - Co-ordinated Admissions Arrangements, Primary Transfer 2024 to 2025

Admission of children below compulsory school age and deferred entry

73. Admission authorities must provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday.
74. Where a place is offered at a maintained North Yorkshire school: a) that child is entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday; b) the child’s parents can defer the date their child is admitted to the school until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which it was made; and c) where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age.

Admission of children outside their normal age group

75. Parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.
76. Parents of a summer born child, for instance, children born from 1 April to 31 August may also request admission outside their normal age group
77. When such a request is made, the admission authority 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. This will include taking account of the parent's views; information about the child's academic, social and emotional development; where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional; whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group; and whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely.
78. Where an admission authority agrees to a request and as a consequence of that decision the child will be admitted to a relevant age group for instance, the age group pupils are normally admitted to the school, the Authority and admission authority will process the application as part of the main admissions round, unless the parental request is made too late to allow this. The determined admission arrangements and application of oversubscription may be applied.
79. An application will not be given lower priority on the basis that the child is being admitted out of their normal age group.
80. Parents have a statutory right to appeal against the refusal of a place at a school for which they have applied. This right does not apply if they are offered a place at the school, but it is not in their preferred age group

Children of UK service personnel and crown servants

81. For families of service personnel with a confirmed posting, or crown servants returning from overseas, the admission authority will: a. Allocate a place in advance of the family arriving in the area (as long as one is available), provided the application is accompanied by an official letter that declares a relocation date;
    b. Use the address at which the child will live when applying their oversubscription criteria, as long as the parents provide some evidence of their intended address. Admissions authorities must use a Unit or quartering address as the child’s home address when considering the application against their oversubscription criteria, where a parent requests this.

Applications from outside of England

82. Families moving or returning to North Yorkshire from outside of England can apply for a school place in the normal admission round.
83. Where a school is oversubscribed evidence that a family intends to return or move to North Yorkshire such as a copy of flight tickets or travel arrangements will be requested.
84. Where an application is made from another country, and the applicant is not resident in North Yorkshire on the last date for changes and is not able to provide the authority evidence of their return to the area, then the oversubscription criteria for the admission authorities of the preference school will be applied using the current home address
85. It is the responsibility of parents of foreign nationals to check that their children have a right under their UK entry conditions to study at a school before applying for a school place.

Addendum 1

North Yorkshire Local Authority Secondary, Community, Voluntary Controlled, Aided, Foundation, Trust Schools and Academies Timetable 2024 to 2025

Date: 30 June 2023
Activity: Closing date for applications to sit the selection tests for children who are not automatically entered for selection. Closing date for withdrawal of children who are automatically entered for selection testing.

Date: September 2023
Activity: Year 6 letter from the local authority sent via child’s primary school regarding the secondary application process. Parents without internet access are required to contact the local authority for information.

Date: 9 September 2023
Activity: Selection test date for Ripon Grammar School for entry in September 2024 (Saturday).

Date: 12 September 2023
Activity: Application round to apply for a secondary school place will open.

Date: 11 October 2023
Activity: Parents notified of selection test results.

Date: 31 October 2023
Activity: Closing date for return of secondary Common Application Forms.

Date: 24 November 2023
Activity: Other local authorities will be notified of details of children expressing preferences for schools in their area. Neighbouring local authority’s to send us details of children in their area who have expressed preferences for schools in North Yorkshire.

Date: 24 November 2023
Activity: Details of all children who have expressed preferences for North Yorkshire Academies, Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Trust schools sent to the schools for consideration.

Date: 30 November 2023
Activity:Final date for receipt of any change to a common application form including a change of address.

Date: 12 January 2024
Activity: Information to be returned to us by Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Trust schools on which places they can allocate.

Date: 22 January 2024
Activity: First round of allocation information sent to other authorities identifying potential offer(s).

Date: 26 January 2024
Activity: Confirmation of allocations with neighbouring admission authorities including Academies, Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Trust schools.

Date: 26 January 2024
Activity: Input information from first cycle of exchange of allocation information.

Date: 9 February 2024
Activity: Second round of allocation information sent to other authorities.

Date: 13 February 2024
Activity: Input allocation information from second cycle and send final allocation information to other authorities of school place offers to be made.

Date: 15 February 2024
Activity: Input final allocation preference information and adjustment of school places.

Date: 28 February 2023
Activity: Deadline for publication of admission appeals timetable.

Date: 1 March 2024
Activity: National offer day. Send out allocation information to all parents who applied for a school place. Inform schools of final allocation.

Date: 15 March 2024 to 31 August 2024
Activity: The start of manual adjustments to the allocation and communication of those results to other authorities.

Date: April 2024 to July 2024
Activity: Statutory admission appeals are heard. These dates may vary.

Date: 31 December 2024
Activity: Closure of waiting lists for all community and voluntary controlled schools. For information regarding own admission authority schools please contact the schools direct.

Addendum 2

North Yorkshire Local Authority - Timetable 2024 to 2025 for Primary Community, Voluntary

Date: 12 September 2023
Activity: Information for parents available on our website for North Yorkshire parents. Parents without internet access to contact the local authority for information.

Date: 12 October 2023
Activity: Application round to apply for a primary school place will open

Date: 15 January 2024
Activity: Closing date for the return of Common Application Forms.

Date: 2 February 2024
Activity: Other local authorities will be notified of details of children expressing preferences for schools in their area. Neighbouring local authorities to send us details of children in their area who have expressed preferences for schools in North Yorkshire (depending on their timetables).

The admission authorities of North Yorkshire voluntary aided, foundation and academies and academy trust schools will be sent details of the preferences received for their schools.

Date: 18 February 2024
Activity: Final day for receipt of any change of preference to an application including a change of address

Date: 26 February 2024
Activity: The admission authorities of North Yorkshire voluntary aided, foundation, academies and academy trust schools confirm the prioritisation of applicants.

Date: 28 February 2023
Activity: Deadline for publication of the admission appeals timetable

Date: 8 March 2024
Activity: Send first round of allocation information to other authorities identifying potential offer(s).

Date: 15 March 2024
Activity: Input information from first cycle of exchange of allocation information.

Date: 22 March 2024
Activity: Send second allocation cycle information to other authorities

Date: 29 March 2024
Activity: Input preference information from second cycle and send final allocation information to other authorities.

Date: 16 April 2024
Activity: National offer day. Applicants notified of the school place they have allocated for their child.

Date: 1 May 2024 to 31 August 2024
Activity: Manual adjustments to allocation and communicating those results to other authorities.

Date: June to July 2024
Activity: Statutory admission appeal hearings. These dates may vary.

Date: 31 December 2024
Activity: Closure of waiting lists for all community and voluntary controlled schools. For information regarding own admission authority schools please contact the schools direct.