The purpose of this policy is to make clear the admissions process for Tewkesbury Academy.
The CLF has agreed that the admission arrangements will remain in line with the agreed arrangements for Gloucestershire Local Authority and the Secretary of State.
An Equalities Impact Assessment has been carried out. The assessment concluded that there was no adverse impact identified for any groups of people with protected characteristics / or / there was potential adverse impact identified for some groups of people with protected characteristics and mitigations are in place to reduce that impact. The full Equalities Impact Assessment Report can be obtained from governance@clf.uk.
Further information is on the academy website.
The Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) adheres to the statutory requirements and the principles outlined in the School Admission Code (DFE 2021), which all academies are required to adhere to via the Funding Agreement between Tewkesbury Academy and the Secretary of State.
The ‘admission authority’ for the Academy is the Federation via its Board of Trustees
The Federation delegates its admission related functions to the Academy’s Local Academy Council, who approve the Admission Policy
The Admission Committee formed of at least three Local Councillors consider in year admissions, requests for admission. outside normal age range and 6th form admissions from external applicants.
The Principal is responsible for the implementation and application of this policy.
Local Authority co-ordinates admissions in the normal admission round for all schools in the area.
Data collected during the admission process will be handled in accordance with the Trust Data Protection and Records Retention policies.
This Admission Policy is part of the admission arrangements for Tewkesbury Academy (Academy), which is part of Cabot Learning Federation (Federation), a multi academy trust.
The Academy is a co-educational publicly funded secondary school welcoming applications for the admission of children regardless of ability, aptitude, special educational or other needs, disabilities or other protected characteristics.
The Academy admits children into Year 7, who usually remain until at least Year 11. The Academy also admits external candidates into Year 12 (its sixth form) in addition to its existing Year 11 pupils. The admission arrangements for both of these year groups are set out in this policy below.
The ‘admission authority’ for the Academy is the Federation via its Board of Trustees. The Federation delegates its admission related functions to the Academy’s Local Governing Body, who in turn delegate to an Admission Committee formed of at least three Local Governors.
This policy and all admission functions are carried out in compliance with admission law, the School Admissions Code 2021 and the School Admission Appeals Code 2022 (as revised by the Department for Education (DfE) from time to time), as well as other relevant laws such as the Equality Act 2010, Human Rights Act 1998, and the law and statutory guidance relating to special educational needs.
In education law and this policy, a ‘parent’ is a natural or adoptive parent of a child (regardless of whether they have care of, contact with and/or parental responsibility for the child), as well as other persons who are not the natural or adoptive parent of the child but who have care of and/or parental responsibility for them.
In this policy, ‘home Local Authority’ refers to the Local Authority whose area the child’s home address is located in.
Children with an EHCP are not admitted under this policy, they are admitted under separate statutory processes set out in the DfE’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice. Their EHCPs are maintained by their home Local Authority, which is responsible for deciding which educational setting will be named in the EHCP as the one the child will attend.
Where the parents of a child with an EHCP want them to be educated at the Academy, they must discuss this with the SEN team at their home Local Authority. The home Local Authority may then consult the Academy on its suitability and compatibility, before deciding whether or not to name the Academy in the child’s EHCP.
Where the Academy is named in an EHCP after consultation, it will admit the child. Where this happens in the ‘normal admission round’ (i.e. admission to Year 7 and Year 12 at the start of September), these place will be allocated within the PAN, reducing the number remaining for allocation under this policy. Where this happens at any other time, they will be admitted regardless of pupil numbers in that year group.
The PAN for Year 7 is 270.
Where there are fewer applications than places available, all children will be offered a place. Where there are more applications than places available, places will be offered to children in the following categories in this order of priority
Looked after and previously looked after children
A ‘looked after child’ is one who is (a) in the care of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions, in England. A ‘previously looked after child’ is one who was looked after in England, but ceased to be so because they were adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements or special guardianship order, as well as a child who appears to the Admission Committee to have been in state care outside of England (i.e. in the care of or accommodated by a public authority, religious organisation or any other provider whose sole/main purpose is to benefit society), but ceased to be so as a result of being adopted.
Applications in this category may need to be supported by documentary evidence, such as a signed letter from the child’s current or former Social Worker confirming their status, and/or an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order. In the case of children adopted from state care outside England, evidence of having been in state care outside England and of being adopted may be required, ideally accompanying the application. When considering the evidence provided, the DfE’s published guidance will be followed.
Where the Virtual School Head (VSH) at the Local Authority has already verified the child’s status and the Academy is able to confirm this with them, there will be no need for documentary evidence to be provided with the application.
Children with a sibling at Tewkesbury Academy at the time of application and admission
The sibling must be on the roll in any year group at Tewkesbury Academy at the time of application, and will still be on the roll when the applicant child starts at the Academy. For the avoidance of doubt, this means that siblings in Year 11 and 13 who will have left at the time the applicant child starts school will not meet this criteria.
A ‘sibling’ is a full brother or sister (sharing both parents), a half brother or sister (sharing one parent), an adopted brother or sister (sharing one or both parents), a foster brother or sister on a long term placement (a looked after child), a step brother or sister (where one child’s parent is married or in a civil partnership with the other child’s parent) and a child of the applicant’s parent’s partner.
In all cases, the sibling must live at the applicant child’s home address (as defined in this policy) as part of the same core family unit. For the avoidance of doubt, a child of an extended family member (e.g. cousin, grandchild), or the child of a friend, will not meet this criteria even if they live at the same address as the applicant child.
Children living in specified parishes and/or attending named feeder schools The applicant child must be:
and/or:
at the time of application.
The child must have an exceptional medical and/or social need that means that only Tewkesbury Academy is suitable for them to attend and no other local school would be suitable.
A completed Exceptional Medical and/or Social Need Form (published on the Academy’s website or available from the Academy’s main office) must be submitted with the application for admission for inclusion in this category to be considered. Part A of this form must be completed by the parent whose details are given in the application for admission. The form must then be given to a medical or other professional (e.g. GP, hospital consultant, psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker) for completion of Part B, signing, dating and stamping, before it is submitted with the application. This form has been carefully prepared to ask questions designed to elicit information from the professional that is necessary to apply the criteria in this category. It replaces the need for separate evidence from a professional to be provided.
Parents should note that the criteria in this category set a high threshold to meet. For the avoidance of doubt, simply having a medical or mental health condition, special educational needs or disability would not be sufficient on its own without other compelling evidence from the professional that only Tewkesbury Academy is suitable for the child to attend, and no other local school is suitable, and this is caused by the child’s exceptional need.
Children deemed not to meet the criteria for inclusion in this category will be placed into the next category that applies.
All applicant children not included in any of the categories above will be allocated places in this category.
The PAN for Year 12 is 25.
This PAN relates to external candidates for Year 12 only, as existing Year 11 pupils are already on the roll and do not need to apply for admission under this policy – if they meet the Minimum Academic Entry Criteria below and want to continue their education into Year 12, they will simply transfer from Year 11.
On GCSE results day when the number of Year 11 pupils transferring to Year 12 is known, it is possible that additional external candidates can be offered places above the PAN stated above.
All external candidates and existing Year 11 pupils must meet the MAEC included in the table below to be considered for a place in Year 12:
| Course | Minimum Academic Entry Criteria (MAEC) |
| 3 A levels | At least a grade 4 in English or Maths
At least a grade 5 or 6 in each of your chosen A-level subjects. Individual subjects have differing requirements |
| A mixture of A-levels and vocational courses | At least a grade 4 in English or Maths
At least a grade 4 in related GCSE’s to your chosen vocational courses. The exception is engineering, which requires a grade 6 in maths or a grade 4, which must be taken with core maths. At least a grade 5 or 6 in each of your chosen A-level subjects. Individual subjects have differing requirements |
| Vocational pathway | At least a grade 4 in English or Maths
At least a grade 4 in related GCSE’s to your chosen vocational courses. The exception is engineering, which requires a grade 6 in maths or a grade 4, which must be taken with core maths. |
The MAEC included in the table above set a threshold which, once reached, puts all external candidates on an equal footing for places, with the oversubscription criteria and tie breaker below being applied to determine who will be allocated places where there are more eligible external candidates than places available. For the avoidance of doubt, external candidates achieving higher grades will not receive higher priority and places will not be allocated by reference to grades from highest to lowest.
The MAEC are part of the Academy’s determined admission arrangements and will be strictly applied. They will only be adjusted for internal Year 11 pupils or external applicants where this is necessary in order to avoid a particular/substantial disadvantage caused by a disability or other protected characteristic with respect of the achievement of required grades which has not already been addressed during the examination process via special consideration or access arrangements.
We will not accept any more entries into the sixth form after 3 weeks into term
Where there are fewer applications than places available, all external candidates will be offered a place. Where there are more applications than places available, the order in which places will be allocated will be:
A ‘looked after external candidate’ is one who is (a) in the care of a Local Authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in the exercise of their social services functions, in England. A ‘previously looked after external candidate’ is one who was looked after in England, but ceased to be so because they were adopted, or became subject to a child arrangements or special guardianship order, as well as an external candidate who appears to the Admission Committee to have been in state care outside of England (i.e. in the care of or accommodated by a public authority, religious organisation or any other provider whose sole/main purpose is to benefit society), but ceased to be so as a result of being adopted.
Applications in this category may need to be supported by documentary evidence, such as a signed letter from the external applicant’s current or former Social Worker confirming their status, and/or an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order. In the case of external candidates adopted from state care outside England, evidence of having been in state care outside England and of being adopted may be required, ideally accompanying the application. When considering the evidence provided, the DfE’s published guidance will be followed.
Where the Virtual School Head (VSH) at the Local Authority has already verified the external candidate’s status and the Academy is able to confirm this with them, there will be no need for evidence to be provided with the application.
All external candidates not included in the category above will be allocated places in this category.
In all oversubscription categories, where there are more applications than places available, the order in which places are allocated will be determined by reference to the distance between the child’s home address and the Academy, with those living closer receiving higher priority.
The distance from the child’s home address to the Academy is measured in a straight line from the Ordnance Survey address point for the child’s home address to the ordnance survey address point of the Academy, using the Gloucestershire County Council’s computerised measuring system designed for this purpose.
Where two or more distances are equal (e.g. where they live in the same block of flats), the order in which places are allocated will be determined by random lottery, which will be performed in front of a person who is independent of the Academy.
In the case of twins, triplets or siblings of a higher multiple birth, where one or more of this sibling group achieve a place in the usual way, but the remaining sibling(s) do not, all of them will be offered a place even where this means exceeding the PAN or normal maximum pupil number for that year group.
The child/external candidate’s home address is defined in this policy, and it is the address meeting this definition that must be stated in the application, and will be used when the application is processed.
The child/external candidate’s home address is the residential (not business) address at which they will live and sleep for more than 50% of their time from Sunday to Thursday night each week during term time, at the time of their admission. In the rare cases where the child/external candidate lives with more than one parent and their pattern of overnight stays with each is irregular from week to week, this should be established by considering the five term time weeks preceding the application.
Where any question arises over whether the stated child/external candidate’s home address is correct, parents will be asked to provide satisfactory documentary evidence to establish this. This may also be required for other children (e.g. siblings). Satisfactory documentary evidence may include family court orders setting out child arrangements and/or proof of ownership and renting, however other evidence will also be considered.
Where the family owns or rents another property, additional documentary evidence that the address stated in the application is the applicant child/external candidate or sibling’s permanent home address may be required.
If the child/external candidate/sibling moves address during the course of the application process, South Gloucestershire Council (and, if different, their home Local Authority) must be provided with satisfactory documentary evidence that the new address will meet the definition, as well as evidence of the expected moving date, as soon as possible.
Applications are welcomed for the admission of the children of UK Armed Forces personnel and Crown Servants. Where the family is relocating from overseas, the address used will be the address at which the applicant will live when they return, as long as the parents provide some evidence of this address. Alternatively, a Unit or Quartering address may be used, at the parent’s request.
All local authorities are required to coordinate admission in the ‘normal admission round’ for all schools in their area.
The ‘normal admission round’ includes all applications made for Year 7 in September which are made by the statutory deadline for such applications (31 October 2026), or made after this date but in time for the child’s home Local Authority to offer a place by ‘national offer day’ (1 March 2027 or the next working day).
Applications in the ‘normal admission round’ for Year 7 must be made to the child’s home Local Authority using their Common Application Form, which will be available on their website. For children resident in Gloucestershire, the webpage can be accessed by clicking on this link: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions/
Parents must carefully consider the oversubscription criteria above to check whether any additional forms or documentation should accompany the application for a particular category, as failing to do so could prevent the correct highest category being identified, which could result in a place not being offered.
A ‘late application’ is one received before the first day of term but not in time for the Local Authority to offer a place on ‘national offer day’. As these applications cannot be processed until after the first round of place allocations has happened, this is likely to adversely impact on the chances of achieving a place. Parents are therefore strongly encouraged to submit applications by the statutory deadline
Applications for the admission of external applicants to Year 12 in September must be made directly to the Academy by completing a Sixth Form Admission Application Form.
This form can either be completed online via the Academy’s website by clicking https://tewkesburyacademy.clf.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/6th-form-application-form-2025.pdf or it can be downloaded and printed out or obtained in hard copy format from the Academy’s main office and then submitted to the Academy either to by email to admissions@clf.uk or by post/hand delivery to the Academy’s main office marked for the attention of the Admission Committee.
Parents/external applicants must carefully consider the oversubscription criteria above to check whether any additional documentation should accompany the application for inclusion in a particular category, as failing to do so could prevent the correct highest category being identified, which could result in a place not being offered.
Applications should be submitted by 31st January 2027. All applications received will be processed and conditional offers of a place will be made to external applicants on or before 28th March 2027 on the basis of their predicted GCSE grades.
External applicants who have received a conditional offer who subsequently achieve the MAEC (including Subject Specific Requirements for the courses they applied for) on GCSE results day will receive a firm offer of a place on sight of original documentary evidence of their GCSE grades.
External applicants without a conditional offer should nevertheless still attend the Academy on GCSE results day with original documentary evidence of their GCSE grades, as places may still be available once the actual grades of all applicants are known and firm offers have been made.
An ‘in-year application’ is one made for Year 7 or Year 12 on or after the first day of term in September, or for any other year group at any time.
The PANs set for Year 7 and Year 12 apply throughout the year of admission, but cease to apply at the end of that school year when the cohort moves to the next year group. This means that in-year applications made for Year 7 and Year 12 may be refused on the basis that there are no places available within the PAN.
In respect of all other year groups, a place will be offered unless admitting an additional child would prejudice the efficient provision of education, and/or the efficient use of resources, at the Academy.
Where multiple in-year applications for the same year group are received and processed at the same time, and it is established that some but not all can be offered a place within the PAN/without causing prejudice, the oversubscription criteria and tie breaker set out above will be applied to determine which children will be offered the available places.
In respect of Year 7 to Year 11, in-year applications must be made directly to the Academy by completing an In-Year Admission Application Form. This form can be downloaded and printed out or obtained in hard copy format from the Academy’s main office and then submitted to the Academy either to by email to admissions@clf.uk or by post/hand delivery to the Academy’s main office marked for the attention of the Admission Committee.
In respect of Year 12 to Year 13, in-year applications must be made directly to the Academy by submitting a Sixth Form Admission Application Form. This form can either be completed online via the Academy’s website by clicking here, or it can be downloaded and printed out or obtained in hard copy format from the Academy’s main office and then submitted to the Academy either to by email to admissions@clf.uk or by post/hand delivery to the Academy’s main office marked for the attention of the Admission Committee.
In both cases, parents/external applicants must carefully consider the oversubscription criteria above to check whether any additional forms or documentation should accompany the application for inclusion in a particular category, as failing to do so could prevent the correct highest category being identified, which could result in a place not being offered.
The outcome of in-year applications will be notified in writing to parents ideally within 10 school days, but in any event within a maximum of 15 school days of receipt.
Parents have a right to ask the admission authority for a school for its permission for their child to be admitted to a year group outside their normal age group (above or below). Parents do not, however, have an absolute right to decide this will happen. The request must be considered by the Admission Committee which will decide whether to agree it in principle, or refuse it, taking into account the factors set out below.
These requests are not applications for admission, which must still be made in the usual way. Parents are strongly encouraged to make these requests as early as possible, ideally well ahead of any deadlines for their normal age group, so that they make informed decisions as to preferences when they subsequently apply for admission. A request must be made to the ‘admission authority’ for each school for which admission outside normal age group is being sought, as the outcome may not be the same for all.
The Admission Committee makes decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child/external candidate concerned, taking into account the parents’ views, the Headteacher’s views, information about the child/external candidate’s academic, social and emotional development, the child/external candidate’s medical history and the views of their medical professionals, whether they have previously been educated or attended nursery 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. This is not an exhaustive list, and parents may put forward any matters or documents for consideration.
Parents must complete a Request for Admission Outside Normal Age Group Form. This form can be downloaded and printed out or obtained in hard copy format from the Academy’s main office and then submitted to the Academy either by email to admissions@clf.uk or by post/hand delivery to the Academy’s main office marked for the attention of the Admission Committee.
The Admission Committee will notify the parents of the outcome of their request in writing, and will explain its reasons in sufficient detail for them to understand why it came to that decision.
Where the request is agreed in principle in advance of an application being made, the letter should accompany the subsequent application. Parents should note that receiving agreement in principle to admission outside normal age group does not guarantee a subsequent offer of a place, it simply opens the door for an application for that year group to be accepted and processed with all others received at the same time.
Parents do not have a statutory right of appeal against a refusal of a request for admission outside normal age group, however they may complain to the Academy about the outcome under its published Complaints Policy, if they wish.
Parents have a statutory right of appeal to an independent Admission Appeal Panel against the refusal of a place at the Academy. The refusal letter will set out full details of this right, including where the grounds of appeal must be sent and the deadline for doing so.
All appeals will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code 2022 (as revised and republished from time to time).
The Academy will publish an admission appeal timetable for appeals against refusals in the ‘normal admission round’ on or before 28 February 2026.
The Academy operates a waiting list for Year 7 and Year 12 only until 31 December following admission of the cohort. All names are then deleted, and parents will have to re-apply for a place if one is still sought.
The waiting list is ranked by reference to the oversubscription criteria above, and not by reference to the date that the child/external candidate’s name was added to the list. This means a child/external candidate’s name can go up, as well as down, the list as more names are added.
When a place becomes available, if there is more than one child/external candidate in the highest category, the tie breaker will be used to determine which child/external candidate will be offered the place.
Children allocated a place under their Local Authority’s Fair Access Protocol (which all schools are required to participate in) will take precedence over children on the waiting list, and will be admitted regardless of pupil numbers in their year group
The admission arrangements for every school must be determined every year for each successive intake. Where changes are proposed from the previous year (other than an increase in PAN), these must be consulted on for a minimum of 6 calendar weeks between 1 October and 31 January ahead of determination on or before 28 February in the determination year (as defined by the Code).
The admission arrangements for the 2027-2028 intake were determined by the Admission Committee on 13 February 2026.
