Admissions

Secondary Admissions

The process detailed in this section is for secondary admissions. For further information on this process please contact Admissions at Ormiston Venture Academy: [email protected]

Number of spaces – the academy has an agreed admission number 180 per year group

Application Process

Applications for the 2025 academic year begins in September 2024. To apply you need to complete the local authority’s (LA) common application form (CAF) and submit this directly to the LA by the deadline, 31 October. This can be obtained via the Norfolk Schools Admission website.

Oversubscription criteria

If the academy receives more applications than there are available places then children with the academy named on an education, health care plan (EHC) or equivalent will be automatically admitted to the academy. If there are still places available, priority for admission will be given to those children who meet the oversubscription criteria set out below:

• Looked after children and those who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after was adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. A Looked After Child is either a child who is in the care of a local authority, or being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (definition used is in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989); or, those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. Previously Looked After Children are those who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.
• Up to 10% of students on the basis of aptitude in Information Technology *
• Siblings of students who will be registered in years 7 to 11 at the school on the first day of term when the applicant student will be joining the school
• Children whose parent/carer is a staff member at the academy with 2 or more years service or recruited to a vacancy with an identified skills shortage.
• Children living in the town of Gorleston, the Parish of Bradwell and the catchment area served by Belton Moorlands **
• Children living outside the priority areas listed in rule iv) above.

If all children within any of the above rules cannot be offered a place, the highest priority will be given to children living nearest to the academy within that rule.

• This is the straight line distance (using the Local Authority system) between the academy main gate and the child’s home address (front door).
• Where two dwellings with the same front entrance the closest dwelling to the front door (lower floor and counting clockwise) will be regarded as being closer to the academy.
• In the event that two students live an equal distance from the academy there will be a random ballot supervised by independent person.

* Parents who wish to apply for their child to be considered for admittance under the criteria for aptitude or ability in Information Technology (up to 10% of intake) must complete an application form available from the academy from 10th September. When completed it should be returned to the Principal by 30th September of the year prior to transfer. The academy will set a test for these pupils and inform parents of the outcome by 31st October, prior to parent’s submission of the Common Application Form to the Local Authority

Sub Notes

Late applications will not be considered until all other applications have been reviewed. All offers of secondary places will be made through the LA. The academy will not contact parents about the outcome of their application until the offer from the local authority has been received. All offers will be made on the secondary national offer day (1st March or the next working day).

Applications for in-year admissions are accepted and will be processed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with these published admission arrangements. In-year admissions forms can be obtained from Moving schools during the school year – Norfolk County Council

The academy will participate in the LA’s Fair Access Protocol.  Children included in the Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those held on the waiting list. Once a child has been identified for admission to the academy under the Fair Access Protocol, the academy will notify the local authority within seven calendar days of the decision to accept or refuse the child’s admission.

It the academy refuses entry, the local authority may request a direction from the Secretary of State. The decision of the Secretary of State will be binding upon the academy.

Unsuccessful Applications

The academy will inform the child’s parent if a decision has been made to refuse their child a place at the academy for which they have applied, this will include the reason why admission was refused, information about the right to appeal, deadlines and contact details.
A child is allowed to be on the academy waiting list secondary phased transfer while lodging an appeal and the appeal will not affect their position on the list. The decision of the appeals panel is binding on the academy. The waiting list for admission into year 7 is maintained until 31st December each year.

Applications are made through Norfolk County Council. Please click on the logo to be taken to their website.