Making your application
TIMETABLE
You will need to ensure that your application form is received by Buckinghamshire Education Authority no later than 19 October 2007.
COMPLETING YOUR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE APPLICATION FORM FOR ENTRY TO YEAR 7 IN SEPTEMBER 2008
If you are applying for entry to Year 7 in September 2008 you will need to complete the Common Application Form in the booklet provided by the Local Education Authority. This will require you to list six schools in order of your preferences. It will also give you the opportunity to give reasons for your preferences. There will also be a supplementary form for Waddesdon School – see section below.
Governors will be advised by the LA of your application but not of the order in which you have ranked your preferences. It is important to rank your preferences in your true order of preference. This means for example that your first preference should be ranked highest. The process works as if you have made up to six separate applications to the schools you have listed. Your chances of getting each one will depend on that school’s admission rules – not where you have placed them on the list.
The LA will however only consider grammar school preferences if your child has qualified for a grammar school using the 11+ selection tests or through the appeal process. If you rank an upper school higher than a grammar school the LEA will offer a place at the upper school if a place is available and without regard to whether your child has qualified for a grammar school place.
If more than one school can offer your child a place the LA will use your ranked order of preference to decide which offer the parent would prefer and give each child only one offer of a place.
The LA booklet asks you not to rank the same school more than once on your list. They further recommend that you include your catchment area grammar and upper schools in your preference list.
COMPLETING SUPPLEMENTARY FORMS FOR WADDESDON SCHOOL
If you decide to include Waddesdon School as one of your preferences you will be asked to complete a supplementary form. The information you provide on this form is very important in enabling Governors to correctly judge the criterion into which your application falls. Failure to include a supplementary form may affect your chances of gaining a place because Governors will not have all the information they need when they meet to consider your application.
Additionally if you are applying under one of the church criteria you will need to give the church affiliation form to your minister to complete and return to the school.
OUT OF COUNTY RESIDENTS
If you live outside of Buckinghamshire and want to request a place at a school in this area you will be required to obtain a common application form from the Local Authority in the area in which you reside. That authority will then share the information with Buckinghamshire.
If you currently live outside of Buckinghamshire but are planning to move into this area, you should still approach your home local education authority. You will be able to list Buckinghamshire schools ready for your new address.
APPLICATION FORMS FOR ENTRY INTO YEAR GROUPS OTHER THAN YEAR 7 FROM SEPTEMBER 2008
If you are applying for admission to year groups other than Year 7 you will be asked to complete the following:
A Local Authority Common Application Form
A church affiliation form if you are applying under one of the church criteria
These forms are all available from the school.
FURTHER INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE
