Consultation on Proposed Changes to Paddington Academy’s Admissions Policy to Include Wilberforce Primary School as a Feeder School
Change to Admissions Arrangements – 2023/24: Consultation
Paddington Academy would like to give notice of proposed changes to the Academy’s Admission Policy which will apply for the 2023-24 academic year and thereafter, subject to any further consultation.
The draft policy for consultation can be viewed on the link below, or a hard copy is available on request from the school at: consultation@paddington-academy.org or you can complete the MS Form HERE.
Admissions 2023/24 Policy Draft
Context
Paddington Academy is an Outstanding, non-selective academy in inner West London with 1,200 students from ages 11-18. As part of United Learning, the school’s aim is to bring out ‘the best in everyone’ and continuously strive to ensure that students and staff have every opportunity to do so.
The main change in this revised Admissions Policy is the addition of Wilberforce Primary School, as a feeder school, to the oversubscription criteria. This addition is to the reflect the values and ethos shared between the two schools, as part of United Learning, and moreover the ongoing work to create an all-through curriculum offer across the two schools. The continuity of curriculum between the two schools will provide smooth transition for pupils and allow for greater collaboration across them both.
Paddington Academy will continue to play a central role in the local community, working closely with all local primaries, to improve the quality of education for our families.
Specific change
Paddington Academy proposes to change its oversubscription criteria to the following:
Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, applications will be considered as follows. After the admission of pupils with Education Health Care Plans (EHCP) where Paddington Academy is named on the EHCP, the criteria will be applied in the order in which they are set out below:
- Children who are “Looked after” by a Local Authority, or a child who was previously looked after but immediately following being looked after were subject to an adoption or residency order, including those from outside of England:
- Children who have medical needs, social needs and special needs which are not covered by an EHCP but mean admission to Paddington Academy is necessary. In such circumstances, the application must be supported by written specific professional advice, e.g., from a doctor or specialist, not a primary school alone. The decision as to whether the academy is uniquely placed to meet the stated need of the applicant will be determined by a panel. The panel will give special consideration to children with a visual impairment.
- Children with an older brother or sister currently attending Paddington Academy in one of Years 7 to 12 and who will continue to do so in one of Years 8 to 13 on the point of admission into the Academy. See below for explanation of the term brother / sister.
- Children of staff subject to either or both of the following circumstances:
- where the member of staff has been continuously employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made; and/or
- the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
- Children who attend Wilberforce Primary School and are in Year 6 at the time of the admission application deadline.
- Distance from the applicant’s home address to the Academy. The distance is measured by a straight line from the address seed point (determined by Ordnance Survey data) of the child’s home address to the main school gate for students. The applicants will be ranked nearest to furthest.
The Academy proposes to add oversubscription criteria 5 to the school admissions policy. This is the only proposed change.
Paddington Academy will continue to have a PAN of 180 in Year 7.
Timescales
This change requires a six-week consultation period, in line with the School Admission Code. The consultation period is from Monday 8th November to Friday 17th December.
Any comments regarding this policy can be made in writing by emailing us at consultation@paddinton-academy.org or by completing the online form here.
Who is consulted?
This consultation is for the attention of:
a) Parents of pupils at Paddington Academy;
b) Local Governing Bodies and Head Teachers of schools in the local area;
c) Other persons in the area who have an interest in the proposed arrangements;
d) All other admission authorities within the local area;
e) The local authority; and
f) Adjoining neighbouring local authorities.