Student Admissions
THE HEATH SCHOOL
Admissions Policy 2025 - 2026
This policy will provide a co-ordinated and structured programme to ensure that all Heath School places are offered and allocated in an open and fair manner and will aim to help guide parents/carers and their children through the application process. The School will comply with all relevant provisions of the statutory codes of practice for academy school admissions. The Heath School also follows the Halton Local Authority agreed scheme for school admissions.
Admissions to The Heath School - Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3
The Heath School admits students between the ages of 11 – 16. The School has an agreed published admission number of 240 full-time students for the academic year 2025-2026 for children applying for places to start in Year 7. The Heath School may set a higher admission number as its published admission number for any specific year. Students will not be admitted above the published admission number unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Parents/ carers are encouraged to visit the School with their child if they are planning to apply for a place. We have an open evening during the year, this is usually late September/ early October which will be publicised on the website and in the local press. Arrangements for visits outside of these dates can be made by contacting Ursula Burgon on 01928 576664.
Halton Borough Council is responsible for the administration of the admission process. The deadline to apply for a secondary school place for a September 2025 start is 31st October 2024. Parents/carers can complete a preference form online at www.halton.gov.uk/schooladmissions where an e-receipt will be issued. A paper copy of the preference form can also be requested at www.halton.gov.uk/schooladmissions or at any Halton Direct Link Office. The online application system is not available after the deadline for applications (31st October 2024). Applicants can login to view the outcome of their application on 1st March 2025. Offer letters will be posted to applicants who submitted a paper preference form on 1st March 2025
Don’t leave it too late – you may miss out on the school place you want if you apply late. The deadline is 31st October 2024. Late applications must be made on a paper copy of the preference form which can be obtained from any of the Halton Direct Link Offices or directly from the School Admissions Team.
Parents/ carers of children from other local authorities should complete their own local authority form, but may include Halton schools as preferences on their form.
Admission criteria
If the number of applications is less than the number of spaces available then all children will be offered places.
If the School receives more applications than there are available places, then children with The Heath School named on a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP) will be automatically admitted to the School. This should have been previously discussed with the SEN department at the Local Authority.
If there are still places available, priority for admission will be given to those children who meet the oversubscription criteria set out below:
- Children in Public Care
Looked after children (often known as in care) and children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order), and children who appear to the Local Authority, as the admission authority for community and voluntary controlled schools, to have been in care outside of England and ceased to be in care as a result of being adopted;
- Siblings
Children with elder brothers or sisters including half brothers and sisters
who share one or both parents and unrelated children living together as part of the same household attending the School and expected to continue in the following year. In the case of twins or other children from multiple births (including two or more siblings in one year group) and where only one place is available, the application will be considered together as one application.
- Distance
Children living nearest to the School measured using an Ordnance Survey address-point system, which measures straight line distances in metres from the address point of the place of permanent residence of the child to the address point of the School.
Waiting lists
If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, children
who have been refused a place will be automatically placed on a waiting list. The child may gain entry to the School if a place becomes available. The School will maintain a waiting list until 31 December 2025 following the main intake. Each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the School’s oversubscription criteria in which the application was originally considered. Priority will not be given to children based on the date their application was received or the date when they were added to the list.
For further information, see the document ‘Admission to Secondary School 2025’ guidance booklet available at:
www.halton.gov.uk/schooladmissions
If you require further information, please contact Halton School Admissions Team on:0151 511 7271/ 8601 or contact Ursula Burgon (The Heath School) 01928 576664.
In-Year applications and transfers
We encourage entry at the School’s main intake time so as to aid academic progression without interruption, however, applications are welcome for entry in any year. Subject to any provision made in the Local Authority’s in-year co-ordinated admission arrangements relating to applications submitted for years other than the normal year of entry, the School must consider all applications and if the year group applied for has a place available, admit the child.
For further information, see the document ‘Admission to Secondary School 2025’ at:
www.halton.gov.uk/schooladmissions
If you require further information, please contact Halton School Admissions Team on:
0151 511 7271/ 8601 or contact Ursula Burgon (Heath School) 01928 576664.
Right of appeal
If we are unable to offer a school place, parents/ carers have the right to appeal. See the document ‘Admission to Secondary School 2025’ at:
www.halton.gov.uk/schooladmissions
Right to withdraw an offer
The Governing Body reserve the right to withdraw the offer of a school place where false evidence is received in relation to an application.
Policy review Spring Term 2025
