Admissions Criteria for September 2025

Allestree Woodlands School is an Academy School (11-18) with enhanced resource facilities for hearing impaired students. It does not select on the basis of ability.

Standard Admissions Number: 240

Applications for a place at Allestree Woodlands School should be made by stating the school as a preference on the common application form available from Derby City Education Authority. This common application form must be returned to Derby City Council - not the school, by the closing date.

All parents/ carers will be notified regarding their application for a place by Derby City Council.

Where applications exceed the number of places available the following criteria are applied by the Governing Body in the order set out below to decide which students to admit:

1. In line with the 2021 School Admissions Code requires children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted to be given equal first priority in admission arrangements, alongside looked after children (LAC) and children who were previously looked after by English local authorities (PLAC).

Therefore, highest priority is given to “looked after children and all previously looked after children, including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted”.

2. Children who are living in the normal area served by the school and have siblings* who will be in year 8-11 at the time of the proposed September admission. Please note that the sibling criteria is not applicable when a sibling will be in year 12/13 in the academic year of proposed admission.

3. Other children living in the normal area at the time of admission.

4. Children who do not live in the normal area served by the school but who have siblings* who will be in year 8-11 at the time of the proposed September admission. Please note that the sibling criteria is not applicable when a sibling will be in year 12/13 in the academic year of proposed admission.

5. A child with a parent/carer who is employed by Allestree Woodlands School on a permanent contract.

6. Other children whose parents have stated Allestree Woodlands School as a preference on the common application form.

7. Children whose parents stated Allestree Woodlands School as a preference on the common application form but did not return the form to Derby City Education Authority by the closing date.

Additional Notes:

1. In categories 2 to 5, when choices have to be made between children satisfying the same criteria, children living nearest to the school, measured by a straight line between their residence and the school, have priority. In category 7, places will be allocated in the same order of priority as for categories 2 to 5. Where children in category 7 have equal priority, places will be allocated to those living nearest to the school, measured by a straight line between the home address and the school using the National Ordinance Survey Set Points.

2. The 2021 School Admissions Code requires children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted to be given equal first priority in admission arrangements, alongside looked after children (LAC) and children who were previously looked after by English local authorities (PLAC). This advice refers to these children as internationally adopted previously looked after children.

3. The Governing Body reserves the right to verify information and, if misrepresentation is confirmed, refuse or cancel the place.

Waiting List

If the number of applications exceeds the number of places available a waiting list will be established and maintained until the end of September by Derby City Council using the above criteria.

Fair Access

Local Authorities are required to have ‘Fair Access Protocols’ in order to make sure those unplaced children who live in the Local Authority, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. This includes admitting children above the published admissions number to schools that are already full.