Admissions

Applying for secondary schools in 2025

If your child will turn 11 between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, they will transfer to secondary school at the start of the new school year in September 2025.  The 2025-26 online application process is now open.  

For Wigan Council residents: It is very important that you read the 2025-2026 booklet Secondary Booklet 2025-26 (wigan.gov.uk) before making your application as it contains important information about the allocation process.  

For St Helens Council residents: It is very important that you read the 2025-2026 booklet  Secondary Admissions Booklet 2025-2026 (PDF) [4MB] before making your application as it contains important information about the allocation process.

The closing date for applications is 31 October 2024  Any applications received after this date will be classed as late.  

Please remember to complete the Supplementary Faith Form which can be obtained via the 'Admissions Documents' tab of our website Admissions | St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School.

Return this form by 31 October 2024.to your child's feeder primary school OR directly to St Edmund Arrowsmith CHS.  

Criteria Allocation: -

In-Year Transfer: 

Before applying, parents/carers must read the ‘In-Year Admissions - Primary and Secondary Schools Information Booklet’ which is available online:  Moving schools (wigan.gov.uk) 

There is an application form to be completed following a meeting with your child's current Headteacher to outline the reason for the requested move. 

Archdiocese of Liverpool Department of Education  

Parents are reminded that for applications to be considered under the Catholic faith criteria, there is a requirement for baptism to take place prior to application.  You are reminded to take prompt action if baptism has not already taken place.  As our churches reopen parish priests are able to schedule and confirm baptisms with parents in accordance with the safe operation of their church, and make access to baptism certficates where required.  If you have any concerns about this in your parish please contact the Education Department at aes@rcaol.org.uk

For those children of other faiths seeking a place in a Catholic school there is no requirement for evidence of attendance; a baptism certificate or confirmation in writing that the applicant is a member of their faith community from an appropriate minister of religion is the requirement in this circumstance.

The appeals timetable

Appeals for normal year of entry (Year 7) are arranged each year generally according to the following timetable. The dates may vary depending on whether the offer date falls on a weekend and may also differ slightly from those given by each of the Local Authorities:
Secondary offer date:       1 March
Appeals to be lodged by: 30 March
Appeals to be heard:        18 June or as soon thereafter
Primary offer date:            16 April
Appeals to be lodged by: 15 May
Appeals to be heard by:   16 July or as soon possible thereafter

Appeals will be heard as soon as reasonably practicable following the appeal deadline.

In-year appeals     

Appeals resulting from in-year admission applications will be heard on a date to be arranged within 30 school days of the appeal form being received by the Education Department at the archdiocese or as soon as possible.

Arrangements for Consultation

This is the planned admission policy that St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School intends to use.  Proposed policies are drawn up almost 2 years ahead of the school beginning to use them, eg in the Autumn Term 2024, schools will draw up policies which will become the Proposed Arrangements for entry into the school during the academic year 2026-27.

Consultation

The formal process that requires admissions authorities to share their proposed arrangements with interested parties before final determination in order for responses, comments or objections to the proposed policy to be submitted and considered.  Read the Proposed Admissions Policy here:

Proposed Admission Arrangements for 2026-27

Please complete this form to provide responses, comments or objections:                                                                               Consultation on Proposed Admissions Arrangements to SEACHS: 2026-27

Consultation on Proposed Admissions Arrangements to SEACHS: 2026-27

What is a full consultation?  A full consultation is the circulation of the schools proposed admission arrangements ahead of them being determined (finalised and approved). The consultation takes place for a set period of time and is to allow anyone with an interest in the school’s arrangements to comment or object to the planned policy before it is finalised.

Does my school need to carry out a full consultation?  The Schools Admissions Code requires schools to consult: -

• If there are changes being proposed to the policy
• Every 7 years even if there are no changes

How and when does a consultation need to take place?  A consultation MUST last for a minimum of 6 weeks. 

     Start date: Friday 13 December 2024 

     End date:  Friday 24 January 2025

At the end of the 6 weeks, the governing body (or Trust Board) should meet to reconsider the proposed policy and discuss any comments or objections submitted and whether any further amendment should be made to take into account those comments.  The final policy should then be determined.  Determination MUST take place by 28 February 2025.  

Terminology:

Determined Arrangements: This is the final, legal policy that the Admissions Authority decides on and approves following any required consultation or discussion period if required.  Schools must determine their final arrangements by 28 Feb each year.  Once the policy is determined it cannot be amended unless directed by the Schools Adjudicator following a complaint or to amend a policy to ensure it complies with the Schools Admissions Code.

Admissions Authority: This is the legal body responsible for deciding who is offered a place in any particular school.  In a Catholic Voluntary Aided school this is the governing body.  In a Catholic Academy it is the Trust Board.  The responsibility for considering an application and deciding who is offered or not offered a place in a school cannot be delegated to an individual person.  The decisions must be made by the Admissions Authority.

School Admissions Code: The legal Framework, published by the Department for Education, which provides the mandatory requirements for admission authorities to follow. The full School Admissions Code can be found at: Schools Admissions Code 2021

Consultation: The formal process that requires admissions authorities to share their proposed arrangements with interested parties before final determination in order for responses, comments or objections to the proposed policy to be submitted and considered.