Whitchurch High School Year 6 Open Evening: September 18th, 2019

1. Year 6 Open Evening: Wednesday 18th September 2019 NosonAgored - Blwyddyn 6 : DyddMercher, 18fed o Fedi 2019

2. Key Staff • Mr Mark Powell, Headteacher • Mr Scott Britt, Deputy Headteacher • Miss Lauren Sharpe, Assistant Headteacher (KS3) • Mr Jonathan Davies, Assistant Headteacher (KS5 and Admissions) • Mrs Laura Morgan, ALNco Manager • Miss Claire Jefferis, Attendance Officer • Mrs Aileen Dando, Transition Co-ordinator • Mrs Gaynor Blake, Admissions (Office Manager) • MrCris Evans, SRB Lead Teacher • Mrs Joyce Slack, Chair of Governors

3. Starting secondary school can be daunting, but there is much to be excited about.

4. Cardiff Common Admissions Process • Applications for Whitchurch use the Cardiff Common Admissions process. • Applications do not need to be sent to the school. • Applications should be completed online. • Paper versions are available but should be sent to Cardiff Local Authority.

5. Why do we use the common application process • It enables us to know which parents are being offered places in other schools as a first choice • This will help us to offer more places in the first round to parents who intend to send their children to Whitchurch High • This will reduce the number of parents who have to go through an appeals process, reducing the anxiety that they have to go through.

6. Step by Step Approach • Log in to the Cardiff LA Admissions Application Form via our school website • Applications Open on Monday 30th September www.Whitchurchhs.wales

7. Step by Step Guide • Fill in the online application form. Please ensure that you make Whitchurch High your first choice. You will be allowed to select 5 schools. • The process will look to offer your first choice. It will only move to the second choice if you are not allocated your first choice. • Where you place Whitchurch in the choices does not make a difference to whether we offer you a place. We have to allocate places on the basis of our over-subscription criteria.

8. Whitchurch High Admissions • We remain the admissions authority for the mainstream places at the school. • Once all applications are received, we will inform the LA of the rank order according to the criteria that have always been in place. • Please note: admissions for the Special Resource Base remain the responsibility of the LA. All communication about these places need to be with the LA.

9. The criteria for over-subscription • Children in receipt of a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Where Whitchurch High School is named in a statement • Children who are looked after (CLA’s)(children in public care) • Pupils who are on roll in one of the school’s partner primary schools: Birchgrove Primary; Coryton Primary; Gabalfa Primary; Hawthorn Primary; Llanishen Fach Primary; Rhiwbeina Primary; and Whitchurch Primary School. • Pupils who live within the catchment areas of the above partner primary schools with older brothers/sisters are attending Whitchurch High School at the time of their admission to the school. • Pupils who are not on roll at any of the designated partner primary schools but who live within the catchment areas of the above partner primary schools. • Pupils who live outside the catchment areas of the partner primaries with a sibling attending the school when they join. • Distance.

10. The Deadline • Applications must be received by Monday 25th November 23.59pm. • If you do not send it in by this date, you will not be considered in the first round of applications. • You will then need to apply using a paper application form and send it into the school directly. Forms will be available on the website or from the school offices

11. Notification of Places • Emails will be issued from the local authority on Monday 2nd March, 2020 • You must confirm acceptance of places by Monday 16th March, 2020 • Please do not phone the school to check on progress before this date. We will not have any information.

12. Appeals • If you are not successful, even if you are awarded your place choice, you are entitled to Appeal. • Appeal information will be available on request from the following email address: blakeg@whitchurch.cardiff.sch.uk • Closing date: MONDAY 23rd APRIL 2020. • Appeals are heard by an Independent Appeals Panel arranged through Cardiff County Council.

13. Overview of Dates

14. Questions or concerns • If you have any questions or concerns regarding the application please contact Mrs Gaynor Blake in the first instance Email: blakeg@whitchurch.cardiff.sch.uk Tel: 029 2062 9722

15. Practical Arrangements • Birchgrove Primary School- Main Block • Coryton Primary School- Library Block (First Floor) • LlanishenFach- DT Block • Gabalfa Primary School- Library Block (Ground Floor) • Non-Partner Primary Schools- Tower Block

16. Practical Arrangements • Hawthorn Primary School- Tower Block • Rhiwbeina Primary School- Main Block • Whitchurch Primary School- Library Block

17. Practical Arrangements • Birchgrove Primary School- Main Block • Coryton Primary School- Library Block (First Floor) • LlanishenFach- DT Block • Gabalfa Primary School- Library Block (Ground Floor) • Non-Partner Primary Schools- Tower Block

18. Practical Arrangements • Hawthorn Primary School- Tower Block • Rhiwbeina Primary School- Main Block • Whitchurch Primary School- Library Block