Westminster

Westminster: Your choice for secondary school // Apply online at www.westminster.gov.uk/admissions 61
Other information
‘In-year’ admissions
If you would like your child to go to a secondary
school in Westminster at any age other than primary
to secondary school transfer (for instance if you have
just moved into the area), you should contact your
preferred school directly to request and complete an
application form.
If the school to which you have applied does not
already have the full number of pupils on roll in your
child’s year group, they should offer a place. If they
cannot accept your child straight away because the
year group is full, they must tell you about your right
of appeal to an independent panel and how to make
your appeal.
Applicants to the two community schools (Pimlico or
Quintin Kynaston) are considered under the admission
criteria for community schools (see below). If there are
more applicants than places, your child will be placed
on a waiting list which will be kept in order of priority
under the criteria, and if a place becomes available
because another child leaves, this place will be offered
to the applicant who is next on the list. The length of
time your child is on the waiting list does not affect
how quickly you will be offered a place, and your
child’s name can go up or down the list as other
people join or leave it.
Voluntary aided schools and Academies may have
different arrangements about waiting lists, and you
should ask each school to tell you what these are.
Whatever the waiting list arrangements, you still have
the right of appeal if your child is not offered a place.
If you experience difficulty obtaining a secondary
school place or require further assistance or guidance,
please contact the Westminster admissions team on
020 7641 1816/1817.
Admission criteria for community schools for
‘In-year’ transfers
The following admission criteria apply for applicants for
Westminster community schools to Years 8 to 11, and
Year 7 (other than at transfer from primary school)
during the 2007/2008 school year.
If there are more applicants than places for any school,
places will be allocated first to children with statements
of Special Educational Needs which name the school
with the agreement of Westminster LA, then in the
following order of priority:
a) children who are in public care
b) children with exceptional medical, social, or other
need that can only be met by providing a place at
the particular school concerned rather than any
other school (to be decided in consultation with the
Director of Schools and Learning in each case)
c) children with a sibling at the school at the time of
admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister,
half brother or sister, or step brother or sister whose
main residence is the same address
d) children who live nearest to the school, measured
by the shortest walking route.
Applications made under criterion b) will only
be considered if supporting evidence from an
appropriate professional or other suitably qualified
person (eg doctor or social worker) is attached to the
application form.
If you feel that there are exceptional medical or social
reasons why your child should have priority over other
children for a place at the particular school concerned,
you should tell the school about this when you make
your application and provide relevant supporting
documents, for example letters from a doctor, social
worker or other professional who knows about your
circumstances. Priority on medical or social grounds
will only be given in very exceptional circumstances.