Applications Process for September 2025 entry

Please use this link to apply. Please also note we DO NOT need an application via Kent Choices.

Students are expected to study 4 subjects in Year 12 and to continue those 4 into Year 13. Should a student wish instead to study 3 subjects from the start of Year 12 then they will need to supplement their online application with an email explaining why; this may apply to elite sportspeople or musicians. The email should be sent to the Head of Sixth Form, Mr Burnie.

It is important to note that no offers will be made in the Spring. In the past, predictions have been sought from existing schools and offers made on that basis. Our new admissions policy instead makes offers only on the basis of results on the next working day following GCSE results day. Students must, therefore, submit their results to us on GCSE results day in August 2023 so that the oversubscription criteria can be applied. Failure to do so will mean that students can only be placed on a waiting list should others reject their place. 

 

Criteria for the admission of students to Year 12 in 2025

Students must have achieved a minimum average performance points score of 6.5 in their best 10 qualifications, or of all qualifications if fewer than 10 subjects completed. Students must additionally have completed a minimum of six GCSEs, including a 4 or better in each of Mathematics and English Language. Students additionally need to satisfy the requirements of their chosen subjects, which can be found in the Sixth Form Prospectus.

Internal Applicants

Internal applicants transfer to Year 12 provided they have met the criteria above. There is no upper limit to the number of internal students transferring to Year 12.

External Applicants

The Published Admission Number for Year 12 is 100 (external students). Up to 5 places from the 100 allocated will be reserved for students who were eligible for the Pupil Premium during Year 11. 

Main Allocation

95 places are made available with the following over-subscription criteria:

1. Children in Local Authority Care or Previously in Local Authority Care

2. Academic Ability

This will be measured by ranked average performance points score in their best 10 qualifications, or of all qualifications if fewer than 10 subjects completed, the highest score being given the highest rank.

3. Distance

Where average performance points scores are the same, students will be further ranked by distance from home to school (with the nearest given the highest ranking).

4. Random Selection

A random selection will be applied should two or more applicants have the same average performance points score and the same distance from home to school.

Pupil Premium

Up to 5 places are available with the following over-subscription criteria:

1. Free School Meals

Up to 5 places to students registered in the current academic year for Free School Meals, ranked by average performance points score in their best 10 qualifications, or of all qualifications if fewer than 10 subjects completed, the highest score being given the highest rank. Applicants in this category will need to fill out a Supplementary Information Form.

2. Pupil Premium

Any unallocated places of the 5 available in criteria 1, will be available to students eligible for the Pupil Premium in the current academic year, again ranked by average performance points score in their best 10 qualifications, or of all qualifications if fewer than 10 subjects completed, the highest score being given the highest rank. Applicants in this category will need to fill out a Supplementary Information Form.

3. Distance

Where scores are the same, students will be further ranked by distance from home to school (with the nearest given the highest ranking).

4. Random Selection

A random selection will be applied should two or more applicants have the same average performance points score and the same distance from home to school.

Should any places in this subcategory be unused, due to an insufficient number of qualifying applications, then remaining places will be added to the Main allocation group.

Admission to Year 12: Further comment

As a direct consequence of the high achieving nature of our intake in Year 7 our teachers have high expectations and the standard of achievement throughout the school is very high. Most students have outstanding results at GCSE (of our present Y12 students, over half of all results are at grade 8 & 9 or equivalent at GCSE) and the character of the Sixth Form reflects this.