Admissions Policy

Introduction

Sunderland High School (“the School”) is an independent day school for girls and boys aged between 2 and 18 and is a member of the United Church Schools Trust, a non-profit organisation with charitable status. The aims and purpose of the Admissions Policy are to ensure that the admissions process is consistent and fair to all applicants and that it reflects the ethos and values held by the Trust and by the School. The admissions process will aim to identify applicants whose academic and other abilities appear to match the ethos and standards of the School and whose personal qualities suggest they have the potential to contribute to the school community and benefit from the many opportunities that are offered here.

The Head of the School is responsible for admissions and the operation of this policy.

The selection criteria and interview procedure are reviewed from time to time by the Local Governing Body of the School. Those involved in selection and interviewing have received training as appropriate.

Admissions Procedure - The Junior School

Entry Points
The usual entry points in the Junior School are at Nursery (from age 2) and Reception (age 4). Pupils may be accepted at other points if places are available. Occasional places sometimes become available throughout the year.

Admissions to the Junior School

Open days/weeks are held three times each academic year. Prospective parents are encouraged to attend at least one of these with their son(s)/daughter(s) prior to applying for admission in order to assess the suitability of the School for their son(s)/daughter(s).
Parents may arrange for their child to spend a taster day in the School prior to making an application for admission.
Parents who are interested in applying for a place in the School for their daughter(s)/ son(s) should complete an Application for a Place. Please contact the School Office for further details.
If the pupil has any specific learning difficulties parents must notify the School in writing prior to the assessment day and provide a copy of all reports prepared by an Educational Psychologist where available. The School will determine whether special conditions will apply to the pupil in the assessments, based on the information provided.
If the pupil has any medical condition or disability parents must notify the School in writing prior to the assessment day so that the School can make reasonable adjustments for the pupil on the day.
The School will ask for a written reference to be given by the pupil’s current school. Information given in this reference may be taken into account by the School in assessing whether the pupil is to be admitted.
From Reception onwards, assessment papers in English and Maths are set by the School and are based on the appropriate National Curriculum requirements. The School does not publish sample copies of the papers.
Parents will normally be notified in writing within one week of the observation/assessment day whether a place at the School is available and is being offered or not. The School will not be obliged to state its reasons for not offering a place.
If no response to an offer has been received within five weeks the School will assume that the offer has been declined and the place may be offered to another family if necessary.

Selection

The preconditions for admission are that:

The Applicant and his/her parents are sympathetic to the Christian ethos of the School.
The Applicant is of the appropriate age and sufficient maturity.
The Applicant enjoys satisfactory general health and will be able to attend lessons and participate fully in the life of the School.
The School is able to provide adequately for any learning difficulties and other special needs (if any) the Applicant may have.
The present school reports satisfactory attitudes and conduct on the part of parents and Applicant (if applicable).
Fees (if applicable) at the present school have been paid.
Parents agree to the standard terms and conditions for entry.

The academic criteria for selection in the Junior School are:

A competent grasp of basic skills at a level appropriate to the age of the candidate and comparable with the ability of children in this School.
Demonstration of this ability during the observation/assessment day.
A positive recommendation from the Head of the Applicant's present school.

Factors which will not be taken into account in the assessment of a pupil for admission are: the Applicant's race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, area of residence or socio-economic group.

An Admissions Record will be completed for each Applicant. The Admissions Record is confidential to the School and is not normally released.

Admissions Procedure - The Senior School

Entry Points

The usual entry points are at 11+ and 16+, although pupils may be accepted at other points if places are available. Occasional places sometimes become available throughout the year.
The Senior School usually accepts about 50-60 pupils at 11+ (Year 7). Admissions to the Senior School

Open days/weeks are held three times each academic year. Prospective parents are encouraged to attend at least one of these with their son(s)/daughter(s) prior to applying for admission in order to assess the suitability of the School for their son(s)/daughter(s).
Parents may arrange for their child to spend a taster day in the School prior to making an application for admission.
Parents who are interested in applying for a place in the School for their daughter(s)/son(s) should complete an Application for a Place. Please contact the School Office for further details.
If the pupil has any specific learning difficulties parents must notify the School in writing prior to the Entrance Examination day and provide a copy of all reports prepared by an Educational Psychologist where available. The School will determine whether special conditions will apply to the pupil in the Entrance Examination, based on the information provided.
If the pupil has any medical condition or disability parents must notify the School in writing prior to the Entrance Examination day so that the School can make reasonable adjustments for the pupil on the day.
The School will ask for a written reference to be given by the pupil’s current school. Information given in this reference may be taken into account by the School in assessing whether the pupil is to be admitted.
For Year 7 entry, Entrance Examination papers in English, Maths and Non-verbal Reasoning are set by the School. For Year 8 – Year 11 entry, Entrance Examination papers in English and Maths are set by the School. The English and Maths papers are based on the appropriate National Curriculum requirements. The School does not publish sample copies of the papers.
Results of the Entrance Examination are confidential to the school and are not normally released.
Parents will normally be notified in writing within five weeks of the Entrance Examination (for Year 7 – otherwise normally within one week) whether a place at the School is available and is being offered or not. The School will not be obliged to state its reasons for not offering a place.
If no response to an offer has been received within five weeks the School will assume that the offer has been declined and the place may be offered to another family if necessary.

Selection

The preconditions for admission are that:

The Applicant and his/her parents are sympathetic to the Christian ethos of the School.
The Applicant is of the appropriate age and sufficient maturity.
The Applicant enjoys satisfactory general health and will be able to attend lessons and participate fully in the life of the School.
The School is able to provide adequately for any learning difficulties and other special needs (if any) the Applicant may have.
The present school reports satisfactory attitudes and conduct on the part of parents and Applicant (if applicable).
Fees (if applicable) at the present school have been paid.
Parents agree to the standard terms and conditions for entry.

The academic criteria for selection in the Senior School are:

A competent grasp of basic skills at a level appropriate to the age of the candidate and comparable with the ability of children in this School.
Demonstration of this ability during the Entrance Examination day.
A positive recommendation from the Head of the Applicant's present school.
A satisfactory interview at Sunderland High School.

Sixth Form entry - students must usually achieve at least five GCSE passes at A*-C grade and meet any specific requirements of the subjects to be studied at A level as stated in the current Sixth Form Handbook.

Factors which will not be taken into account in the assessment of a pupil for admission are: the Applicant's race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, area of residence or socio-economic group.
An Admissions Record will be completed for each Applicant. The Admissions Record is confidential to the School and is not normally released.

Dr Angela Slater
Reviewed : May 2004 | Download PDF | Return to School Policies | Top of Page