Admission to Secondary School (2025)
St Thomas More Catholic School - Admission policy 2025/26
St Thomas More Catholic School was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by the Catholic Education Trust as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its trust deed and articles of association, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Jesus Christ.
As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school's activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school's education be fully supported by all families in the school. We, therefore, hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with the admission arrangements.
Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust is the admissions authority and is responsible for determining the admission policy. The local authority coordinates the admissions process on behalf of the Trust. The administration and operation of the admission policy is delegated by the Trust to the Local Governing Committee.
Catholic feeder primary schools
- St Joseph's, Blaydon
- St Agnes', Crawcrook
- SS Mary and Thomas Aquinas, Stella
- St Philip Neri, Dunston
- St Mary's, Whickham
- St Joseph's, Highfield
- Corpus Christi, Gateshead
- Sacred Heart, Byermoor
- St Matthew's, Prudhoe
Published Admission Number
The admissions authority has set its Published Admission Number (PAN) at 235 pupils to Year Seven in the school year which begins in September 2025.
Children with an Education, Health and Care plan or a statement of Special Educational Need
The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan or a Statement of Educational Needs is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan or a Statement of Special Educational Needs that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other children.
Oversubscription Criteria
Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority.
Order of priority | Oversubscription criteria |
|---|---|
1a | Catholic looked after and previously looked after children with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
1b | Catholic looked after and previously looked after children without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
2 | Catholic Children who attended a catholic feeder primary school with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
2b | Catholic Children who attended a catholic feeder primary school without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
3a | Other Catholic Children with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
3b | Other Catholic Children without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
4a | Other looked after and previously looked after children with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
4b | Other looked after and previously looked after children without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
5a | Catechumens and members of an eastern Christian Church with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
5b | Catechumens and members of an eastern Christian Church without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 6a | Other children who attend a catholic feeder primary school with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 6b | Other children who attend a catholic feeder primary school without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 7a | Children of a member of school staff who has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which application for admission to the school is made with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 7b | Children of a member of school staff who has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which application for admission to the school is made without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 8a | Children of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidence by a minister or faith leader with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 8b | Children of other Christian denominations whose membership is evidence by a minister or faith leader without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 9a | Children of other faiths whose memberships is evidenced by a minister or faith leader with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 9b | Children of other faiths whose memberships is evidenced by a minister or faith leader without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 10a | All other children with a sibling link - see note (ii) |
| 10b | All other children without a sibling link - see note (ii) |
Within each of the categories listed above, the following provisions will be applied in the following order.
- Where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made (see note 12).
- The attendance of a sibling at the school at the time of enrolment will increase the priority of an application within each category so that the application will be placed at the top of the category in which the application is made after children in (1) above (see note 8).
Tie breaker
In the event of the School reaching capacity within categories 1-10, the School will use random allocation to determine the order of applications within a category. This will be carried out in a public place and supervised by a person independent of the school.
Applications for entry into Year 7
To apply for a place at this school in the normal admission round (not in-year applications), a Common Application Form (CAF) must be completed. This is available from the local authority in which the child lives. Alternatively you can apply via the online portal on the website of the local authority in which the child lives.
Applications procedures and timetables will follow the locally agreed co-ordinated scheme with Gateshead Local Authority.
If there are more places than applicants then all applicants will be accepted.
If there are more applications than places available then the Governors will apply the oversubscription criteria as outlined in Section 12 of this policy.
If there are more applicants than available places the School will treat all applications equally, regardless of the order of preference given by the parents.
All the applications are placed in order using the oversubscription criteria. Allocation of places is then coordinated by the Local Authority.
Late applications can be made and will be handled as in the Co-ordinated Scheme. Parents are advised to ensure that the application is submitted before the closing date.
The Governors reserve the right to declare an application null and void or to withdraw an offer of a place if any of the information submitted is false.
Applicants refused admission to Year 7 are entitled to appeal to an independent appeals panel. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the Chair of Governors at the school address.
Admission of children outside their normal age group
A request may be made for a child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. Any such request should be made in writing to the Head Teacher of the school. The admissions authority will make its decision about the request based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child. In addition to taking into account the views of the Head Teacher who has statutory responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, the admissions authority will take into account the views of the parents and of appropriate medical and education professionals.
Fair access protocol
The school is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the admissions authority is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any local protocol that has been agreed by both the Diocese and the admissions authority for the current school year. The admissions authority has this power, even when admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number.
Waiting list
If the school has reached its admission number a Waiting List will be maintained from 2nd April 2024.
Any parent can request that their child be placed on the waiting list. Children will be placed on the waiting list according to the oversubscription criteria. The date of the application, and the date the child is placed on the list, will not be used in any selection process. The school will continue to maintain the waiting list during the corresponding school year and outside the normal year of entry. Pupils who are allocated a place at the school under the Local Authority's Fair Access protocol must take precedence over all those on the waiting list. Inclusion on the school's waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available.
Repeat applications
Repeat applications for entry into a particular year group in the same academic year will not be considered unless there is a material change in the circumstances of the child or parent. An application may be made for a subsequent academic year.
A material change in circumstance may be a change of address or a change in the baptismal status of the child.
In year applications
An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. Applications should be made to the school by contacting the Admissions Officer at the school. Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing.
Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out below, will be applied.If there are no places available, a request can be made that the child is added to the waiting list. The parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.
Right of appeal
Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made by the local authority to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the Chair of Governors at the school address.
Admission into the sixth form
Planned admission number - Year 12
The school will admit 20 pupils into Year 12, September 2025.
The projected number of pupils for admission into Year 12 in September 2025 is 175. This is made up of an estimated number of 155 pupils moving into Year 12 from St Thomas More School and 20 external applications from pupils in other schools.
The minimum entry requirement for admission into Year 12 is dependent on the course of study that a student wishes to follow. In general, the minimum entry requirement for Year 12 is 6+ grades 6-9 at GCSE or equivalent. For a student to study a subject at A Level which they have previously studied at GCSE, and where previous study is required, they must have achieved at least a grade 6 in that subject at GCSE.
For a 6 or 12 unit vocational course the minimum entry requirement is 5+ grades 6-9 GCSE or equivalent with a merit in a suitable Subject.
Details of the specific entry requirements and courses available may be obtained from the School.
Applicants refused admission to the Sixth Form are entitled to appeal to an independent appeals panel.
For a student to continue a course of study in Year 13 they must pass the course in Year 12 at a suitable level. Details of this can be obtained from the school.
Oversubscription criteria for external students
Order of Priority | Oversubscription Criteria | How verified |
|---|---|---|
1 | Catholic looked after and previously looked after students | see note 2 and 3 |
2 | Other Catholic students | see note 3 |
3 | Catechumens and members of an Eastern Christian Church | see notes 6 and 7 |
4 | Other looked after and previously looked after students | see note 2 |
5 | Students from other Christian denominations whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader | see note 8 |
6 | Children of other faiths whose membership is evidenced by a minister or faith leader | see note 17 |
7 | All other students |
|
Tie breaker
In the event of the school reaching capacity within categories 1-7, the School will use random allocation to determine the order of applications within a category. This will be supervised by a person independent of the school.
Notes and definitions
Read the relevant notes and definitions for this policy.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the local authority's admission guidance for parents.