Admissions Policy

The City of London Academy is open to children of all abilities. To be eligible for a place, the following must both apply:

• The child’s home address should be within the catchment areas
• The child must reach the age of 11 during the year 1 September - 31 August inclusive, immediately prior to entry to the Academy. 

Children living outside both catchment areas will be admitted only if there are available places and then according to the published criteria.

2. Criteria for Admission

The Academy has 180 places available. This means that we shall probably not be able to give all applicants a place and some people will be disappointed. If there are more applicants than places, specific criteria apply. The essential points are given below:

• The Academy must admit children from the full range of abilities who are wholly or mainly drawn from the area in which the school is situated
• The Academy will prioritise children from within its catchment areas, as shown on the attached Catchment Area Maps
• The Academy reserves the option of admitting up to 10 per cent of pupils on the basis of assessed aptitude for its Business & Enterprise specialism
• The Academy is looking for students who understand and respect the Home School Agreement signed between the Academy and their parents

3. Admissions Policy

The Academy’s Admissions Policy is determined by the terms laid out in the Funding Agreement approved by the Secretary of State. It meets the requirements for the admissions arrangements to be clear, fair and objective.

• 180 students will be admitted to Year 7 in September 2007
• Students must be from the full range of academic ability of those who apply
• This fully comprehensive intake will be achieved by the use of what is termed Fair Banding (see below)
• Priority will be given to children living in the Catchment Areas
• Up to 10% of the places in each year group will be on the basis of assessed aptitude for the Academy’s specialism of Business and Enterprise (May not operate for the September 2007 intake).
• Children with Special Needs Statements will be admitted - the Academy intends to make particular provision for the hearing impaired

4. Fair Banding

Children applying to the Academy will be required to take a non-verbal reasoning (Banding) test. If your child does not take this test then we will not be able to allocate them to a band and they will be placed at the end of the waiting list. It is therefore imperative that your child attends for their non-verbal reasoning (Banding) test.

• Applicants will be placed in one of five bands, based on their performance in the test
• Approximately the same number of children will be admitted in each of the five bands so that each band represents approximately 18% of the applicants
• The remaining 10% are selected on aptitude for the Academy's Business and Enterprise specialism
• Children admitted with Special Needs Statements are included in the band allocations.

5. Admissions Priorities

If more than 180 pupils apply, then places will be awarded according to the following priorities:

• Those with SEN statements issued by the City of London or Southwark Local Education Authorities naming the City of London Academy (Southwark)
• 10% - up to 18 in any year group - will be admitted on the basis of aptitude, assessed through a separate test for the Business and Enterprise specialism.
• Children in Catchment Area One entered via Fair Banding
• Children in Catchment Area Two entered via Fair Banding in this order:
  • Those who have siblings at the school;
  • Children whom the Academy, advised by the Health Authority and/or Social Services Department, accepts have professionally supported special medical or social needs that the Academy is best suited to meet;
  • Those who live nearest to the Academy measured by the shortest safe walking distance.
• Children living outside both catchment areas will be admitted only if there are available places and then according to the published criteria.

There is an Appeals Procedure.