Education
The Bridge is the monthly newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark.
Printed copies are available from all Southwark parish churches or from Communications & Resources at the Diocesan Office.
Governors
Admission to Church Schools
Admission
The Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE) provides advice to church schools on their admission policy and will assist governors in reviewing their admission arrangements through written advice or attendance at governors' meetings, or committees. The Board believes that Church of England schools and academies have a dual purpose: offering a Christian education to the children of Christian parents and yet still fulfilling its historic mission in the practical expression of its pastoral responsibility to all children, irrespective of faith, in the local community.
Our guidance on admission and appeals in Church of England schools is available from the SDBE. Schools must comply with the statutory requirements in the DfE Admission Code. Click the link below to download the SDBE checklist for reviewing the admission policy.
Appeals
Governors of voluntary aided and foundation schools and academies are responsible for making arrangements for parents to appeal when they are not offered a place. Governors should have in place an independent appeal panel and the services of an appeal clerk. See Chapter 3 of the SDBE guidance for more detailed information. Schools must follow the mandatory guidance in the DfE appeals code.
Consultation process
VA and foundation schools and academies are required to consult on their admission arrangements: click here for a flow chart of the consultation process. Church of England schools must consult the SDBE before consulting others.
Co-ordinated arrangements
All maintained schools and academies must take part in local authority co-ordinated arrangements for admission to both primary and secondary schools. In London, secondary transfer is co-ordinated across all London boroughs and parents may list preferences for six maintained schools or academies. In primary schools, the co-ordination also operates cross-borough. Local authorities are required to consult schools on the co-ordination scheme each spring term. Further information is available through local authority websites.
Model Policies
The SDBE provides two model policies for schools and academies to consider, in recognition of the fact that church schools across the Diocese are serving very different communities. The SDBE encourages schools and academies to consider the foundation and open place policy which ensures that local children who are not connected with the church are able to gain places. The traditional model may suit schools which are undersubscribed, or those parishes where there are fewer church families seeking places in church schools.
SDBE Guidance
Click here to order a copy of the SDBE guidance - Admission and Appeals in
C of E Schools - Guidelines for Govenors