Hitchin Girls' School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children looked after and previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.
2. 2Medical or Social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school. A panel of Hertfordshire County Council officers will determine whether the evidence provided is sufficiently compelling to meet the requirements for this rule. The evidence must relate specifically to the school applied for under Rule 2 and must clearly demonstrate why it is the only school that can meet the child's needs.
3. 3Siblings living in the priority area — Children who live in the priority area, (including for this purpose the parish of Baldock), and who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, excluding sisters who a) first entered the school in the Sixth Form (Year 12) or b) are in Year 13 which is the last year of the normal age range of the school. However places allocated to siblings from the parish of Letchworth are subject to the limit mentioned - see rule 6.
4. 4Children of Staff — Children of permanent members of staff who are a) directly employed by Hitchin Girls' School and b) will have been employed at the school for a minimum of two years at the time the application is made for admission to the school or have been recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
5. 5Nearest school - priority area — Girls for whom it is their nearest Hertfordshire maintained school or academy that is non-faith and non-partially selective and makes provision for children of the relevant gender.
6. 6Not nearest school - priority area, by distance — Girls for whom it is not their nearest Hertfordshire maintained school or academy that is non-faith and non-partially selective and makes provision for children of the relevant gender. If the school is oversubscribed under this rule places will be offered on the basis of distance, with those living nearest the school prioritised. The number of places allocated under rules 1 to 6 to children in the Parish of Letchworth will not exceed 20. If all applications under Rule 6 have been satisfied and places remain available, they will be allocated to any outstanding applicants from the parish of Letchworth, before Rule 7.
7. 7Siblings living outside the priority area — Children who live outside the priority area and who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, excluding sisters who a) first entered the school in the Sixth Form (Year 12) or b) are in Year 13 which is the last year of the normal age range of the school.
8. 8Random — Any remaining places will be offered to children living outside of the priority area, on a random basis.

If two applications tie: These rules are applied in the order they are printed above. If more children qualify under Rules 1, 2, 3, and 4 than there are places available, a tie-break will be used by applying the next rule to those children. Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random.

Priority area defined by named towns/parishes/unparished areas. Letchworth parish sibling places capped at 20 under rules 1-6 for transfer admissions (cap lifted for In Year admissions). Document also includes separate Sixth Form admission arrangements with a different, unnumbered but ordered priority list (i-iii) for external applicants (up to 50 places).

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.