The Bishop's Stortford High 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 — 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. 2Siblings — Boys who have a sibling attending the school, in Years 7 - 13, at the closing date for applications will be admitted.
3. 3Sons of Staff — Sons of teaching staff and support staff who have been permanently employed (either full or part time) directly by the school for two or more years at the closing date for applications; or a member of staff who has been recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable shortage. The staff member must be the child's legal parent (by blood, adoption or step-parent) and have been living at the same address as the child for a minimum of 2 years.
4. 4Primary School Groups (90% of places) — After criteria 1-3 have been applied (and allowing 10% for aptitude), 100% of the remaining places (i.e. those so far unallocated) will be allocated to children who at the closing date for application attend one of the following groups of primary schools. Places allocated will be based on the percentage of the total number of applications received from that group. There is no hierarchy between or within each group. Within each group, if oversubscribed, places will be allocated to pupils who live closest to TBSHS by Hertfordshire County Council's 'straight line' distance measurement system.
5. 5Aptitude Tests (10% of places) — For applicants who have not been allocated a place under criterion 1-4, up to 10% (18 in total) of the Published Admission Number (180) will be allocated using the following criterion: Up to 9 places will be allocated to pupils with a proven aptitude in sport. Aptitude will be assessed using an appropriate sporting aptitude test. Priority will be given to those with the lowest score. Up to 9 places will be allocated to pupils with a proven aptitude in music. Aptitude will be assessed by an appropriate musical aptitude test. Priority will be given to those with the highest score.
6. 6Distance (Tie-breaker) — If fewer than 10% or 18 students qualify to be admitted under either proven aptitude in sport or music (criterion 5), then these remaining aptitude places will be allocated to pupils who live closest to the school, measured by the straight-line distance from the applicant's home address as determined by the Local Authority's distance measuring system.

If two applications tie: In the event of a tie-break being required then places will be allocated using distance to school, measured by Hertfordshire County Council's 'straight line' distance measurement system using a computerised mapping system to two decimal places, from the AddressBase Premium address point of the child's house to a point of distance agreed by the Governors on the new school site. Should two applicants have the same home-school distance, a random allocation will be made. This will be independently supervised.

Pupils with an EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plan that names the school will be admitted under Section 324 of the Education Act 1996 and will be admitted within the school's PAN but before any child prioritised under the school's oversubscription criteria. TBSHS is an all-ability single sex boys 11-16 school (admittance of students in Year 7-11 are those children deemed male at birth as recorded on the birth certificate), with a co-educational Sixth Form. All 180 places will be allocated simultaneously and no places will be held in reserve. In the event of twins or other multiple births, if one such child is allocated the last place at school the school will admit over the published admission number to accommodate the remaining twin/multiple birth child. The school will always consider applicants made under Hertfordshire's Fair Access Protocol and if agreed will be admitted above those on the school's continuing interest list and over the Published Admission Number if required.

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.