Verulam 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. 1Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and all previously looked after children, including those children 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 — Boys 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 clearly demonstrate why Verulam is the only school that can meet the child's needs.
3. 3Siblings living in the priority area — Boys who have a sibling at the school, living in the priority area at the time of application (unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school).
4. 4Children of Staff — Children of members of staff who have been employed at Verulam School in St Albans, on a permanent contract, for two or more years at the time at which the application is made, whether full time or part time, teaching or education support staff. Children of a member of staff recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
5. 5Priority primary feeder school with parish allocation — Children who, at the closing date of application, attend the following priority primary school: Beech Hyde primary school and nursery. Boys who live in the priority area will be allocated places at the school in accordance with published percentages by parish (e.g. St Albans 57%, Sandridge 15%, St Stephen 9%, Hatfield 4%, Aldenham 3%, London Colney 3%, Colney Heath 2%, Shenley 2%, Harpenden 1%, Kimpton 1%, Redbourn 1%, St Michael 1%, Wheathampstead 1%), based on percentages of places remaining following application of criteria 1 to 4.
6. 6Nearest school in priority area — Boys who live in the priority area and for whom Verulam is their nearest Hertfordshire non-faith, non-partially selective maintained school or academy, making provision for children of the relevant gender (if more children qualify under rule 6 than places are available, places will be allocated to those living closest to the school).
7. 7Priority area, not nearest school — Boys who live in the priority area for whom Verulam is not the nearest Hertfordshire maintained non-faith, non-partially selective school or academy that makes provision for boys. If more boys qualify under Rule 7 than there are places available, places will be allocated to those who live closest to the school. Any remaining places available to a parish/unparished area or town; if a named parish does not use its full allocation of places, any surplus places will be allocated to those living closest to the school from any parish within the Priority Area.
8. 8Siblings 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 brothers 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.
9. 9Random allocation — Any remaining places will be allocated on a random basis.

If two applications tie: Random allocation will be undertaken independently of the school by Hertfordshire County Council. Every child entered onto the county council's admissions database has an individual random number assigned, between 1 and 1 million, against each preference school. When there is a need for a final tie break this random number is used to allocate the place, with the lowest number given priority. Where there is a need for a tie-break 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. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random allocation.

Verulam School is a single sex comprehensive school for boys aged 11-18; sixth form is co-educational. Boys are admitted at 11+ without reference to ability or aptitude. Priority area covers named parishes/unparished areas with specific percentage allocations. Note: the school has an ongoing arrangement with Hertfordshire County Council to admit up to 180 students into year 7 at their request, above the standard PAN of 150. Sixth Form PAN for external students is 75, with separate oversubscription criteria (Rules 1-5: Looked after children, medical/social need, siblings, children of staff, distance) and a separate random tie-break for identical applications.

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.