Bedlington Academy

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 — Children who are ’looked after’ or a child who was previously looked after 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 special guardianship order. A looked after child is a child who is, at the time of making an application to a school, is (a) in the care of the local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions. (See definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989). Previously looked after children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, religious organisation, or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.
2. 2Exceptional medical or psychological grounds — Medical reasons Children with very exceptional medical factors directly related to school placement (for example the child or one or both parents/carers has a disability that means the child can only attend one school). Strong supporting evidence must be provided from a professional body involved with the family or child. A letter from the child’s GP, parents/carers GP or other relevant professional MUST be submitted with the application. The evidence must relate to the school for which the application is being made and must demonstrate clearly why the Academy is the only school that can meet the child’s needs. No assumptions should be made that the submission of the relevant evidence will, in itself be sufficient to allocate a school place.
3. 3Sibling link — Sibling links Children who have a sibling already attending the school and who is expected to be on roll in Years 7 – 11 at the time of admission. Sibling is defined as children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers or sisters, half-brothers or sisters, adopted brothers or sisters, stepbrothers or sisters and children of the parent/carer’s partner. 4 7 |
4. 4Children of staff — Children of staff employed at the Academy Children of staff employed at the Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made and/or the member of staff has been recruited to fill a post in the Academy where there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
5. 5Distance from the school — Distance Distance from the front door of the child’s home to main gate of the school will be the deciding factor with preference being given to those whose home address is nearest to the school as measured in a straight line (‘as the crow flies’). The distance checker is contained within the EMS school admissions software using GIS data. Distance checking is an integral function within the school admissions software ensuring consistency in measurement. This will be based on the child’s address. Where the last place to be allocated would mean that a multiple birth sibling group i.e., twins, triplets, or other multiple birth sibling groups, would be split, the sibling group will be given priority over other children. Otherwise, if only one final place can be offered, and two or more applicants live equidistant from the Academy, random allocation (names out of a hat or other suitable container) will be used. This process will be supervised by a person independent of the Trust.

Transcribed verbatim from Section 5 of Northumberland County Council's Admissions Handbook for Middle, Secondary and High Schools 2027-28, which reproduces the determined admission policy of each voluntary aided, foundation, trust and academy school. A child with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school is admitted first; that is not an oversubscription criterion. Northumberland runs a three-tier pattern in parts of the county, so entry is at Year 5 (middle), Year 7 (secondary) or Year 9 (high). Section: 'Bedlington Academy' (handbook page 46).

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.