Birches Head 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 — A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order, 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. A looked after child is a child who is in the care of a local authority, or being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions
2. 2Children of UK Service Personnel — Places will be allocated in advance for children of UK personnel, if accompanied by an official Government letter which declares a relocation date and Unit Postal Address or quartering area address.
3. 3Siblings currently on the register of the Academy — Pupils who, at the time of application, have a sibling* on the register of the Academy and will continue to attend at the time of the admission. The Academy do not deem cousins as a sibling.
4. 4Exceptional reasons supported by evidence — The Academy will also consider any reasons put forward by parents in support of their preference. These reasons should be supported with evidence wherever possible. If the reasons concerns the child’s health or social wellbeing, evidence should be provided by a medical practitioner or social care professional. If the application and evidence is sufficiently strong the child will be positioned above those based upon distance criteria (point 16d)
5. 5Nearest by straight-line distance — Children who live nearest to the Academy by a determined straight-line measurement from the child’s address point to the main entrance of the Academy. Applications where parents have shared responsibility for a child following the breakdown of their relationship and the child lives for part of the week with each parent will fall into this category.

If two applications tie: In the event of a tie-breaker position for a vacancy in the main point of entry and oversubscription criteria, priority will be determined by the proximity of child’s home to the Academy using a straight-line distance measurement. Apartments in the same block will be treated equally with the measurement taken to the entrance of the building. If after applying the distance tiebreaker there are more applications than places a further random tie-breaker allocation will be used with applications from the block.

EHCP: Pupils with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) where the Academy is the named school on the plan, will automatically be admitted to the school; this reduces places available before oversubscription criteria apply. PAN of 180 stated as ongoing for years 7-8, with 200 for year 9 and 210 for years 10-11 until all year groups reach 180. Transcribed from the school's own determined admission arrangements as published by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first; that is a statutory duty, not an oversubscription criterion.

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.