Criteria for Admission

to Foyle & Londonderry College

(Last updated: 2007-2008)

TRANSFER

The Board of Governors has determined that, in the event of the number of applicants being greater than the admissions number for the school, then the following method will be used to select pupils for admission. Applicants who will normally be resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their proposed admission will be considered before other applicants. Applicants should note that they will be required to produce documents verifying their address. The Board of Governors may refuse to admit a child where it is of the opinion that the admission would he detrimental to the educational interests of the child and has received the approval of the Department of Education so to do.

Applicants claiming that medical or other problems affected the performance of their child in the test(s) or who are claiming that their child should be treated under the Special Provisions scheme as set out in the Board’s booklet on "Secondary Education and Changing Schools at Eleven: 2008 edition" will have their claims considered before the application of the Admissions Criteria.

The Board of Governors will expect that parents will provide medical or other evidence which would set out the likely impact of the problem or difficulty on the child’s performance in the test(s) together with educational evidence which should include:-

1. all the child's school test results in English, Mathematics, Science and Technology (i.e. internal school tests and standardised tests) from the beginning of the Key Stage 2 period (i.e. P5);
2. the number of pupils in the Primary School Year Group and the number taking the test;
3. the child’s performance as compared with the grades allocated to these pupils;
4. any other appropriate and recent reports.

For applicants claiming under Special Provisions, the Board of Governors will expect to see the pupil’s school test results for Years 6 and 7 compared with those of his/her peers and the Transfer grades of his/her peers.

The Board of Governors will, on the basis of all of the documented evidence available to them at the time of making their decision, decide the grade to be used in the application of their Admissions Criteria to such applicants. Those who are deemed by the Board of Governors to be of equivalent ability to those awarded Grade A, or B1, or B2, or C1, or C2 or D will be treated on equal terms to those awarded such grades in the Transfer Procedure tests.

1. Applicants will be admitted in Grade order i.e. A, B1, B2, C1, C2 and then D.
2. If there are more applicants with a particular grade than places remaining then pupils with that grade will be selected by applying the following criteria in the order set down:

1. applicants who are transferring from controlled primary schools in the Derry City Council area and Artigarvan Primary, Bready Jubilee Primary, Donemana Primary, Strabane Primary and Oakgrove Integrated Primary;
2. applicants who have an elder brother/sister or parent connected with the school by attendance or employment;
3. applicants who are the eldest child in the family, as evidenced by the Green Transfer Form;
4. other applicants ranked by Date of Birth - eldest first.

Applicants should note that where an address and child-age information contained within an application qualifies it for admission, then that information will be verified. To enable the Board of Governors to verify address and child-age information, all applicants should provide:-

• the child's Birth Certificate and any two of the following three documents:-

1. a bank or building society statement which shows the address at which the child is resident;
2. a letter awarding Child Benefit to the child or another letter relating to this benefit;
3. the child's Medical Card.

Original documents are required, not facsimiles or photocopies. Original documents can be returned on request at the end of the admissions process. The provision of false or incorrect information, or the failure to provide verifying documents may result in either the withdrawal of a place or the inability of the school to offer a place.

When applying the above criteria, should the number of pupils who satisfy the requirements of any criteria exceed the number of places remaining, then the candidates will be listed by Date of Birth, eldest first, and admitted in that order.

Candidates not admitted at this stage will be held on a Reserve List for consideration should places become available and admitted in accordance with all of the above criteria.

If any place(s) become available after 1 September and there are more applicants than places available then decisions will be made on application of the Year 8 Admissions Criteria to those pupils seeking admission at the time the place(s) become available. Where the Board of Governors is of the opinion that the academic ability of the child is not of the standard equivalent to that of the pupils with whom he/she will be taught then they may refuse admission.

It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that all of the relevant information is given on, or attached to the Transfer Report Form, to enable the Board of Governors to apply the above criteria.

The Board of Governors has delegated, subject to its final approval, to ‘The Selectors’ - a committee consisting of the Headmaster, a Vice-Principal and 3 members of the Board of Governors Education Committee - the task of applying the criteria.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION
OTHER THAN AT THE NORMAL TRANSFER STAGE

1. A pupil will be considered for enrolment provided that the school will not exceed its enrolment number as determined by the Department of Education.
2. A pupil will be accepted for enrolment provided that, in the Board of Governors' opinion, this would not prejudice the efficient use of the school's resources.
3. In the event of a candidate re-applying for admission to the school who has already applied at the normal Transfer Stage and been refused admission, then the reason for their original non-selection will stand.

Preference will be given to a pupil:

1. who is considered capable of keeping pace with the courses offered and who is committed to following a full-time course of study. Only in the most exceptional circumstances will the school accept pupils who would not be accepted back to the school formerly attended;
2. whose record of discipline and attitude to study are satisfactory and who is prepared to comply with school regulations;
3. who has a previous family connection with the school.
4. who is resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their proposed admission.

Academic Attainment

A pupil will be considered able to keep pace with the courses offered if:-

1. for admission to Year 8 (late), Year 9 or Year 10, the pupil’s Transfer result or WELB test scores indicate ability within the range of the existing Year Group.
2. for admission to Year 11, the results achieved by a pupil in KS3 English, Mathematics and Science are all at Level 6 or above.
3. only in exceptional circumstances would a pupil be admitted to Year 12.
4. in the event of an excess of applications for admission above the enrolment number, entry criteria for admission at Transfer stage will apply.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO THE SIXTH FORM

These criteria apply to internal and external applicants alike.

1. Pupils must have sat GCSE in a minimum of 7 subjects and have attained at least 10 points - 3 points = A/A*, 2 points = B, 1 point = C - in a single sitting.
2. Preference for entry to A Level courses will be given to pupils who have at least Grade B in the subject at GCSE.
3. In the case of external applicants, preference will be given to pupils who come from schools which do not normally offer A Level courses.
4. Preference will be given to those pupils who, when interviewed by Senior Staff, are considered to be capable of keeping pace with the courses offered and who are committed to following a full-time course of study and who can be accommodated in the subjects they have chosen.
5. Preference will be given to pupils applying to study here whose family have previous connections with the school.
6. Preference will be given to those pupils whose record of attendance (written evidence of attendance to be supplied by external candidates), discipline and attitude to study are satisfactory and who are prepared to comply with school regulations.
7. Pupils will only be admitted to the Sixth Form having signed the terms of the school's Sixth Form Agreement as set out below.

SIXTH FORM AGREEMENT

(a) As a student in the Sixth Form of Foyle and Londonderry College I am entitled to:

• receive teaching which, with my co-operation, will enable me to achieve my full academic potential;
• have access to the full range of the College’s facilities - academic, technical, sporting and social;
• be treated as a mature, responsible young adult, and to have my views and opinions received with consideration and respect;
• be given appropriate opportunities for personal development and leadership through the College’s many societies, clubs and activities.
• receive appropriate professional guidance and support in the areas of careers, counselling and academic progress.

(b) As a student in the Sixth Form of Foyle and Londonderry College I understand that I shall be expected to:

• remember that I am in full time education, and organise my life in such a way that my studies are given their proper priority;
• commit myself to three (minimum) post-GCSE examination subjects for the full duration of my two years in the Sixth Form;
• show evidence, on a regular basis, of sufficient academic progress to continue in the Sixth Form;
• attend all time-tabled classes and assemblies (except when excused);
• inform and seek advice from Subject Teachers and/or Form Tutors, as soon as difficulty is encountered;
• perform sufficiently well in my AS examinations to progress to A2 studies;
• ensure that my record of attendance and punctuality reflects my commitment to full time study;
• be present in school throughout the day;
• take as full a part as possible in the wider life of the college through participation in extra-curricular activities;
• set an example to younger pupils by my personal standards of appearance, language and general conduct;
• treat all other members of the College Community - fellow pupils, teachers, office staff, ancillary staff - with appropriate courtesy, consideration and respect;
• treat all school property, fabric and equipment with due care and respect;
• abide by all College rules and regulations, and accept the various sanctions operated by the College, including After-School and Saturday Detention..

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