In-Year Admissions
You may want to apply for your child to change schools other than when they are due to start secondary education. This could be because of a change of address or other personal reasons. You can do this at any time of year.
John Flamsteed Community School is its own Admission Authority and, as such, we would prefer parents/carers to apply directly through the school using our Application Form, available below. Please either print the Application Form or phone the school on 01332 880260 to request one via the post or email. The Application Form should be returned directly to the School by email to hamptonj@jfcs.org.uk or by post.
You will be notified within 10 school days whether or not a place has been offered.
If you are unsuccessful in being offered a place at John Flamsteed Community School you have the right to appeal against this decision to an independent appeals panel. In order to lodge an appeal please obtain a Notice of Appeal form, attached below, or by phoning the John Flamsteed Community School Admissions Officer on 01332 880260 or via email, hamptonj@jfcs.org.uk
The Department for Education (DfE) guidance provides useful information and has links to both the School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code of Practice – Advice for Parents and Guardians on School Admission Appeals
Year 7 Admissions
Although John Flamsteed Community School is its own Admission Authority, Derbyshire County Council acts as a clearing house for admitting all Derbyshire pupils to secondary schools and therefore, handles all aspects of the Admission application process for John Flamsteed Community School.
John Flamsteed Community School’s Published Admission Number is 120 places in each school year. It is anticipated that around 70% of places will be filled in next year’s Year 7 with applications from children in the ‘normal’ catchment area, and those satisfying other criteria relating to special educational needs, children in care, and children with brothers and sisters already at the school. If there are more applications than places available, the offer of a place at the school will be made based on where you live, and your nearness to the school. To see if you live in the catchment area or check your approximate distance from the school, please click here to view the JFCS Catchment Area – showing the school’s catchment map and postcodes, and distances from school.
A summary of information from the council’s website about the application process and admission criteria is shown below.
Please visit the Derbyshire County Council website for further information or to apply online.
Applying for a Secondary School Place
If your child was born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 and is in their last year of primary school you should apply for their secondary school place by 31 October 2023. They will start school in September 2024.
If your child attends a school outside of Derbyshire, which operates a different pattern of education, and they are due to transfer secondary school in September 2024, you should make an application by 31 October 2023. Similarly, if you wish to express a preference for your child to transfer to a 14-19 Studio School or a University Technical College (UTC) in September 2024 this information also applies to you.
If you live outside of Derbyshire you should apply through your home council even if you want to apply for a place at a Derbyshire school. You can find your home council through the Directgov website.
The application process is quick and easy and you can also find information about how to choose a school and apply for a place in Derbyshire County Council’s Guide for Parents.
You’ll receive your offer on 1 March 2024, National Offer Day. If you are unhappy with the decision you can make an appeal. You can do this online via the Derbyshire County Council website or by phone on 01629 537479. All appeals are dealt with by an Independent Appeals panel organised through John Flamsteed Community School. More information can be found on the Derbyshire County Council’s webpage.
How to Apply
From 12 September 2023 you can apply online (DCC’s preferred method) or, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can apply by phone from 12 September 2023 by calling the Admissions and Appeals team on 01629 537479.
If your child goes to a Derbyshire primary school, you will receive admissions information from Derbyshire County Council via the Primary school.
You make one application and you are invited to state three preferences on it. This is the only application form you need to fill in – whether you do that by phone, online or on paper.
Please note, if you apply online or by phone, your application will be acknowledged automatically. If you complete a paper form you will only receive an acknowledgement if you provide a stamped addressed envelope with your application form. Parents are advised to obtain proof of posting.
If you need further information visit https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/education/schools/school-places/apply-for-a-school-place.aspx or call our admissions and appeals team on 01629 537479.
If you wish to access independent advice or information on school admissions or appeals you can contact Coram Children’s Legal Centre or call 08088 020 008.
Special Educational Needs
If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, his or her transfer is dealt with through the statement. You should contact the Special Needs Section of Derbyshire County Council.
Rules and admissions criteria
Under the 1996 Education Act, you have a legal right to express a preference for which school you want your child to attend. The county council and school governors have a general duty to meet this preference – as long as it does not “prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources”.
- In law there is no automatic right to a place in any particular school
- You will be offered one place, at the highest-priority school possible.
- Where the county council cannot offer a place at any of your chosen schools, your child will be allocated a place at the normal area school – if places are still available – or the next nearest school with places available.
- You should bear in mind that school admissions to Year 7 are considered on an annual basis – so it is not possible to confirm that a place is available at a school any earlier than during the year before your child will join
- Each year secondary schools have to admit eligible pupils on request up to their published admission number (as shown in the schools list) which takes account of the amount of accommodation available.
Admissions criteria
Individual pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the school will be admitted.
In deciding on admissions to John Flamsteed Community School the following order of priority will be adopted as per John Flamsteed’s published Admissions Policy
- Children who are looked after, or who have been previously looked after, by the local authority, 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, in accordance with the School Admissions Code 2023/24, which states admissions authorities must give highest priority to this group of children. Further details can be found under the ‘Definitions’ section in this policy. Children who have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. This also includes children who were previously looked after in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Children who permanently reside within the normal catchment area (as defined on our website) at the time of application and admission to the school. Places will be allocated in the first instance to children who, at the time of admission, will have a sibling attending the school in years 7-11. Followed by those who do not have siblings currently at the school.
- Children who live outside the catchment area at the time of the application and admission to secondary school. Places will be allocated in the first instance to children who, at the time of admission, will have a sibling attending the school in years 7-11. Followed by those who do not have siblings currently at the school.
Where, in the case of 2 or 3, choices have to be made between children satisfying the same criteria, those children living nearest to the school (measured by the nearest available route) will be given preference. Please note, attendance at a particular primary school gives no priority for admission to a particular secondary school.
Residence – in all categories
Please note the home address relates to at the time of application and admission. Where an application includes more than one address due to shared parental responsibility, parents and carers are required to submit full details to enable Derbyshire County Council to determine which address to use for the purpose of admission. Where parents state that the child resides equally at both addresses the county council will use the address where the child resides for the majority of the week (where they usually or mainly sleep between Monday and Friday). Parents and carers are required to submit full details with supporting information to enable us to determine which address to use for the purpose of admission. Where parents provide evidence that the child resides equally at both addresses during the school week, and the county council are unable to reach a decision based on the information received, parents will be asked to notify them of the mutually agreed address to be used for the purposes of school admissions. Please note the same address will be used in the assessment of eligibility for home to school transport assistance. Where the county council have reasonable grounds for believing the home address is not the child’s only or main residence they reserve the right to carry out investigations which may include visits to the property.
Important Points
There are several things it is important to remember when making your application.
- Get your application in on time – via the internet, Call Derbyshire, Derbyshire primary school or post. If you miss the deadline the council will not be able to consider your application until the ones received on time have been dealt with. The deadline for applications is midnight on 31 October 2023.
- Don’t name the same school more than once as a preference – this will not increase your chances of a place.
- The county council will withdraw a school place where false information has been used to secure an offer.
- Think about listing your normal area school. You may want to consider including the normal area school as one of your preferences, though it does not have to be your first preference. If you do not include the normal area school as one of your preferences it may fill up with pupils who have said they would prefer to go to that school. This could mean the only school with available places may be further away and could mean you have to pay for transport to a distant school.
- If you do not make an application you cannot assume your child will get an automatic place at your normal area school. Places will be offered first to those who have expressed a preference. If you do not make an application the council will only be able to give your child a place at your normal area school if places are still available. If your normal area school is full the council will give your child a place in the nearest school which has room. This could mean you paying transport costs to a distant school.
- Consider how your child will get to school when making your preferences. You are responsible for getting your child to school. If your child gets a place at a distant school, this could mean that you pay transport costs. Find out more about school transport Please read carefully before deciding your preferences.
- Only make one application by phone, online or on paper.
- Late applications received after the closing date will be included only if the reason for the delay is considered exceptional and appropriate evidence has been provided. Other late applications will not be considered until after applications received by the closing date have been dealt with.
Appeals timeline for September 2024 Admission
If you are unsuccessful in being offered a place at John Flamsteed Community School on the national offer day (1 March 2024), you have the right to appeal against this decision to an independent appeals panel.
In order to lodge an appeal please obtain a Notice of Appeal form please refer to the following link School admission appeals – John Flamsteed Community School or contact the Admissions Officer on 01332 880260 or via email hamptonj@jfcs.org.uk. Please return this by 30 March 2024.
You will be notified of the time and date of your appeal by 6/7 June 2024. The appeals will be held on 20/21 June 2024.
You will be notified in writing of the outcome of your appeal by 27 June 2024 at the latest.
Appeals received after this deadline will be heard within 40 days of the deadline where possible or within 30 school days from the date of receipt.
