In-Year Applications

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.

The Ripley Academy 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 enquiries@ripleyacademy.org 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 The Ripley Academy 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 Ripley Academy Admissions Officer on 01773 746334 or via email enquiries@ripleyacademy.org

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

 

Application Forms

Application Form:  School Admissions Form – The Ripley Academy

Notification of Appeal Form:  School admission appeals – The Ripley Academy

Admissions Applications – Year 7 September start

Year 7 Admissions

Although The Ripley Academy 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 The Ripley Academy.

The Ripley Academy’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.

The Normal Area Map can be found on the Derbyshire website at:

https://apps.derbyshire.gov.uk/applications/school–details/profile.asp?DfES=5416

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 2014 and 31 August 2015 and is in their last year of primary school you should apply for their secondary school place by 31 October 2024. They will start school in September 2025.

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 2025, you should make an application by 31 October 2024. 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 2025 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 2025, 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 The Ripley Academy. More information can be found on the Derbyshire County Council’s webpage.

How to Apply

From 12 September 2024 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 2024 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 an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), 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

The Published Admission Number (PAN) is 120.

Students will be admitted at the age of 11 without reference to ability or aptitude.

Individual students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)  which names the school will be admitted..

Where application for admission exceeds the number of places available, the criteria used by the Governors to allocate the available places are listed as follows in priority order:

a) 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 2021, 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.

b) Children who permanently reside within the normal areas of Ripley Junior School, Waingroves Primary School, St John’s C of E Primary School and Codnor Community Primary School 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.

c) Children attending Ripley Junior School, Waingroves Primary School, St John’s C of E School or Codnor Primary School, but not living in the normal areas served by those schools.

d) 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.

When in the case of b, c & d above, choices have to be made between children satisfying the same criteria, those children living nearest to the school (measured by straight line distance) will be given preference.

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 2024.
• 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 2025 Admission

If you are unsuccessful in being offered a place at The Ripley Academy on the national offer day (1 March 2025), 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 Appeals Form or contact the Admissions Officer on 01773 746334 or via email enquiries@ripleyacademy.org. Please return this by 30 March 2025.

You will be notified of the time and date of your appeal by 4/5 June 2025. The appeals will be held on 25 June 2025.

You will be notified in writing of the outcome of your appeal by 30 June 2025 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.

Admissions Policies

Admissions Policy 2024 – 25

Admissions Policy 2025 – 26

Contact Us

The Ripley Academy
Peasehill
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3JQ

 

Telephone: 01773 746334

E-mail: enquiries@ripleyacademy.org