Admission Arrangements
Secondary admissions
The process detailed in this section is for secondary admissions. For further information on this process please contact Admissions at Ormiston Venture Academy
Number of spaces
The academy has an agreed pupil admission number of 180 per year.
Application Process
Applications for the 2024/25 academic year begins in September 2023.
Get Application Form
To apply you need to complete the local authority’s (LA) common application form (CAF) and submit this directly to the LA by the deadline, 31 October.
This can be obtained via the Norfolk Schools Admission website
Oversubscription criteria
If the academy receives more applications than there are available places then children with the academy named on an education, health care plan (EHC) or equivalent will be automatically admitted to the academy. If there are still places available, priority for admission will be given to those children who meet the oversubscription criteria set out below:
- Looked after children and those who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after was adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. A Looked After Child is either 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 (definition used is in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989); or, those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. Previously Looked After Children are those who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.
- Up to 10% of students on the basis of aptitude in Information Technology *
- Siblings of students who will be register in years 7 to 11 at the school on the first day of term when the applicant student will be joining the school
- Children whose parent/carer is a staff member at the academy with 2 or more years’ service at the time at which the application was made or recruited to a vacancy with an identified skills shortage
- Children living in the town of Gorleston, the Parish of Bradwell and the catchment area served by Belton Moorlands **
- Children living outside the priority areas listed in rule 5 above.
If all children within any of the above rules cannot be offered a place, the highest priority will be given to children living nearest to the academy within that rule.
- This is the straight line distance (using the Local Authority system) between the academy main gate and the child’s home address (front door).
- Where two dwellings with the same front entrance the closest dwelling to the front door (lower floor and counting clockwise) will be regarded as being closer to the academy.
- In the event that two students live an equal distance from the academy there will be a random ballot supervised by independent person.
*Parents who wish to apply for their child to be considered for admittance under the criteria for aptitude or ability in Information Technology (up to 10% of intake) must complete an application form available from the academy from 10th September. When completed it should be returned to the Principal by 30th September of the year prior to transfer. The academy will set an assessment for these pupils and inform parents of the outcome by 31st October, prior to parent’s submission of the Common Application Form to the Local Authority.
The criteria for this will be a numerical calculation based on the assessment outcome with the highest 18 students who pass the minimum threshold offered a place.
**Criterion 5) Belton Moorlands Catchment area: Parishes of Belton, Browston, Burgh Castle, Fritton and St. Olaves
Sub Notes
Late applications will not be considered until all other applications have been reviewed. All offers of secondary places will be made through the LA. The academy will not contact parents about the outcome of their application until the offer from the local authority has been received. All offers will be made on the secondary national offer day (1st March or the next working day).
In-Year Admissions
Applications for in-year admissions are considered in the same way as those made at the beginning of the academic year and are dealt with in accordance the local authorities Fair Access Protocol. In-year admissions forms can be obtained from Admissions Manager at Ormiston Venture Academy (via [email protected]).
Students included in the Fair Access Protocol will take precedence over those held on the waiting list. Once a student has been identified for admission to the academy under the Fair Access Protocol the academy will notify the local authority within seven calendar days of the decision to accept or refuse the student’s admission.
It the academy refuses entry, the local authority may request a direction from the Education Funding Agency (on behalf of the Secretary of State). The academy will set out its reasons for refusal in writing to the local authority within 15 calendar days (for CLA this is reduced to seven calendar days) and may make further representations directly to the EFA (these will be made within seven calendar days). The decision of the Secretary of State will be binding upon the academy.
Unsuccessful Applications
The academy will inform the child’s parent if a decision has been made to refuse their child a place at the academy for which they have applied, this will include the reason why admission was refused, information about the right to appeal, deadlines and contact details.
A child is allowed to be on the academy waiting list while lodging an appeal and the appeal will not affect their position on the list. The decision of the appeals panel is binding on the academy.
Applications are made through Norfolk County Council. Please click on the logo to be taken to their website.
