Secondary school open days start this week
Parents whose children will be starting secondary school next September can visit local schools and see what they offer at a series of open days commencing next week.
All 11 of the borough’s secondary schools will be opening their doors to prospective parents over the coming weeks. This will give parents the chance to visit, see the facilities, speak to teaching staff and get a feel for which school best suits their child.
These open days are important because even though the 2015 academic year has only just begun - preparations are now underway for next September’s intake.
Open days will be held next week at Ashcroft Technology Academy, Chestnut Grove Academy, Saint Cecilia’s CofE School and Saint John Bosco College. Sessions will be held both during the day and in the evenings.
In the following weeks similar sessions will be held at Ark Putney Academy, Bolingbroke Academy, Burntwood School, Ernest Bevin College, Graveney Academy, Harris Academy Battersea and Southfields Academy.
Full details of all the dates and times of these introductory sessions for parents are available on the council’s website.
Parents who want a place at a secondary school must submit their completed applications by the strict deadline of Saturday, October 31. Parents of children living in the borough must apply online or submit their application to Wandsworth Town Hall by this date. Those living elsewhere must apply to their home borough by the same date.
This crucial deadline applies to parents and carers of children who were born between September 1, 2004 and August 31, 2005.
Parents can find out more about these 11 state-funded secondary schools and detailed information on how to apply for a place by reading the council’s 'Choose a Wandsworth Secondary School' brochure.
The brochure and other helpful information about the application process can also be found at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/admissions. This is the same web address that parents and carers should use to make an online application.
Copies of the brochure can also be obtained by emailing admissions@wandsworth.gov.uk or by telephoning (020) 8871 7316. Staff on that number can also help with any other queries parents and carers may have.
Parents who submit their school choices by the October 31 deadline will be told the outcome of their applications at the beginning of March next year.
Cabinet member for education Cllr Kathy Tracey said:
“We would strongly advise parents to read the brochure we’ve produced as it contains a wealth of information about local schools and offers a step-by-step guide to the applications process.
"We would also urge them to take advantage of the open days that the schools are now arranging. They will be able to speak to staff and form their own opinion of the school’s suitability for their son or daughter. It is also very important that they read the admissions criteria for the schools they are interested in, to get an idea of whether their child is likely to be offered a place.
“This year’s round of open days also provide for parents who may not actually be applying this year, but will perhaps be doing so next year, the opportunity to visit some of the schools that interest them so that they can get an early indication of their strengths and qualities.
"When parents do make their applications they will be able to choose from up to six schools in any part of London, but they are always strongly advised to include at least one that is close to home."
September 16, 2015