WYGGESTON AND QUEEN ELIZABETH I COLLEGE ADMISSIONS POLICY 2014 ENTRY

Transcription

1 WYGGESTON AND QUEEN ELIZABETH I COLLEGE The College is committed to the equality of opportunity and to a proactive approach to equality, which supports and encourages under-represented groups, promotes inclusivity and values diversity. ADMISSIONS POLICY 2014 ENTRY The College will admit applicants who have the potential to achieve success through the curriculum offered. In the event of there being more such applicants than places available, the procedures set out in this policy will be used to make an appropriate selection. This policy will be updated annually and will be publicised through the Course Information booklet and on the College s website Potential applicants are advised to visit the College on its Open Day in November, or to obtain detailed information of course requirements from the website, before completing the application form for the Leicester & Leicestershire Common Application Process (LeCAP). CONTEXT AND CRITERIA FOR ADMISSIONS 1 : The College offers a wide range of advanced (Level 3) courses. Most students starting on advanced courses take four AS-levels or BTEC Level 3 National Diploma Sport plus two AS levels, with the minimum number normally taken being three AS-levels. Unlike some other post-16 providers this College does not have extensive provision other than at advanced level. It is therefore important that offers of places are made only to students who can reasonably be expected to progress to advanced level study. The College sees itself firstly as a progression route for students attending publicly-funded schools in the City of Leicester and so gives priority to applicants from those schools when making offers of places. Each year, however, the College also has places available for applicants from outside the city and from independent schools; there is no quota. The priority given to applicants from partner institutions is usually reflected in the lower points score threshold for offers to applicants from such schools. The College is also supportive of initiatives to encourage greater participation in post-16 and higher education by applicants attending city schools that have historically lower progression rates; for that purpose, the College may use a slightly lower points threshold for such applicants than for those applying from other partner institutions. See appendices 1 and 2 for the details of the points score system and the different categories of school. Although an applicant s predicted points score is an important element in the College s decision, it is by no means the only one. In order to qualify for an offer, an applicant must have a reference from their school or college which indicates a good record of attendance, punctuality, general behaviour, attitude to study and aptitude for the proposed programme of study. Issues raised in the reference may also be discussed at interview and may lead to the College seeking additional information before a place is offered APPLICATIONS Applications must be made via LeCAP for 16+ applications, following the process that currently operates in Leicester and Leicestershire. (The College expects to receive applications by the agreed LeCAP deadline). Applications received after this date will be considered at the discretion of the College. 1 The main body of this policy and procedures relates to applicants in Year 11 who are due to achieve GCSE or equivalent qualifications in the year of entry. The way in which the College deals with other applications is set out in Appendix 3 : Non-standard Applications.

2 INTERVIEWS The College will follow the LeCAP guidelines. In accordance with this process, interviews will be offered to all applicants who place the College as their first choice on the Common Application Form, whose applications have been received by the College by the closing date, and whose existing programmes of study provide a suitable basis for progression to Advanced level courses at the College. Before interviews are arranged the College will make contact with any applicants whose predicted points score or programme of study suggests that an offer of a place is very unlikely, and will liaise with their school as appropriate. This may provide an opportunity for such applicants to revise their choice of college and/or course at an early stage in the application cycle. Equally it may provide information about extenuating circumstances which have significantly affected the level of predicted achievement. The interview is used to check information contained in the form or reference, but its primary use is not for selection purposes. The interview gives applicants the opportunity to ask questions about College life and discuss the courses that they might pursue (were they to come to the College). Provisional subject choices are recorded, which may differ from those on the application form. OFFERS OF PLACES Offers of places to those applying within the LeCAP guidelines and to agreed timescales are not made until all such interviews have been completed. Offers made will depend on the capacity of the College and the suitability of the application. Similarly the College cannot set in advance the minimum predicted points score necessary to achieve the offer of a place. This will depend on both the number of applicants and the predicted points scores of those applicants On the basis of the experience in recent years we expect that in order to qualify for an offer most applicants will need a minimum of between 37 and 39 points from their predicted GCSE score; a combination of C and B grades on average. See appendices 1 and 2 for the details of the points score system and the different categories of school. Applicants who cannot be offered a place due to falling below the points threshold will have the opportunity to be placed on the waiting list and may then be re-considered, if places are available, when enrolment takes place in August. They will also be strongly encouraged to pursue applications elsewhere as the College cannot guarantee a place may be available and would not wish to disadvantage this applicant. In exceptional circumstances, the Vice-Principal may use her discretion in making offers to individual applicants whose predicted grades do not meet the appropriate threshold but where there are extenuating factors and their ability to be successful on College courses is clear. Such factors might include poor health or family circumstances which have had a negative impact on predicted grades, or commitments to elite performance in sport, the arts or some other field which have impacted on academic study. Applications from those with a significant learning difficulty, disability or medical condition will be considered on an individual basis. Such applicants will be invited for interview with the Head of Additional Support to explore specific support needs. This may lead to the applicant receiving a discretionary offer. Offers will be for a place at the College, rather than for a place on a specific course. The College will aim to make available sufficient teaching and other resources to allow for all choices indicated at interview. However, places cannot be guaranteed for specific courses for example, in cases where there is a timetable clash or a course is removed from the College s curriculum offer, or where a particular course is oversubscribed. As many students change one or more subject Page 2 of 6

3 choices at enrolment, the College does not take choices made at application or interview into account when considering offers. CONFIRMATION OF PLACES Applicants holding offers of provisional places at the College will have these places confirmed at enrolment in August; applicants must normally have achieved grades in line with the criteria outlined in their provisional offer. Please note that in addition to these general criteria some courses also have specific entry requirements; these are detailed in the Course Information Booklet and Subject Information Sheets. Applicants must meet the specific entry requirements for enrolment onto those courses. In particular the range of courses available to applicants who have not gained grade C in Mathematics is relatively limited. The College delivers BTEC sport in collaboration with Regent College. The entry requirements for this course are five GCSEs or equivalent qualifications (in at least three different subjects) at Grades A*-C. This should include either a grade C or above in GCSE Physical Education or a Level 2 BTEC in Sport. Students will need to provide evidence of a proven track-record in sport and a Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership is desirable but not essential. GCSE Mathematics and English Language are normally required. When courses are oversubscribed, in addition to the above criteria, places on these courses will normally be allocated according to GCSE points score, but consideration may be given to other relevant factors. Member of College staff responsible for this policy: Vice Principal (Support and Guidance) Date approved by Curriculum and Guidance committee: 20 June 2013 Date when this policy will be reviewed: Summer 2014 Related documents: Additional Support Policy College prospectus and website LeCAP Form and guidelines Course information booklet/subject information sheets Single Equalities Scheme and Action plan Progression Policy Page 3 of 6

4 APPENDIX 1: PREDICTED POINTS SCORES The College curriculum comprises academic courses, almost wholly at Advanced Level. In order to enrol onto such courses with a good prospect of success students must have a sound basis of achievement on academic courses at GCSE level or above. For this reason, The College makes use of a GCSE points score to assess suitability for its courses and to make decisions about offers. In calculating the seven subject points score when making offer decisions, the College expects at least five of the seven scoring subjects to be GCSE courses. For other Level 2 qualifications the College will count this as one grade only towards the total points score. GCSEequivalent qualifications will contribute in total to no more than two of the seven scoring grades, and will not be counted in addition to a GSCE qualification in the same subject. The College will use discretion about other courses followed by individual applicants. The GCSE points score used by the College in this context is made up of seven subject scores from: English Language and Mathematics; the five best scores in other subjects; (see above) at least five different subjects. (see above) This reflects the requirement, for most advanced level subjects, of grade A*-C pass in English Language and, for many courses, Mathematics, and also the need for a broad and suitable foundation at GCSE level in order to follow a full programme at advanced level and to progress beyond Advanced Level study. Grades are converted into points as follows: GCSE A* = 8; A = 7; B = 6; C = 5; D = 4; E = 3; F = 2; G = 1. (For short-course GCSE qualifications, half the points are allocated. For double courses, double the points are allocated, e.g. for grade CC 10 points are allocated). Other Level 2 courses - The College will use national equivalences in calculating the points awarded for these grades. AS-levels taken pre-16. Any pass grades at AS-level will be allocated eight points, the equivalent of A* at GCSE, but not in addition to GCSE points in the same subject. In making the decisions about offers, the College relies on the predicted grades given on the application form. As part of the LeCAP process, schools have a responsibility to check applications for accuracy and to verify predicted grades. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, only grade predictions current at the time of application, verified on the application form, will be considered. Page 4 of 6

5 APPENDIX 2: CATEGORIES OF SCHOOL and PREDICTED POINTS THRESHOLDS For the purposes of this policy partner institutions are publicly-funded secondary schools in the City of Leicester: Babington*, Beaumont Leys, City of Leicester, Crown Hills, English Martyrs, Fullhurst*, Hamilton*, Judgemeadow, Lancaster, Madani High School, Moat, New College*, Rushey Mead, Samworth Academy*, St Paul s, Sir Jonathan North, Soar Valley. The schools marked * are those with lower progression rates. City Special schools Leicester Football Club (Tigers) in accordance with the College partnership agreement with the club. Applicants from outside Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland will be expected to meet the threshold for non-partner schools. Predicted Points Thresholds The number of predicted points needed to gain an offer of a place at the College differs from year to year. Note that the year-on-year changes can be down or up; there is no consistent trend. It depends entirely on the number of places the College has to offer, the number of applicants and their predicted grades and the category of school an applicant is from. In recent years this has been for applicants from partner institutions points; for applicants from schools marked * points; for non-partner applicants points. {These past points score ranges are no more than that: they are NOT a statement of what the thresholds will be for 2014 entry} Page 5 of 6

6 APPENDIX 3: NON-STANDARD APPLICATIONS The majority of the College s applicants are from Yr 11. Other applications will also be considered as follows: Applications from young people below the age of 19 on 31 st August in year of entry who have completed their education up to GCSE level and are no longer in full- or part-time education: if the applicant meets the enrolment criteria (see Confirmation of Places above) and on the strength of application is suited to the College and its curriculum, an unconditional offer of a place may be made. Applications from young people below the age of 19 on 31 st August in year of entry who have completed their compulsory education but are in full or part-time education at level 2 (GCSE level): if on the strength of application the applicant is suited to the College and its curriculum, they may be made a conditional offer of a place. The conditions will be set on an individual basis after the applicant has been interviewed. Applications for Year 2 courses from those who have taken their first year elsewhere: applicants would be expected to meet the normal admissions criteria and the progression requirements for Year 2. Such applications will be considered on an individual basis. Applications from students already following AS/BTEC or A2/BTEC courses to have a restart or retake year; these will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. International applicants will be considered on an individual basis; the procedures in this policy will apply as far as appropriate. International fee- paying applicants will be considered separately since their admission will not impact on the number of places offered to publicly-funded applicants. Where applicants are seeking admission with non-standard qualifications (for example, applicants with overseas qualifications), the College will consider the extent to which these qualifications are equivalent to those set out in this policy. Applications from those aged 19 or over on 31 st August in year of entry will be considered separately and on an individual basis; their admission will not impact on the number of places offered to applicants under the age of 19. Applications for part-time study: priority is given to full-time students; only in exceptional circumstances will an offer be made to an applicant wishing to study part-time. Page 6 of 6