Admissions

Welcome to Hadlow Rural Community School and thank you for your interest in our wonderful school.

We understand that choosing a secondary school for your child can be a complex and daunting task and we hope that the following information will help guide you through the process.

Alternatively, colleagues will be happy to answer any questions you may have or talk you through the application and transition process. Please use the school admissions email address admissions@hrcschool.org

Applying to Hadlow Rural Community School

The following documents will provide all the information required to apply for a place at HRCS.

Determined Arrangements for Entrance in September

Hadlow Rural Community School recruits from the full range of abilities to create a comprehensive intake. The School Pupil Admission Number (PAN) is 75 students per year group.

Before the application of oversubscription criteria, children with a statement of Special Educational Need (SEN) or Education , Health & Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school will be admitted. As a result of this the published admissions number will be reduced accordingly.

If the number of preferences for the school is more than the number of places available, places will be allocated within the bands described below and the oversubscription criteria applied to each band.

Banding

Any applicants who have passed the Kent Test will automatically be allocated to Band 7 (upon providing evidence) and will not be required to sit the banding assessment. All applicants who have not passed the Kent Test are required to sit a non-verbal cognitive ability assessment.

This assessment is not an entry test; it is to enable students of different abilities to have an equal opportunity to gain a place at Hadlow Rural Community School. The profile also enables the school to operate as a fully comprehensive school.

Further detailed explanation of this and the aptitude test are available from the school but the table below gives indicative percentages and numbers within each band.

Applicants who do not sit the assessment, other than those who have passed the Kent Test, will be ranked according to the oversubscription criteria and allocated a place only in the event that there are available places at the school after students who have taken the assessment have been considered.

Assessments will take place outside of usual school hours in the last week before the October half term break. Follow up assessments will be made available after the 31st October admissions deadline, should they be required.

For each band, over-subscription criteria will be applied as follows:

a) Looked After Children and previously Looked After Children.
b) Medical, health, social and special access reasons will be applied in accordance with the school’s legal obligations, in particular those under the Equality Act 2010.
c) Children of staff where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage
d) Admission of pupils whose siblings currently attend Hadlow Rural Community School and who will continue to do so on the date of admission
e) Admission of students, on the basis of proximity to the school using a straight line measurement.

Further, detail on the over-subscription criteria can be found on the Determined Admissions Arrangements document found above.

Supplementary Information Form

Due to the popularity of Hadlow Rural Community School we would strongly advise completing the Admissions Banding Assessment provided by the school.

This will ensure that your child will be included within the first ranking process. Those not completing the assessment will be included within the second round of ranking, but only if spaces remain available.

The supplementary form provided above can be downloaded and returned to the school, securing a place on one of the assessment sessions, usually held during October.

Application Process

Applications for children due to start secondary school in September 2024 open at 9.00am on 1st September 2023 and will close on 31st October 2023.

You can apply for up to 4 schools, putting them in order of preference. It's in your best interest to list 4 schools. Naming only one school does not guarantee your child a place at that school or give your child priority for a place over another child, neither does naming a school more than once.

Offers of places for September 2024 will be advised after 4.00pm on Friday 1st March 2024 through the usual Kent County Council process. It is important that parents looking to secure a place for their child at Hadlow Rural Community School understand that this is only the first stage of the process and if unsuccessful should not give up as there are other options available.

Together with the offer letter, parents will receive a ‘Waiting List Request Form’. This should be completed and returned to KCC Admissions by no later than 15th March 2024, if you would like your child to be reconsidered for a place at Hadlow Rural Community School. A second round of offers will be made by KCC from the Waiting List and parents will be advised if successful (date to be confirmed).

The Kent Secondary Common Application process can be found here.

Appeals

If your child is due to start secondary school in September 2024, you can appeal if you are refused a place at one of your preferred schools on National Offer Day (Friday 1st March 2024). You need to submit your appeal before Thursday 28th March 2024 for it to be considered by Monday 17th June 2024. Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

For late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 schools days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 schools days of the appeal being lodged where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.

If you have been unsuccessful in gaining a place with us for September 2024 Year 7 intake and wish to appeal, please find the Secondary School Appeal Form, Appeals FAQ’s and our Appeals Statement above. Please send Completed appeal forms via email using the following link admissions@hrcschool.org or deliver to:

Heidi Whitmore | Clerk to Trustees

Hadlow Rural Community School

Tonbridge Road

Hadlow

Kent, TN11 0AU

Waiting List

The School is currently operating a waiting list across all years.

If you would like to be added to this, please complete the Waiting List Form and return it to Admissions, Hadlow Rural Community School, Tonbridge Road, Hadlow, Kent, TN11 0AU.