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Short film about life at our boarding school

This page provides a summary of the Admissions Policy and does not include all details of the policy approved by the Governors of the School. Full details of our admissions policy can be found in the Prospectus Supplement.

The School was established under the Royal Alexandra and Albert School Act 1949, which united the Royal Alexandra School and the Royal Albert School at Gatton Park. The new school, which united two orphanage schools with Royal patronage, was founded as a boarding school with a distinct Church foundation.

The school is unique among maintained schools in England as it provides education for pupils from the age of 7 to 16 and provides boarding accommodation for Sixth Form pupils who are educated elsewhere. Pupils admitted into Key Stage 2 have automatic admittance to Key Stages 3 & 4.

In order to be admitted to the School, all candidates must have full United Kingdom or other EU/ EEA nationality, or have other approved residential status in the United Kingdom.

Admission to the Sixth Form is by a separate system.

Admission to Boarding

The school has always been a boarding school, and Governors are resolved to preserve the school ethos of providing a rounded educational experience both within the classroom and in a wide range of sporting and extra-curricular activities.

The Governors are keen to promote the benefits of boarding school education. The Charity Foundation provides financial support for attendance at the school for a number of boys or girls who have lost one or both parents or whose circumstances make boarding education desirable.

The Admission Numbers for each category for each year of entry shall be as follows:

Year of Entry Boarders Day Boarders
3 24 20
7 50 57

The school reserves the right to request specific evidence that the address given as the place of residence of the child is the address held by the current junior school. Such evidence could include an original council tax bill.

Admissions Procedure for Boarding Places

Suitability for Boarding

Applicants for Boarding places are assessed to determine their suitability for boarding. This assessment includes the following:

  • A reference from the applicant's present school and/or a previous school or where the applicant is not currently at school or has recently changed school.
  • Information provided by a Local Authority (or equivalent authority outside England and Wales), where relevant.
  • An interview with the Headmaster or his Deputy.

In determining whether or not an applicant is suitable to board, the School has regard to the following questions:

  • Does the applicant wish to board?
  • Does the applicant have experience of staying away from his parents/carers whether or not he is currently a boarder?
  • Does the applicant show evidence of self reliance and independence?
  • Does the applicant show evidence of understanding the challenges of a communal life?
  • Does the applicant show understanding of the responsibilities of a member of a boarding community?
  • Is there any medical or psychological reason why boarding would not be appropriate, or any need that could not be met by reasonable adjustment to the boarding accommodation, routine and practice?

In the case of over subscription the following criteria will apply:

First priority will be given to applicants who are looked after by a local authority in England and Wales, in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989(b) at the time of application is made.

Second priority will be given to applicants whose parents receive the Continuity Education Allowance (CEA) of the Ministry of Defence.

Third priority will be given to applicants who are offered a Foundationer boarding place by the Royal Alexandra and Albert School Charitable Foundation

Fourth priority will be given to applicants who are offered Bursary support for a boarding place at the school by another Charitable Foundation

Fifth priority will be given to applicants who have a sibling boarding at the school, including in the Sixth Form boarding accommodation.

Sixth priority will be given to applicants who have satisfied the Governors that they have a significant degree of boarding need, including candidates who are the sons or daughters of members of HM Armed Forces and Crown Servants serving abroad and candidates whose parents are temporarily resident outside the United Kingdom for other work purposes;

Seventh priority will be given to all other applicants for places as boarders.

For any category of a boarding applicant, if a further criterion is needed, it shall be proximity from the main home address of the pupil in a direct line to the front door of the main school building, with the nearest receiving preference. In the case of a tie, lots will be drawn. Given the fixed maximum number of beds available to girls and to boys in the Primary and Secondary boarding accommodation, and given the impossibility of accommodating boys or girls in accommodation other than that reserved for their gender, a separate calculation of places shall be made by gender, which may mean that oversubscription criteria are applied at different stages of priority for the two genders.

Admission to Day Boarding

In the case of over-subscription, the following criteria shall apply:

Year 3 applicants

First priority will be given to applicants who are looked after by a local authority in England and Wales, in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989(b) at the time of application is made.

Second priority will be given to applicants who are offered a Foundationer Day Boarding place by the Royal Alexandra and Albert School Charitable Foundation.

Third priority will be given to applicants who have a sibling who is a Day Boarder at the school. Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer's partner where the child for whom the School place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling.

Fourth priority will be given to all other applicants for Day Boarding places by proximity (see description below).

Year 7 applicants

In the case of over-subscription, the following criteria shall apply to Year 7 applicants.

First priority will be given to applicants who are looked after by a local authority in England and Wales, in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989(b) at the time of application is made.

Second priority will be given to applicants who are offered a Foundationer day boarding place by the Royal Alexandra and Albert School Charitable Foundation

Third priority will be given to applicants who have a sibling who is a Day Boarder at the school. Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer's partner where the child for whom the School place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling.

Fourth priority will be given to up to 14 applicants for Day Boarding who are identified by the selection process as showing particular sporting potential or ability. Following the designation of the school as a Specialist Sports College, Governors have agreed to accept up the possibility of selecting up to 10% of the total number in Year 7 by Sporting Ability. The process will involve objective tests of physical potential. All applications for a Year 7 place will have the opportunity to apply for selection under the Sporting Ability criteria.

Fifth priority will be given to all other applicants for Day Boarding places.

For any category for admission as a Day Boarder in Year 3 or Year 7, if a further criterion is needed, it shall be proximity from the main access to the public highway of the home address of the pupil in a direct line to the front door of the main school building, with the nearest receiving preference. In the case of a tie, lots will be drawn.

Parents have the right to appeal against a decision by the Governors to refuse to admit their child to a Boarding or Day Boarding at the school. Appeals will be heard by an Appeal Committee, constituted and proceeding in accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Details are available from the school on request.

Transfer between Boarding and Day Boarding Categories

There is no automatic transfer between categories for pupils already in the School.

Those admitted as Day Boarders may apply to transfer to take up a vacant Boarding place. Places will be offered using the criteria listed above in competition with Boarder applicants who are not already members of the School. There is no guarantee of a place being offered.

Those admitted as Boarders may apply to transfer to take up a vacant Day Boarding place. Places will be offered using the criteria listed above in competition with Day Boarder applicants who are not already members of the School. There is no guarantee of a place being offered.

Waiting List Procedures

Parents of candidates who are unsuccessful in obtaining a place should indicate whether they wish to remain on a waiting list. Waiting lists are maintained for 12 months after the September of the year in which admission was originally sought. For example, unsuccessful candidates for admission in September 2009 would be eligible to remain on a waiting list until September 2010. The length of time on the waiting list is not material to whether or not a place is finally awarded.

Candidates on the waiting list for a Boarding place will be considered along with any new applicants at the point when any vacancy arises. The place will be awarded according to the stated oversubscription criteria. Candidates judged to be unsuitable for boarding will not be kept on a waiting list. They may, however, reapply and be reassessed for each year of entry.

Candidates on the waiting list for a Day Boarding place will be considered along with any new applicants at the point when any vacancy arises. The place will be awarded according to the stated oversubscription criteria.

Policy for Admissions September 2010

 

 Admissions Policy
 Enquiry Form
 Application Forms
 Fees
 Sixth Form Admission
 Expatriates
 Foundationers
 Clergy Bursaries
 Uniform

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