Admissions Criteria

Admissions will be determined by a designated sub-committee of the Board of Governors, which shall include the Principal. The Board of Governors reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or verify information on the Transfer Application. You may be required to present verification documents after your child has been offered a place at the School, at the sole discretion of the Board of Governors. Original documents are required and not digital copies or photocopies. The provision of false or incorrect information or the failure to provide verifying documents according to the required deadline may result in either the withdrawal of a place or the inability of the school to offer a place.

Transfer Procedure 2024

In the event of the school being over-subscribed, a pupil will be admitted according to the following criteria, applied in the order set down:

1. Children who have a child of the family* currently enrolled at the school (applicants should record on the Transfer Application the name of the child and date of enrolment at the school), or children whose parent/carer is a permanent employee of the school.

2. Children who have had a child of the family* who attended the school. Applicants should record on the Transfer Form the name of the child and date he/she left Saintfield High School.

3. Children who are the eldest child(ren) of the family* (where applicable, twins (or other multiples) will be treated as joint eldest), or the first child of the family to transfer to a non-selective school (verification maybe required) and who attends a traditional contributory primary school (see list of feeder schools below)

4. Academy, Saintfield, Alexander Dickson, Anahilt, Andrews Memorial, Ballynahinch, Cairnshill, Carr, Carrickmannon, Carryduff, Cedar Integrated, Comber, Derryboy, Downpatrick, Drumlins Integrated, Glasswater, Killinchy, Killyleagh, Knockbreda, Millennium Integrated, Moneyrea, St Mary’s, Comber and Spa.

5. Children who attend a feeder/named primary school (see list of schools above) and who list Saintfield High School as their first preference post-primary school on the Transfer Form.

6. All other children.

If, following the application of the above criteria in order, there comes a point where there are more children who meet a particular criterion than there are spaces available, priority will be given to children:

A – Who list Saintfield High School as their first preference post primary school then;

B – For whom Saintfield High School is the nearest suitable school as measured by the Ordnance Survey web distance measurement tool.

*Child of the family as defined in DE Circular 2022/15: The Procedure for Transfer from Primary to Post Primary Education, Annex 2, Paragraph 3.

When considering which children should be selected for admission, the Board of Governors will only take into account information which is detailed on, or attached to the Transfer Application, relating to the set criteria. Parents/carers should therefore ensure that all information pertaining to their child and relevant to the school’s admissions criteria is stated on the Transfer Application or attached to it.

Year 8 Waiting List

Applicants who did not gain a place in Saintfield High School as part of the transfer procedure will automatically be placed in rank order upon the school’s admissions waiting list after 1 September 2023.

Should a place become available after 1 September 2023, priority will be given to those applicants who have named Saintfield High School as their first preference post primary school. In the event of a place becoming available the School will contact the applicant’s parent/carer to arrange an interview with the Principal or Vice-Principal. New applications for Year 8 will be added to the waiting list in rank order after applying the admissions criteria.

At the end of Year 8 the School will contact all applicants’ parents/carers on the waiting list to determine whether they wish to remain on the waiting list. Those applicants wishing to remain on the waiting list will be dealt with according to the criteria listed in Admission to Saintfield High School other than at the Customary Transfer Stage.

Criteria for Admission: Years 9-12

1. Under the provision of the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989, the Board of Governors respect parental rights to exercise their preference, where possible, in placing their children in schools of their choice.

2. In the consideration of each application the Governors will base their decisions upon the criteria listed below. They will expect in each case, that the parent(s)/carer(s) making such application will have made prior contact with the Principal of the school their child presently attends and submitted the relevant application form for admission to Saintfield High School Years 9 – 12.

3. The Governors will also require from previous school(s) reports and details of all relevant information regarding their child’s progress and behavioural problems should any exist.

4. In each case the application will be considered provided that the enrolment number set for the school as a whole would not be exceeded by the admission of the child. Year 8 – 12 ~ 340 + statemented pupils (SEN register Level 5).

5. A pupil will be accepted for enrolment provided that, in the opinion of the Governors, this action will not prejudice or diminish the quality of education provided for the existing pupils or their welfare.

6. The inclusion of an additional pupil does not cause classes to exceed the limits laid down by regulation, in particular classes in practical subjects.

7. The Governors will consider implications for the delivery of the compulsory curriculum and provided this is not prejudiced entry will be permitted.

8. Consideration will be given to the needs of each pupil seeking entry to the school and the Governors will base their decision as to whether it is, in their opinion, in the pupil’s best interest to transfer.

9. Preference will be given to an applicant who has or has had an older or younger child of the family* enrolled at the school, or whose parent/carer is a permanent employee of the school, at the date of completion of the application form provided points 1 – 5 above are met.

Where there are still more pupils than places available in Years 9 – 12, names of applicants will be placed on a waiting list. Priority will be given to those applicants who:

(a) have or have had an older or younger child of the family* enrolled at the school, or whose parent/carer is a permanent employee of the school;

(b) applied to Saintfield High School and named Saintfield High School as their first choice post primary school as part of the transfer process;

Where the application is carried over from the transfer process, applications will remain in the ranked order according to the published criteria for entry into Year 8 for the academic year for which application was made. Thereafter, applications will be placed in date order of receipt of completed AP1 application form.

This waiting list will be updated annually.

Should a place become available the Principal will arrange an interview and the above criteria will be applied. The Principal will consult with the Governors in all cases of application for entry to Saintfield High School.

*Child of the family as defined in DE Circular 2022/15 The Procedure for Transfer from Primary to Post Primary Education, Annex 2, Paragraph 3