Admissions Policy

Woodhouse College is an educational institution for 16–18-year-olds who come to us from YR11.

Applicants who are younger or older than this are admitted as full-time applicants only in exceptional circumstances.

The College operates an admission window each year in which applications open in October and close in January (exact dates published on the College website).  All applicants must meet our minimum grade requirement for their chosen A level programme. Offers are then made to eligible applicants according to the following list of priorities:

1. Looked after children 

2. Applicants with an EHC plan 

3. Children of current staff

4. Applicants who attend one of the College’s partner schools 

5. All other eligible applicants

Applicants from categories 1-4 will usually be offered a place if their predicted grades suggest they will meet our minimum entry grade criteria.   The minimum entry grade criteria for entry and the individual subject grade requirements are published annually on the website.

Applicants in category 5 will be offered places based on the following: 

Predicted grades – The College is more likely to offer a place where predicted grades are high.

Subject combinations – The College will offer places in such a way to fill all courses as efficiently as possible.

Distance from College – Applicants living more than 60 minutes away by public transport (according to the TFL website Plan a journey - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk) are less likely to be offered a place.

Age of Applicants – Applicants who are aged 17 on 31st August of the year they wish to join the College will be treated in the same way as applicants who are aged 16 on that date.  Applicants who are 18 aged or more on 31st August of that year will not be offered a place.

Reference from school(s) – An applicant with a reference suggesting poor behaviour or poor attendance is unlikely to be offered a place.

Home School Applicants

Home educated applicants will be required to attend a meeting with the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and the Assistant Principal for Student Services, to establish their needs.

Applicants Studying Fewer Than 8 GCSE / IGCSE / IB Subjects

Applicants who fall into this category, will be required to attend a meeting with the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and the Assistant Principal for Student Services.

Eligible Applicants

The College will only offer places to applicants eligible for ESFA funding. Eligibility criteria are set nationally and may vary from year to year. Evidence of eligibility, such as passports, will be required at enrolment.

Equal Treatment

The College has a multi-cultural and diverse applicant population and welcomes applicants from all ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds. All candidates for admission will be treated equally, irrespective of: disability; gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation.

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

The College will make every reasonable effort to comply with the Equality Act of 2010, including making provision, where possible, to accommodate prospective applicants with specific needs.

Before a place is offered at the College, parents or carers of a candidate with any known or suspected circumstances relating to a disability, long-term medical condition or special educational need must provide full written details as part of the application process.

Should parents, carers or applicants fail to disclose any relevant information prior to acceptance, the College may be unable to meet the needs of the applicant and, in some circumstances, this may result in the offer of a place being withdrawn.

Where an applicant’s SEND is identified, or develops after beginning at Woodhouse, the College will continue to support the applicant regarding the following considerations:

The College possesses the appropriate resources and facilities to provide the support required.

It is in the best interests of the applicant and of the College community for the applicant to remain at the College.

Where either of these considerations do not apply, the College reserves the right to withdraw any place that has been offered.

Woodhouse College recognises that for certain courses there is a need to ensure that students are emotionally and physically fit and able to undertake all aspects of study including field trips.

The admissions and enrolment process takes every reasonable step to ensure that students are supported and given appropriate information regarding the demands of the course and the assistance available. However, in doing this the College must also consider its duty of care in relation to Health and Safety and Safeguarding.

Where there is insufficient information to decide whether an offer is appropriate, the Assistant Principal Student Services, will request further evidence in writing from the GP, health professional or relevant external agency. The applicant will be asked to provide historical details of relevant support services that can be contacted, current medical status and any other support the applicant accesses. If the applicant declines to produce current and accurate information, or after investigation, the information is still not available to enable risk management procedures to be put into place, then a decision may be made to withdraw the offer of study. The applicant will be formally advised of this decision.

Issue: October 2024

Review: October 2025