Admission Information
The admission arrangements for the Academy, subject to any changes approved by the Secretary of State, for subsequent years are:
- In the primary phase, in Reception Year, the Academy has an agreed admission number of 60 pupils. The Academy will accordingly admit at least 60 pupils in the relevant age group (Reception to Year 6) each year if sufficient applications are received;
- In the secondary phase, the Academy has an agreed admission number of 120 students in Year 7. The Academy will accordingly admit 120 students into Year 7 if sufficient applications are received.
Our admissions policy can be found here.
Process of application for Reception
The Academy has agreed to admit 60 pupils to Reception. The Academy may admit over this number if the 61st child is a twin or from a multiple birth, or of armed services personnel.
Applying to the academy should be done via the Local Authority in which the child lives. The online application process for Portland can be found at Apply for a school place
Process of application for Year 7
Applying to the academy should be done via the Local Authority in which the child lives. The online application process for Portland can be found at Apply for a school place
Notification of Offer of Places: Parents will be informed by Dorset Local Authority on the published date.
Parents and students will then be offered an opportunity to visit the academy before they start in September to meet staff as part of preparing them to give them the best possible start in the academy.
In-Year Admissions
All applications made during the academic year (in year admissions) must be made via the Local Authority website. All such applications will be considered and if the year group applied for has a place available in the appropriate band the Academy will admit the child unless the applicant has significant behavioural issues, in which case the child will be referred to the Local Authority Fair Access panel. (Such refusals will only occur where the student concerned has been previously excluded from two or more schools or where special circumstances apply as specified in the Admissions Code. However, the Secretary of State may direct the Academy to admit such students and such a direction will be binding.) If more applications are received than there are places available, the oversubscription criteria above for Reception, Year 7 or for post-16 places shall apply.
Parents whose application is turned down are entitled to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel.
Waiting list for in-year admissions will be in operation until the end of the academic year.
Although most children will be admitted to the Academy within their own age group, the Academy will make decisions on the year group of entry on the basis of the circumstances of each individual case. Parents do not have a right of Appeal if a place is offered in a year group other than the year group in which they applied for.
Please contact the Academy directly for any in year admission enquiries prior to application should you wish. Mrs Delany on: 01305 820262 or Email: zdelany@atlantic-aspirations.org
Admissions Appeal
Parents who are not offered a place for their child are entitled to appeal to an independent committee under provisions of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 as amended by section 40 of the Education & Inspections Act 2006, only if there is maladministration, an unreasonable decision or the admission criteria is non-compliant. Parents wishing to appeal in these circumstances should contact the local authority admissions department and complete an appeal form. The form should be sent to the Local Authority within 15 school working days from the notification of the decision not to admit.