If you’re interested in sending your child to Thistley Hough Academy, here are some Frequently Asked Questions which may help with your application.

Q. How do I apply for a place in Year 7 at Thistley Hough Academy for my child who is currently in Year 6 at Primary School?

Application forms can be filled out on-line at the Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority website www.stoke.gov.uk and must be submitted no later than the 31st October in the year prior to your child starting at secondary school. Applications cannot be made directly to the Academy. E-mails from the Local Authority should be received by Parents/Carers on the 1st March the following year confirming which school your child has been allocated. You can contact the Admissions Team on admissions@stoke.gov.uk or 01782 234598 should you require any further advice or assistance. If you pay your Council tax to Newcastle Borough Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council or Stafford Borough Council, please apply via www.staffordshire.gov.uk

Q. How do I apply for my child to transfer (mid-year) to Thistley Hough Academy?

Parents/Carers should apply directly through the local authority.  Application forms can be filled out on-line at the Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority website www.stoke.gov.uk

Should a place be offered to your child, admissions arrangements will be made with you.

If there is no space available in the relevant year group, you will be placed onto a waiting list, and you will also be offered the Right of Appeal.

RIGHT OF APPEAL

If a parent/carer’s application for a place at the school is unsuccessful, full details in respect of appeals will be included in all decision letters. However, appeals should be submitted to appeals@thistleyhoughacademy.org.uk no later than 20 days from the date of the decision. If additional supporting evidence is required as part of the appeal, parents/carers must submit this within the times specified.

The admission appeals are managed by an independent appeals clerk and heard by an independent panel. The determination of the admissions appeal panel is in accordance with the Schools Admission Appeals Code (2021).

Right of appeal is not applicable to the parent/carer of a child who has been permanently excluded from two schools. This applies to a twice-excluded pupil for a period of two years beginning with the date the last exclusion took place.

Q. What is Thistley Hough Academy’s oversubscription criteria?

A. Where the number of applications for admission is greater than the published admission number, Thistley Hough Academy will first accept all students with a statement of special educational needs where Thistley Hough Academy is named on the statement. After the admission of students with statements of special educational needs, the criteria below will be applied for the remaining places for this age group in the order in which they are set out:

• Children who are in the care of a Local Authority (looked-after children) or provided with accommodation by them (section 22 of the Children Act 1989) and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order).
• Siblings of students attending Thistley Hough Academy at the time of entry.
• Children who live nearest to Thistley Hough Academy by straight-line distance.

Please email enquiries@thistleyhoughacademy.org.uk for any questions or to request documents.