Admission Policy & Arrangements

The Central Shropshire Academy Trust is the admissions authority, and has determined the admissions criteria.

Shropshire Council produce a booklet ‘Parents’ Guide to Education in Shropshire’ each year with up-to-date information about schools and a full explanation of the admissions processes.

The booklets are available on the Shropshire Council website.(Linked above)

Mary Webb School and Science College has a Published Admission Number of 120 for the Year 7 intake in 2023 (this number also applies to Years 8 – 11). For the year commencing September 2022, the number of preferences received and places allocated was as follows:

Parents/Carers of Year 6 children and resident in Shropshire are required, in the Autumn Term prior to the school year of transfer, to apply online through the Shropshire Council stating three preferences.   For those parents without internet access, application can also be made by telephone on 0345 678 9008.

Where there are more applications than there are places available, allocations will be made in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.  Full details of these criteria are given in the Parents’ Guide booklet; therefore it is essential that parents read the booklet before completing the application form but, in general terms, criteria for Mary Webb School and Science College are based upon the following (in order):

1. Looked After Children (that is, children who are looked after by a Local Authority) and previously Looked After Children who ceased to be so because they were immediately adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order)
2. Very exceptionally, priority may be given to a child who has a particular health reason requiring them to attend a specific school.  This will only be allowed if parents/carers can provide written evidence from a medical professional that in the view of the Admissions Authority confirms that attending that particular school is essential to the medical well-being of the child. The Authority reserves the right to contact medical professionals to ascertain the relevance of the medical condition.
3. Residence in the school’s catchment area with an older sibling at the school on the day they are due to start.
4. Children of staff members who have been continuously employed at Mary Webb School and Science College, on a permanent contract, for at least two years at the time of application.
5. Residence in the school’s catchment area.
6. Residence outside the school’s catchment area with older sibling at the school on the day they are due to start.
7. Residence outside the schools’ catchment area but who have attended state-funding primary schools that lie within the secondary school’s catchment area for more than a whole academic year prior to transfer
8. Residence outside the school’s catchment area
9. Children who have an Educational and Health Care Plan, which names Mary Webb School and Science College as the appropriate school to meet those needs will be offered a place.

We, like most secondary schools, work closely with local primary schools and often invite students to attend the school for various activities.  Such visits, however, have nothing to do with the admissions process and do not in any way give any guarantee of a place at the school.  Shropshire does not operate a system of feeder schools, as the home address of your child is the arbiter of being offered a place.  That home address will be checked against data sources to ensure potential applicants are not, for example, using a relative’s address, or work/office address to achieve a higher priority under the published criteria.

Where applications are not successful, parents/carers may wish to put their names on a waiting list or appeal against the decision.  The Admissions Team will be able to provide advice on these matters.  Members of the school staff and governors are legally not allowed to write a letter of support for appellants so please do not ask them to do so.  Nor is the school allowed to give any guarantee that a place will be offered at the school.

Appeals Timetable

Secondary transfer admissions appeals are co-ordinated by Shropshire Council each year on our behalf. The timetable for these appeals can be found at the following address: https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/school-admissions/application-results-and-appeals/appeal-against-allocation-of-school-place/appeals-timetable/

Mid-Term or In-Year Admissions

Where families move house at other times of the year after the start of Year 7, please contact Mrs N Murray, Headteacher’s PA, in the first instance in order to make an appointment to visit the school.  If you wish to apply for a school place, you will need to complete a mid-term transfer application form and your application will be considered by the school.

If there are no places available, the Admissions Team will be able to inform you of the Appeals process.

The school will not maintain a waiting list and therefore parents will need to make enquiries on a regular basis to see if there are any vacancies in their child’s year group.