Admissions Policy
Westbourne School is a co-educational independent school
for pupils from ages 4 to 16. The school has
approximately 340 day pupils. Deciding on the right school for
your child is very important, and we believe that a personal visit
is invaluable. We very much hope that you and your child will
visit Westbourne School. We hold Open Mornings in October and
March each year, which give a general introduction to the
school. Details are published on our website. However,
we are also very happy to welcome prospective parents and their
children at any time throughout the school year. Please
contact the school's secretary on 0114 2660374 or email on
admin@westbourneschool.co.uk
to arrange a visit.
The Headmaster's aim is to offer places to those prospective
pupils who demonstrate that they will be able to take full
advantage of a Westbourne school education. We are committed to
ensuring that admission decisions will be made by a process that is
free from any discrimination on the grounds of disability; race;
ethnic or national origin; gender; religion or belief. The school
must also feel reasonably sure that we are able to educate and
develop the prospective pupil to the best of his or her potential
and in line with general standards achieved by the pupil's peers,
so that there is every chance that the pupil will have a happy,
fulfilling and successful school career. These aims must continue
to be met throughout the pupil's time at Westbourne.
Admission to Westbourne School is based on the following
criteria:
- A prospective parent/guardian visit and a meeting between the
Headmaster and the prospective parents/guardians.
- The successful completion of a day visit by all prospective
pupils in Reception to Year 10. (The school does not normally
expect nursery children to undertake a day visit but a home visit
or a visit to the nursery by a member of staff may be carried
out.)
- A satisfactory report from the prospective pupil's previous
school, playgroup or day-care centre covering academic, social and
behavioural standards.
- The successful completion of informal entry assessments,
carried out during the day visit, for all pupils from Reception to
Year 10. Entry assessments will, wherever possible, be carried out
on the basis of normal school work done during the day visit and
will comprise:
Junior School Entrants
Work to assess reading, writing, spelling and mathematical ability
(using tracking for the relevant year).
Senior School Entrants
Work in English (reading and writing) and Mathematics at a level
appropriate to that of the group they would be joining. SATs
results and those from KS2 & 3 tests together with CATS or
MidYis data and any GCSE assignments carried out will also form an
essential part of the entry process. This information will
determine the ability set which the pupil will join if offered a
place.
In all cases the school will endeavour to establish that his or
her admission to the school is compatible with the learning of
others.
A place will not be offered to any prospective pupil until all
required information relating to behaviour and academic results to
date has been received from the pupil's previous school and
assessed to the school's satisfaction. The support of parents will
be sought as necessary to obtain the required information from
current or previous schools.
Westbourne School reserves the right to refuse entry into
Reception to Year 10 or to refuse further progression up the school
if the School's structure, in the opinion of the Headmaster and
teachers, does not meet the educational, pastoral and social needs
of the pupil concerned.
Westbourne School may not accept applications for admission as
follows:
- When application for a September place is made during the
summer holiday period. In this instance, with all schools on
holiday, it is not always possible to assess a prospective pupil
fully or to obtain the necessary information from previous
schools. Any such application would be considered as soon as
possible, but no later than during the first week of the Autumn
Term for entry during that term.
- Pupils in KS4 applying for a place later than the first term of
Year 10, except where parents are relocating to the Sheffield area,
and where the options offered by the school are compatible with
those which are already being studied and where evidence can be
produced of an acceptable standard of GCSE assignments to
date. In such cases, entry will be considered up to the end of
Year 10.
EQUAL TREATMENT
Westbourne School's aim is to encourage applications from
candidates with as diverse a range of backgrounds as
possible. This enriches our community and is vital in
preparing our pupils for today's world. Generous bursaries are
offered in order to make it possible for as many as possible who
meet the school's admission criteria to attend the school.
Westbourne School is committed to equal treatment for all,
regardless of a candidate's sex, race, ethnicity, religion,
disability, sexual orientation or social background. The
school's provision for bursaries is described below.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Westbourne School does not discriminate in any way regarding
entry. The school welcomes pupils with special educational
needs providing that its learning support department can offer them
the support that they require. We welcome pupils with
disabilities provided that our site can accommodate with
them. However, we strongly advise parents of children with
special educational needs or physical or mental disabilities to
discuss their child's requirements with the Headmaster before
applying for a place to ensure that the school can make adequate
provision for him/her. Parents should provide a copy of an
educational psychologist's report or a medical report if they have
one.
The school will discuss thoroughly with parents and their
medical advisers the adjustments that can reasonably be made for
the child if he/she becomes a pupil at the school.
SIBLING POLICY
Most siblings join us at Westbourne School. However,
admission is not automatic and there may be occasions where the
school judges that a sibling is likely to thrive better in a
different academic environment.
OVERSEAS APPLICANTS
We welcome overseas pupils who can study at Westbourne School
provided that he/she has a relative or legal guardian living in the
UK with whom they will stay during term time. However, parents
of overseas pupils should appreciate that Westbourne School does
not run a short-term study programme and expects overseas pupils to
finish a complete course of study such as Years 9-11.
Fluency in English
In order to cope with the academic and social demands of
Westbourne School pupils must have some English speaking
knowledge. Normally pupils should have been educated in the
English medium for at least two years before coming to the
school. Tuition in English as an Additional Language (EAL) can
be arranged at the parent's expense.
Scholarships and Bursaries
Awards may be offered at age 11, following scholarship
examinations which take place in January of each year. Awards
are dependent upon outstanding results being achieved in all papers
taken. The number offered and their value will be decided
following the marking process. No specific preparation for the
entrance tests is needed, all candidates start on an equal footing,
with identical opportunities to display their academic aptitude
[and extra-curricular skills].
The Music/Sport Scholarships are offered to children with
musical/sporting talent hoping to enter Year 7 in the Senior
School. A leaflet and an Application Form are available from
the school office. The award is subject to annual review and
requires the maintenance of an active contribution to the
musical/sporting life of the school.
Bursaries may be awarded to candidates whose parent(s) may be in
need of financial assistance (see the schools Bursary Policy for
further information). A Bursary Form is available from the
school bursar.
Please note that non-compliance with any term of the offer could
mean that any financial assistance is withdrawn and, in this event,
the pupil's parents will become responsible for payment of the
totality of the fees including any financially-assisted
element.
SCHOOL'S CONTRACTUAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
Copies are on the school's website and will be made available to
parents as part of the admissions process.
COMPLAINTS
The school hopes that parents and pupils do not have any
complaints about the school's admissions process; but copies of the
school's complaints procedure can be sent to parents on request and
a copy is also available on the school's website.