Admissions
To learn more about The Gatwick School, please view our prospectus: The Gatwick School Prospectus
In Year
If you are interested in an in year transfer please contact the Admissions Department of West Sussex County Council on 03330 142903 or make an application via the West Sussex website https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/school-places/apply/moving-school/#moving-to-or-within-west-sussex
If you would like further information on the school please contact us directly on 01293 538779 or info@thegatwickschool.org.uk.
September 2023/24
If you live in West Sussex you need to apply for a place at The Gatwick School through the Admissions Department of West Sussex County Council.
Please use the following link: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/school-places
If you live in Surrey you need to apply for a place at The Gatwick School through the Admissions Department of Surrey County Council.
Please use the following link: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/admissions
Please contact the school either by phone 01293 538779 or email info@thegatwickschool.org.uk should you wish to visit, or require more information.
Open Evenings & Tours
We hold Open Evenings and Tours for 2022-23 Primary Phase and Secondary Phase children throughout the year.
If you would like to book a place on a tour or require any additional information, please contact the school on 01293 538779 or email info@thegatwickschool.org.uk
Alternatively register your interest with the form below and someone will get back to you shortly.
Admissions outside of a child’s normal school age
Parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. In addition, the parents of a summer born child may choose not to send that child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted out of their normal age group – to reception rather than year 1. Parents should contact the Head of School to discuss admission outside of a child’s normal age group. Decisions regarding admissions outside of a child’s normal age group will be made based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child.
Admissions Policy
The admissions policy for The Gatwick School satisfies the requirements of the revised School Admissions Code (December 2014), the School Admission Appeals Code and admissions law. Our admissions process will be inclusive, open, fair and transparent. The Gatwick School's own Admission Policy is governed by Aurora Academies Trust (AAT).
The Published Admissions Number (PAN) for the Reception entry will be 60 and for Year 7 it will be 120. When full the school will have 1,020 pupils on roll. Students in the school’s Year 6 will automatically enter Year 7.
In accordance with the law, children with statements of Special Educational Need or Education and Healthcare Plan will be admitted to the school where the Local Authority has specifically named The Gatwick School as the most appropriate placement.
In the event of there being greater demand than there are places available to the school, places will be offered using the following over subscription criteria in accordance with the School Admissions Code:
Children in care i.e. children in the care of the Local Authority as defined in the Children Act 1989. This category includes ‘looked after children’ or children who have previously been looked after and immediately after being looked after became subjects to adoption, residence or a special guardianship order
Children with exceptional medical or social needs, for example a medical condition supported by medical evidence
Children with one or more parents who are serving members of Her Majesty’s Armed or Uniformed Forces and qualifying Crown Servants’ children. To apply under this category please complete the attached Supplementary Information Form and forward this to info@thegatwickschool.org.uk. You must still apply through West Sussex County Council for the school place.
Children with one or more parents who are members of staff the school who were recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage
Children with a sibling at the school at the time of admission. The term ‘sibling’ includes a half or step child permanently living in the same family unit or a foster child permanently living in the same family unit whose place has been arranged by the social service department of the Local Authority
Proximity to the school. This will be measured by GIS software and the measurement to be taken is from the home (OS point) to the centre of the school site.
Tie Breaker
In the event that two or more children live at the same distance from the school (as can happen with families living in blocks of flats), the tie breaker will be random allocation, where the supervised drawing of lots by an independent responsible person of good standing will be used to decide which child(ren) will be allocated the remaining place(s).
An independent appeals panel will be constituted to hear appeals. All relevant information will be made available to applicants and published on this website.
Reception Places
Where a child has been offered a place in Reception at The Gatwick School that child is entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday.
Parents can defer the date their child is admitted to The Gatwick School until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age1 and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which the offer was made.
Where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age
Admission Appeal
Information on how to appeal, including an appeals timetable, is available via this link: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/school-places/apply/make-an-admissions-appeal/#before-you-appeal