Sixth Form Admissions Policy
Aquinas College is the partner sixth form college to
- Harrytown Catholic High School
- St. Anne’s RC Voluntary Academy
- St. James’ Catholic High School
- St. Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Students attending these schools have priority of admission.
Priority will also be given to cared for children in the care of a Local Authority or children that were cared for by the Local Authority and immediately after that became subject to an adoption, child arrangements or special guardianship order.
Applications are also welcome from Catholic students not currently attending one of the partner schools, as well as from non-Catholic students who wish to continue their education in a Christian environment.
The Governors are committed to maintaining the College’s open access admissions policy. Applications will therefore be considered in the following order of priority.
Category 1A
- Catholic applicants from the college’s Catholic partner schools
- Children in public care (cared for children) or previously cared for.
Category 1B
- Catholic applicants from other schools
- Applicants will be asked to provide proof of baptism
Category 1C
- Non-Catholic applicants from Catholic schools
Category 1D
Brothers and sisters of present students, or former students who have completed a study programme with us within the past 6 years, and children of current staff and governors of the college.
The relationship of stepbrother or stepsister is not an automatic qualification for category 1D and such applications will be considered on an individual basis.
Category 2
Other applicants
All students with an EHCP will be offered an interview to discuss their ability, aptitude, and special educational needs, we will then liaise with the Local Authority. Based on this information, we can determine if our program and available resources align well with what the student needs to succeed.
Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or a diagnosed learning difficulty who receive an offer may be required to attend a pre-enrolment meeting to discuss individual needs and ensure a smooth transition to the college environment.
Overseas Applicants
As a state funded Sixth Form College, Aquinas College is not a licensed student sponsor. Consequently, in order to qualify for admission to our college, students must already have a legal right of residence in the UK before the start of their study programme and we will require evidence of this.
If the student has not been living in UK for three years prior to the start of the course they may have to pay tuition fees.
All Applicants will need to be studying at GCSE or equivalent level, or already have GCSEs or equivalent qualifications, at the time of application.
Courses followed by students depend on what has already been achieved at GCSE and on the student’s future plans. Each case is considered individually. The study of some advanced courses may require a particular level of achievement at GCSE.
When assessing any application we consider several key factors:
- Commitment to study at Aquinas.
- Appreciation of and commitment to the college’s distinctive ethos.
- Wider interests and the contribution the applicant might make to the college community.
- Whether the applicant currently attends a school located in Stockport.
- Since it is not possible to offer every student a place at Aquinas the quality of the application is important and all deadlines must be met.
Following application, all category 1 applicants and all applicants with an EHCP will have an interview.
Category 1
Offers will typically be made before Christmas. However, offers to applicants with an EHCP may be slightly delayed allowing for thorough communication between the College, student, and the local authority throughout the process. We may not be able to make an offer until we have assessed all the relevant information. This ensures we can provide the best possible support for individuals.
Category 2
Applicants will be assessed and will be notified of the outcome of their application just before Christmas. Exceptional applications may receive a direct offer and those selected for interview will be given a telephone appointment for January.
Final Category 2 offers will be made in February.
Aquinas College is significantly over subscribed and as such unfortunately each year many students are unsuccessful in securing a place at the college. Given the volume of unsuccessful applications it is not possible to offer each applicant detailed feedback as to why their application has been unsuccessful.
The only necessary conditions for admissions are:
- an ability to benefit from an available course of study
- a commitment to work
- a commitment to the college ethos and community
- acceptance of the Student/College Agreement
If you have any questions about admissions, please do not hesitate to contact admissions@aquinas.ac.uk. We are always happy to help.
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