Admissions
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1. General Principles
1.1 Runshaw is a very popular and oversubscribed college. This admissions policy aims to meet the needs of as many young people as possible who wish to study at Runshaw whilst prioritising:
(i) the needs of Runshaw students progressing internally
(ii) pupils attending Partner High Schools (PHS) in South Ribble, Chorley and other nearby towns/regions
(iii) any pupil who is in care or has been in care or is seeking asylum to the above areas
(iv) a student with an EHCP and/or High Needs
(v) children of current staff at the college
(vi) students aged 15 or 16 who currently live (or who can prove beyond reasonable doubt that they are moving to live) in the boroughs of Chorley or South Ribble.
Our current list of PHS is available on request and is reviewed annually. Decisions to add or remove any schools from our PHS list will normally be based on the demographic trends of the year 11 school leaver population in Lancashire and on recent application/enrolment trends from each school.
1.2 All schools which are not Partner High Schools (PHS) are considered to be Reserve Partner High Schools (RPHS).
1.3 We always welcome applications from pupils attending RPHS, but such applicants will only be offered and enrolled on to courses at Runshaw if spaces on relevant courses exist after the needs of the students listed in paragraph 1.1 have been met. In such cases, if the number of RPHS applicants exceeds the number of spaces, the college will normally select on the basis of prior (GCSE) attainment, and/or on the basis of other skills or achievements (eg. in sport or music) which might be beneficial to other students at the college.
2. Applications and Admissions Process
2.1 The deadline for submission of applications is 1st April.
2.2 Offers must be accepted within 2 weeks of the offer being made. By accepting the offer of a place students must also agree to comply with the college’s holiday policy. The college reserves the right to cancel the enrolment of any student who takes time off for a holiday during term time. In cases where holidays of this nature have been pre-booked prior to enrolment, these should be brought to the attention of the college at the earliest possible opportunity so that they can be considered by a member of the college’s management team.
2.3 Applicants in section 1.1 who meet the deadlines for application, and acceptance of the offer, will be guaranteed a place at the college provided they meet the entry requirements for the courses that they wish to study, and any other criteria stated on the offer letter.
2.4 Students must enrol in person with the appropriate requested documents, on the enrolment date stated on the offer letter (or on an agreed alternative date, subject to prior agreement with the college).
2.5 Students who are not able to attend the scheduled enrolment days may still be admitted to the college subject to all of the following conditions being fulfilled:
- enrol in person at a mutually agreeable time
- the college is not at overall capacity
- meeting the entry requirements for the courses of their choice
- places being available on the courses of their choice
- being available to attend all classes from the 1st day of teaching in the Autumn term
2.6 All applicants who apply by 1st April but who do not respond to the offer of an interview, or book an interview and do not attend, will be sent a reminder* providing them with a further chance to respond. If the applicant does not respond within 2 weeks, the college reserves the right not to reschedule their interview and to offer their place to a RPHS applicant who has followed the admissions procedure.
Applicants from section 1.1 who apply by 1st April and after their interview do not respond to the offer of a place, will be sent a reminder* providing them with a further chance to respond. If the applicant accepts the offer within two weeks, they will be guaranteed a place at the college provided they meet the course entry requirements. Applicants who do not respond within two weeks will be regarded as late applicants. Late applicants are not guaranteed a place at the college – see also 2.1 below.
*The reminder letter will make clear the responsibility of the applicant to ensure a response is received by the College within two weeks. It will also spell out clearly the result of not responding within the two-week period.
2.7 Applicants from RPHS must also apply before 1st April and reply to any offer within two weeks. It will be made clear to them that a place at Runshaw depends upon vacancies existing in the areas they have applied for. If these students do not reply to an offer within two weeks, they will also be sent a reminder.
2.8 If, following enrolment, some places still exist at the college, then they will be made available to students who do not meet the conditions listed above (i.e. they are not Runshaw students progressing internally and they are not applicants from partner high schools who have met the deadlines above). Priority will be given in the following order:
(i) RPHS applicants
(ii) late applicants from the list in section 1.1
2.9 Applications to study at the college received after the 1st April deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject of course to any places being available.
3. Admissions Decisions and the College’s Right to Refuse Admission
3.1 Any appeals against an admissions decision will be handled as complaints and will be dealt with in accordance with the college’s complaints policy.
3.2 The college has high expectations of its students in relation to conduct and behaviour. The college reserves the right to remove a student’s Partner School Status if there are serious breaches of the college’s high expectations whilst the student is involved in any Runshaw events, such as Sampling, Open Events and School Visits. Included within these expectations are a dress code1 and a no-smoking policy2 (please see below).
3.3 Please note that, due to the limited capacity of our car parks, the college is not able to offer car parking spaces to students3.
3.4 Whilst we would like to accommodate all students who wish to study at Runshaw, the college reserves the right to refuse admission in certain circumstances.
This decision may be as a result of, but not limited to:
- The College is unable to assure the safety of the individual or others. This may be following a risk assessment (for instance following a criminal conviction disclosure)
- The high levels of support required for success are not sufficiently supported and funded by the applicant’s Local Authority.
- The College has not had sufficient time to plan and implement any physical adjustments required beyond the anticipatory duty.
Where relevant, a refusal will only be exercised where the College has considered the necessary adjustments and these are considered beyond reasonable. Every effort will be made to find a course appropriate for all applicants. However, despite all reasonable adjustments being made, in some circumstances, enrolment may not be possible. Where an applicant has a current EHC plan and is eligible for High Needs funding the college will endeavour to inform the student’s home local authority of the course offer and the grounds of any admissions refusal.
3.5 Further information in relation to any of the above can be supplied on request to prospective students and/or their parents/guardians.
Appendix 1 – Explanatory Notes
1 DRESS CODE
All students are expected to wear clothes which are appropriate for a respectful learning community and therefore:
- must not wear clothing which could cause offence or embarrassment to others
- must not wear clothes which could pose a risk to health and safety
- are not allowed to wear clothes or garments in a classroom setting which could interfere with teaching and learning
2 SMOKING
Smoking (including the use of e-cigarettes) is only permitted in designated smoking areas. Students may smoke off site, but are not permitted to smoke on the road at the front of the college (Langdale Road) as this creates a poor impression of the college and causes offence to local residents. Anyone found to be smoking outside of the smoking areas, or on Langdale Road will normally receive a formal disciplinary warning.
3 PARKING
Bicycles
Bicycles should be left in the racks outside the Eskdale or Rydal buildings, firmly secured, with a chain and padlock. We recommend that students insure their bicycles to cover against potential damage or theft; this can often be obtained via an extension of an existing home insurance contents policy.
Buses
The college has a proud track record for the reduction of its carbon footprint, so we encourage all our students to travel to the college by bus (if they are not able to cycle or walk). Dedicated college buses provide a safe, convenient and environmentally-friendly way to get to and from college. The bus network is very extensive and serves all our catchment areas. All of our bus passes are attractively priced due to a 50% college subsidy. Bus passes and timetables can be obtained from our transport team transport@runshaw.ac.uk.
Car Parking
The college car parks only have sufficient capacity to meet the needs of staff and visitors. Car parking permits are only ever considered to be issued to students based on the grounds of ESSENTIAL NEED (eg. due to a specific disability or medical condition). Students wishing to apply for a parking permit should please discuss this with their progress mentor. All applications for a permit will be considered by college managers and decisions will normally be communicated to students within 2 weeks. All vehicles brought onto the premises must have valid MOT, tax and insurance and be driven in a safe manner and parked in designated areas.
Please note: A private firm manages our car parks and anyone found to be parking without a permit will be subject to parking penalty charges. We therefore urge all students and visitors to observe parking restriction signage, to avoid receiving a parking fine. South Ribble Council sell a small number of termly parking passes to Runshaw students for the Worden Park overflow car park. These work out at approximately £5 per week. The programme office reception team can advise on how to apply for one of these permits.
IMPORTANT: There are parking restrictions in operation on most of the local roads surrounding the College. Students are therefore advised to check these carefully before parking on any of the local roads. Motorcycles Students wishing to use the designated motorcycle parking area on campus must first register their motorcycle with Student Services. Students will be required to present a vaild MOT certificate, insurance documents and driving licence. Any unregistered motorbikes on site are liable to parking penalty charges.
Appendix 2 – Overseas Applicants
1. The Sixth Form College Admissions Policy defines the criteria for admission to Runshaw College. Overseas students do not meet the criteria of belonging to a Partner High School or Reserve Partner High School and therefore applications will not ordinarily be accepted.
2. However, as per para 1.1 of the Sixth Form College Admissions Policy, consideration may be given where an applicant can evidence that they are moving (or have moved) to live in Chorley or South Ribble.
3. In these circumstances, the College will refer to the ESFA funding guidance ESFA Funding Guidance on residency eligibility.
4. If an applicant satisfies the criteria for ESFA funding, then an offer may be made, subject to the following conditions:
- The applicant must be resident in Chorley or South Ribble for the duration of the whole study programme.
- Applicants must be fluent in the English language.
- The applicant must have legal entitlement to reside in the UK.
- Students must meet the entry requirements for the course they want to study by providing evidence of results of GCSE’s, I GCSE’s or International Baccalaureate. Students who have completed the exams of the residing country must provide a statement of comparability from UK NARIC. This statement of comparability will only be used for students wishing to take a vocational study programme not A Levels.
5. If ESFA funding is not forthcoming, Fees (as determined by the Head of Finance), for the whole programme will be payable and must be paid to the College prior to the applicant starting their programme of study.
6. Should additional learning support needs be identified, these will be chargeable and due for immediate payment by the learner.
7. In all cases above, an offer of a place at Runshaw College will be subject to agreement by the Deputy Principal.
8. The College reserves the right, without prejudice, to refuse any application from any overseas applicant.