Admissions
Admissions
Welcome to St Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy
We are committed to the care and success of every pupil in a way that is rooted in the values of the gospel. We expect our pupils to set themselves high standards in their work, their extra-curricular activities and their relationships with others. We encourage them to do so and support them, so that they will achieve. We will work with you to develop your child’s gifts, whatever they may be, so that they are well prepared to take a place in the adult world confidently.
St Anthony’s has an outstanding reputation for academic achievement, based on a consistent record of excellent examination results. We nurture individual pupils and encourage and assist each one to reach their full potential. Our broad and balanced curriculum offers a vast range of learning opportunities.
Our enrichment programmes are extensive. These complement and extend the academic curriculum and include local and international projects, charity work and a wide range of sporting activities.
Our thriving Sixth Form greatly enhances the character of the school. The high staying-on rate from Year 11 to Year 12 is a testament to the very positive relationships which are established at St Anthony’s. Our Sixth Form students enjoy a challenging and enriching curriculum which enables the great majority to go on to further study, including obtaining places on highly competitive Oxbridge and Medical courses.
Admissions Process
Children born between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013 will be eligible to start secondary school in September 2024.
Children are no longer required to attend the closest secondary school to their home address. You can express up to 3 preferences for your child to be admitted into a secondary school of your choice. Our projected figures for September 2023 admissions show there are places available to accommodate more children due to the lower birth rates in our traditional feeder primary schools. This means that there has never been a better time to apply to St Anthony’s.
In-Year Admissions
An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. If you would like to apply for a place in Year 7 to 11 please complete Section A of the form below. This must then be given to your daughter’s current school, they will complete Section B and send the form to Sunderland Local Authority – the School Admissions Team, Neighbourhoods Directorate, City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland SR1 3AA or school.admissions@sunderland.gov.uk.
Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2023 – 2024, will be applied. (See below). Parents are advised to read the admission arrangements carefully before making their application.
Once received, our Governors will make a decision on whether a place is available and if a place can be offered. If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list.
You will be advised of the outcome of your application in writing as soon as possible. You must be informed of the outcome of your application within 15 school days of receipt, but the aim is to notify you of the outcome of your application within 10 school days of receipt.
You have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your application is unsuccessful. If you would like to appeal a decision please email enquiries@staga.co.uk FAO Joan Donaldson and Claire Donkin (office managers) who will provide you with the documentation to appeal. An appeal must be lodged at least 20 school days from the date of notification that your application was unsuccessful. A reasonable deadline will be set for those making an appeal to submit additional evidence, for admission authorities to submit their evidence and for the clerk to send appeal papers to the panel and any other parties. You will receive at least 10 school days’ notice of your appeal hearing then a statement noting a decision letter will be sent within 5 school days of the hearing (wherever possible).
If you would like to know if we have spaces available or would like more information about the school or the application process, please contact Mrs Joan Donaldson or Mrs Claire Donkin for admission to Year 7 – 11 or Mrs Sam Ward (Senior Assistant Headteacher) for admission to Sixth Form via telephone: (0191) 565 8904 or enquiries@staga.co.uk
September 2024 appeals process
If it has not been possible to offer a place at the school, you have the right to appeal to an independent panel. You must request the appeal form directly from the school (enquiries@staga.co.uk FAO Joan Donaldson and Claire Donkin). For September 2024 admissions, your appeal form should be completed and returned by no later than Friday 5th April 2024. If it is received after this date, it may be heard after the other appeals. For more information on the appeals process, please visit https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/schools-appeals or contact school.appeals@sunderland.gov.uk
2023-24 Secondary Admissions Timetable – Sunderland
| Timeline for Applications | |
|
Timeline for Applications w/c Monday 4 September 2023 |
Information distributed to Y6 pupils by junior/primary schools. |
| Monday 11 September 2023 to Tuesday 31 October 2023 | Online Portal available up until closing date. |
| Tuesday 26 September 2023 | Open Evenings with prospective year 7 pupils. |
| Friday 1 March 2024 | National Offer Day. All parents/carers that applied ‘on time’ will be notified where their child has been offered a place and information about any schools on their application where it has not been possible to offer a place. |
| Monday 18 March 2024 | Parents/carers have until this date to accept the places they have been offered. Online offers can be accepted within the Portal up to this date. After the Portal closes, places can only be accepted by email. If paper applications have been submitted, offers will be made by letter and an acceptance form included. |
| May-24 | Appeals to be heard. |
| Jun-24 | Appeals to be heard. |
| Jul-24 | Appeals to be heard. |
| Tuesday 31 December 2024 | No waiting list available after this date |
Why should I consider an all Girls’ school for my child?
Freedom from Stereotypes
In a Girls’ school, there is no stereotyping and gender-weighted expectations. Girls are free to recognise their strengths and excel in subjects which have traditionally been dominated by boys. At St. Anthony’s we see a much greater balance between the Arts and Science subjects and female success in Maths, Physics, Sport and Technology.
Leadership opportunities
Girls’ schools create environments where girls feel confident to lead and put themselves forward. With only girls in the classroom and on the sports’ field, both intellectual and physical confidence can grow. They learn resilience and self-confidence to stand them in good stead for University, work and life.
Academic excellence
Girls’ schools create a culture of achievement. Research shows that girls perform better, in terms of educational attainment, at single-sex schools.
If I’m not a Catholic, why would I send my daughter to a Catholic school?
Our strong moral values including respect, hard work, compassion, trust and fairness underpin our mission statement and are at the heart of everything we do. They motivate and inspire us to identify, value and maximise the talents of our pupils. Our mission statement helps to define us as a community: it makes us aware of the importance of faith and encourages us to value and appreciate the multi-faiths that are represented in our school and wider-community, as well as those families whom are of no faith; and it inspires us to a universal welcome to our community, whatever your faith.
In practice, as a faith school we have a tradition of prayer, reflection and collective worship which is integral to all that we do. We don’t impose our beliefs on others, rather we show how strong a community we are through our shared values. So we will:
- put the learning and progress of students first.
- inspire them to be happy, healthy, confident, unique and tolerant individuals who flourish and achieve.
- guide all to fulfil their potential spiritually, academically and socially.
- promote their responsibility and resilience, diligence and determination, independence and enterprise.
- encourage their originality and creativity.
- care for them in a safe and equal environment
Admission Arrangements for St Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy
Admissions Policy Main School 2021-22
Admissions Policy Main School 2022-23
Admissions Policy Main School 2023-24
Admissions Policy Sixth Form 2021-22
Admissions Policy Sixth Form 2022-23
Admission Policy Sixth Form 2023-24
Proposed Admissions Policy 2024-25
St Anthony’s Sunderland Admissions Policy 2024-25
St Anthony’s Sunderland Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2024-25
Proposed Admissions Policy 2025-26
St Anthony’s Sunderland Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2025-26