Admissions and Appeals

As a mixed foundation school for students aged 11 to 18, Fortismere is its own admission authority. This means that the governing body is responsible for setting and agreeing the school's Admissions policy (also known as the Admission Arrangements) and for making all admissions related decisions.

Applications for a place at Fortismere in the normal admissions round (secondary Year 6 to Year 7 transfer)

If you want to apply for a place at Fortismere for entry to Year 7, as part of the normal admissions round (also known as Secondary Transfer), you should apply via the local authority in which your child lives. The local authority will publish information on its website explaining how to do this - make sure you read this information carefully. If your child lives in Haringey, you can make an application for a place in Year 7 and find information about all the local schools on the Haringey website School Admissions

All applications for places at Fortismere will be considered in line with our Admissions policy and places will be allocated on the basis of these arrangements only.

ADMISSIONS POLICIES

Read our Admissions policies below for full details of how places are allocated at Fortismere and how to make an application.

In-year applications for a place at Fortismere

If you are applying for a place at Fortismere at any time other than when your child is starting Year 7 at secondary transfer time, or if you are applying for your child to move to Fortismere from their current secondary school, you will be making what is referred to as an in-year application.

In-year applications for places at Fortismere are handled on behalf of the school by Haringey Local Authority Admissions Service. Please contact Haringey Admissions Service to make an in-year application for a place at Fortismere – see this link for information on making an in-year application

You can also contact Haringey Admissions Service by email: schooladmissions@haringey.gov.uk or by telephone: 020 8489 1000

Places at Fortismere will be offered in accordance with the criteria set out in the school’s Admissions policy. If there are no places available in the required year group and your application is refused, you can request that your child’s name is added to the waiting list for the school. If you make an in-year application for a place at Fortismere and your application is refused you will have the right of appeal as outlined in our Admissions policy and on this page below.

How to Appeal for a place at fortismere

If your child has not been offered a place at Fortismere School, the law allows you to appeal against that decision to an Independent Appeal Panel. The panel that hears your appeal is completely independent of the school and the local authority. Appeals for places at Fortismere are handled on behalf of the school by Haringey Local Authority who use an independent provider for all appeals. Appeals will be heard online and in accordance with the timetables below.

If you wish to appeal for a place at Fortismere, please complete the form via this link

Please do not use any other appeal form or send your appeal to your local authority. We suggest you read the Appeals Information Booklet available here before completing your appeal form.

You can appeal for a place at more than one school but you must submit separate appeals for each school. The Department for Education have produced advice for parents and carers on school admission appeals - see this link for a copy

You should include any evidence or supporting material with your appeal form and you must give the grounds (the reasons) for your appeal at the time you lodge (submit) your appeal form. Your appeal form will not be accepted unless you state the grounds for your appeal.

Any reports or letters that you wish the appeal panel to see should be uploaded with your appeal form. You are asked to bear in mind that if you send additional information at a later date (the closing date is 5 working days before the stage 1 hearing), appeal panels have agreed not to take any late letters or reports after the 5 working day deadline. This will be strictly enforced.

Please note that the appeal form will ask you to download two utility bills (dated in the last three months). If you do not have access to a scanner, please take two photographs with a mobile phone and upload the photographic files.

Your appeal will be organised by the Clerk to the independent appeal panel - they will send you full details about the hearing with your invitation. You can contact the Clerk by email at: clerk@educationappeals.com

The timetable for Secondary Transfer Appeals (entry to Year 7 in September 2024)

Last day for lodging your appeal form (to start Y7 in Sept 2024)	Tuesday 2 April 2024 by 4pm to guarantee that your appeal will be heard in the first tranche of appeals. Appeals lodged later may not be heard until the second tranche which could be in September 2024. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply any documentary evidence at this stage.
Deadline for submitting any additional supporting evidence for your appeal	Closing date is 15 May 2024. You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account. Please provide the Clerk with FIVE copies of any new additional evidence BY POST ONLY. All such evidence to be submitted in A4 format and NOT bound, but may be stapled on the top left-hand corner. Paperwork submitted with your appeal form does not need to include 5 copies. These must be sent to EdAp, Sopers House, Sopers Road, Cuffley, Herts, EN6 4RY.
Stage 1 hearing - this is a group hearing for all parents to hear the presentation of the school's case	Wednesday 22 May 2024 at 4pm
Stage 2 hearing - this is when your individual private hearing will take place	Thursday 23 May 2024 to Friday 24 May 2024 depending on the number of appeals
Invitation letter giving you details about your appeal hearing will be sent to you by the Clerk to the appeal panel	At least 10 school days before the Stage 1 hearing by 8 May 2024
Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent appeal panel	Due to the high number of appeals held at this time, a decision letter may not be sent until up to 10 working days after the last hearing for the school.

The timetable for In-Year Appeals is as follows:

Last day for lodging your appeal form	Within 20 school days after the decision letter informing you that your child has not been offered a place. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply any documentary evidence at this stage.
The appeal hearing	Your appeal hearing will be held within 30 school days of receipt of your appeal form.
Invitation letter giving you details about your appeal hearing will be sent to you by the Clerk to the appeal panel	At least 10 school days before the hearing. This may be sent via email
Submitting any additional supporting evidence for your appeal	The closing date is 5 working days before your appeal hearing. You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account. Please provide the Clerk with FIVE copies of any additional evidence by POST. All such evidence to be submitted in A4 format and NOT bound, but may be stapled on the top left-hand corner. Paperwork submitted with your appeal form does not need to include 5 copies. These should be sent to PO BOX 367, Cuffley, Herts, EN6 4XZ.
Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent appeal panel	Usually within 5 - 10 school days after the hearing.

The timetable for Sixth Form Appeals is as follows:

Last day for lodging your appeal

Thursday 29 August 2024 by 4pm to guarantee that your appeal will be heard within the first weeks of September. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal on the online form and supply any documentary evidence at this stage e.g. a copy of your results sheet.

Please note the timetable is very short to enable those appellants who win appeals to start as early into the school year as possible.

Click here for the 6^th form appeal form

The appeal hearing

Your appeal hearing will be held during September 2024