Admissions Policy
Each application will be assessed individually. Applications are welcome any time during the academic year. All applications received will be reviewed and the pupil invited to spend a little time in school to allow the respective teachers to perform assessment, in class. We do not employ an entrance examination. Applications from parents of pupils with special educational needs are considered but acceptance is dependant on the ability of the school to provide for the specific needs of the pupil.
Parents/guardians are welcome to book a tour of the school with the Headteacher. The application form should be submitted along with an administration fee of £20, made payable to Barnsley Christian School, at this point. Applications for the Reception class must be made a term in advance.
The Envisioning session comes after the school visit; this is a presentation of the school’s ethos and a time for questions and answers. Following the Envisioning session, a visit to Hope House Church’s Sunday meeting is required; this is designed to help parents in their understanding of the Protestant Evangelical Christian tradition the school belongs to. Following the Envisioning session and the church visit, prospective pupils will be invited to spend between two days and a week in the school. This will enable teachers, parents and the pupil to assess standards and the ability to integrate into the school.
Parents will be then be invited for a final interview. This gives the school the opportunity to report back formally on the assessment of the pupil and for any further questions or concerns to be addressed. It is usually possible at the interview to confirm whether the pupil can be accepted into school. Application forms are included with this prospectus and should be forwarded to the School Administrator at the school address.
We welcome enquiries regarding pupils for all years up to, and including, Year Seven. Applications can be made for Year Eight though experience has shown that pupils over the age of eleven may find some difficulty integrating into the school curriculum due to the breadth of subject matter covered in earlier years in the school. Each application will be viewed on its own individual merit.
There is no requirement for pupils or parents to have a personal Christian faith. However, parents need to appreciate that the School is designated as a ‘School or Religious Character’ by the DfE. It is a Christian establishment with the clear intention of presenting the Christian faith to its pupils as truth and a way of life they could themselves embrace should they wish.