Proposed Changes
Proposed Changes
The draft policy is available via the link below, proposed changes are highlighted in yellow. Hard copies are also available on request at the contact details
The main changes we are proposing are in relation to the oversubscription criteria:
- Our current admissions policy operates 2 zones in the event of oversubscription so that one third of places are offered to those who live closest to the school entrance and two thirds are offered to those who live closest to the Old Town Hall.
- The proposed change would mean that we would have one geographical catchment area based on distance to Old Town Hall as the east of the borough is least well served by secondary schools.
- 51% of places in this oversubscription category would be for pupils eligible for pupil premium and 49% of places which would be open to all pupils.
Parents would be required to complete a Supplementary Information Form that would need to be countersigned by the pupil’s primary school if they were to be considered for a Pupil Premium place. The deadline for this would be the end of October to coincide with the main round deadline.
The full oversubscription criteria would therefore be:
If the number of applications received for any phase or year group is greater than the number of spaces available, places will be allocated according to the oversubscription criteria and order below.
- ‘Looked After Children’ and children who have previously been a ‘Looked After Child’ but immediately following this became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order or special guardianship order, including those who appear (to Ark Schools) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
- Children of staff at the academy where the member of staff has been recruited to a post where there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Ark Schools must approve the Principal’s assessment process and designation of such posts to confirm the staff members’ eligibility under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year (i.e. 6 places in each 6-form year group).
- Children who, at the time of admission, have a sibling who attends the academy. For this purpose, “sibling” means a whole, half or step-sibling or an adopted child resident at the same address.
- Children of staff in the school who have been employed at the academy for two or more years at the time the application is submitted. Ark Schools must approve the Principal’s decision to allocate places to staff under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year (i.e. 6 places in each 6-form year group).
- Children who live closest to the Acton Old Town Hall, High Street, W3 6LE using straight-line measurement* from the main entrance of the Old Town Hall to the main entrance to the child’s home with 51% of these places prioritised for those children in receipt of Pupil Premium.
Rationale:
We are committed to improving outcomes for the most disadvantaged and believe that it is essential that we support those pupils to access the transformational opportunities that Ark Soane offers. We believe this can be achieved by allocating a percentage of places to those children in receipt of Pupil Premium.
Submitting Feedback
Comments on the policy and proposed changes should be submitted either by email or post to:
Email: info@arksoane.org
Post: Barbra Grundy
Ark Soane Academy
Gunnersbury Lane
London
W3 8EA
Correspondence should be headed “Ark Soane Academy Admissions Policy Consultation 2026”.
The consultation closes on Friday 18th December 2026, all comments should be received by this date.
Next Steps
Once public consultation has closed, Ark Schools (the admissions authority for Ark Soane Academy) will consider all feedback to the proposed admissions arrangements and make recommendations for final changes, where relevant. The final admissions arrangements will be determined by the Ark Schools Management Team before 28th February 2027 and published on the academy’s website.