Joining Henry Cort
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Admission policies | Year 6 transition | In-year admissions | Appeals | Contact our admissions team |
Main-round admissions
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In-Year Admissions
There are occasions where parents/carers seek to move their child to a different secondary school at the end of or during an academic year. This is referred to as an ‘In-Year admission’. Whilst there may at times be good reasons for doing so, in many cases such requests for in-year admission to another school arise from issues which may well be straightforward for the home school to resolve.
In addition, the capacity of the receiving school to effectively meet the needs of a significant number of children joining them mid-way through their secondary education, or mid-way through a year, may well prove challenging, and a move may not be in the child’s best interests. Where a child has complex needs which are well-understood by the home school, a move is potentially disruptive and unsettling. If a child moves to a school further away, this may have an adverse impact on attendance and punctuality. Moving during secondary education might affect a child more acutely at Key Stage 4, where not all schools offer the same options, and where a move might adversely affect a child’s KS4 outcomes.
The district of Fareham and Gosport has 9 secondary schools, all with an inclusive ethos and commitment to meeting the needs of all young people. These secondary schools agree and endorse an approach which ensures that home schools seek to resolve issues, so that the young person remains at their original school. The schools recognise the right of parents to make in-year applications to other schools, and the receiving school will not lead these conversations. If a parent is considering an in-year move, they should contact the child's current school in the first instance.
In-year admissions for children with an EHCP
Fareham and Gosport secondary schools agree and endorse an approach which ensures that proper procedure regarding requests for in-year transfers for children with EHCPs is consistently adhered to and that, as far as possible, home schools seek to resolve issues, so that the young person remains at their original school.
Whilst there will at times be very good reasons for seeking a change of secondary school for a child with an EHCP, requests for in-year transfers can arise from issues in the home school which may be easy to resolve. In addition, the capacity of a receiving school to effectively meet the complex needs of a large number of children with EHCPs joining them mid-way through their secondary education, or mid-way through a year, can be very challenging in terms of resources and consequently not in the child’s best interests.
Moving between schools during a young person’s secondary education is often extremely disruptive for them, both socially and academically, and can have a detrimental impact on their chances of success, especially where the young person has complex needs which need to be met.
Parents seeking in-year changes of placement for children with an EHCP should not approach other schools directly. Please contact Hampshire SEN fareham.gosport.sen@hants.gov.uk
In-Year Application process
You can apply for an in-year place up to four school weeks before the place is needed. If you are offered a place, we will require your child to start within four school weeks. Parents seeking an in-year place starting in September 2026 can apply from 1 May 2026. These applications will be considered from 12 June 2026.
Please be aware our current PAN is:
- Year 7 - 150
- Year 8 - 190
- Year 9 - 190
- Year 10 - 165
- Year 11 - 180
To apply for an in-year transfer please apply online via Hampshire School admissions:
https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/admissions/applicationprocess/inyear
If you are considering The Henry Cort Community College and wish to have a look at the college or find out further details, please complete our Admission Enquiry Form .
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Appeals
If your application has been refused because the college has already reached its admission limit in your child’s year group. Places have been allocated according to the published admission policy. We have taken into account the County Council’s obligation under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to meet parental preference except where this would compromise efficient education or the efficient use of resources. Students have been admitted up to the limits of the capacity and resources of the school.
You have the right of appeal to an independent appeal panel against the refusal of a place at this school. If you would like to appeal against this decision, please visit www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/admissions/guidance/appeals to complete the online appeal form or contact the County Admissions Team on 0300 555 1377 to request an appeal pack by post.
Your child’s name will automatically be placed on the waiting list and will remain on it until 31 August 2025, at which point the waiting list will close. Please let us know if you do not wish your child’s name to be on the waiting list. If you need assistance finding an alternative school place for your child, please contact the County Admissions Team on 03707 796289, 790570 and 795819.
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Year 6 Transition
The transition from primary to secondary is an exciting time for most children but can also be an anxious time, and we strive hard to make the transition process as smooth as possible. We have a wonderful team of dedicated staff, who are committed to providing students with exciting learning opportunities that equip all students for the next stages in their lives.
We are proud of our transition programme, and we have a dedicated Transition Lead who is responsible for the transfer of Year 6 children to our college. Every child is important to us and a successful transfer often means happier children at the beginning of Year 7.
We also have an established programme of events:
- Year 6 transition day and parent information event
- Visits by Henry Cort staff to Year 6 pupils in their own schools
- A Year 7 induction day at the beginning of the first term
The transition lead will continue to support your child once they arrive here and throughout the autumn term. During this most important time, do not hesitate to contact us.
KS2-3 Transition arrangements for children with an EHCP
The district of Fareham and Gosport has 9 secondary schools, all with an inclusive ethos and commitment to meeting the needs of young people with an EHCP. A crucial stage of these young people’s school journey is phase transfer from KS2-3. Where managed successfully, this can have a powerfully positive impact on their chances of success at secondary school, and consequently, into adult life. An individual school’s capacity to meet the needs of its children with additional needs is another important factor in enabling these young people to be successful. Consequently, it is desirable that there is a level of equity and certainty about the number and identity of children joining each secondary school each year. Therefore, Fareham and Gosport secondary schools agree and endorse an approach which encourages as many families as possible to choose their catchment school as the secondary school for their child with an EHCP.
Sometimes, a school will have certain features which make it an obviously appropriate choice – for example, if it has a Resourced Provision suited to an individual child’s specific needs. However, in almost all instances, it will be the case that the child’s catchment secondary school will be able to meet their individual needs. All schools tend to share similar characteristics, resources and provision in this respect.
In this case, it is likely that a child being placed in their local secondary catchment school will have several benefits for them. For example:
- The logistical/geographical advantages of living near to their secondary school and the likely positive knock-on effects of easy travel to school and on attendance and punctuality.
- The opportunity to meet and form friendships and social relationships with other young people who live nearby and with whom they can spend time with outside of school.
- Easier access to before and after-school support and extra-curricular clubs and activities, important for wider engagement in school and the development of other interests, skills, confidence and cultural and social capital.
Please contact Hampshire SEN fareham.gosport.sen@hants.gov.uk if your child has an EHCP and you are considering joining our school in September.
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Admission policies
Please find our admissions policies available to download below.