Admissions Procedure

Admissions are drawn from both within and outside the Wirral area, reflecting the broad community the school now serves, and applications comply with national arrangements but are prioritised in terms of school needs as follows*:

Nursery (18 full-time, or 36 part time, places): sisters of current pupils first, remaining places offered by random allocation from all those applying;

Reception – two form entry (40 places): children at the Academy’s Nursery and sisters of girls already in the Junior or Senior Department first, remaining places offered by random allocation;

Year 7 – Four form entry (100 places in total, of which up to 40 will be taken by girls transferring from Year 6 at the Academy, and 60 will be open to external applicants):  pupils transferring from Year 6 at the Academy are guaranteed a place.  Next, 10% of pupils are selected for aptitude for music.  To ensure the intake is representative of the ability profile of those children applying to the Academy, remaining places are allocated on the basis of banding in relation to those applying and, within each band, places are first offered to sisters and thereafter by random allocation.

All applicants are expected to sit a non-verbal reasoning test to establish their banding, and those who wish to be considered for selection for their aptitude to music will sit a music aptitude test.  Both tests will be held on Saturday 29 November 2008 at the school;

Year 12 – Sixth Form (100 place, of which we expect that 65 will be taken by girls transferring from Year 11 at the academy, and the remaining places (approximately 35) will be open to external applicants:  admission will be in line with Birkenhead High’s minimum entry requirement: six GCSE passes at Grade B or above, including English and Mathematics.  Individual subjects may also have particular requirements for the grades obtained at GCSE.

All places will be free once the Academy opens in September 2009:  parents currently paying school fees will no longer need to do so.

*As is legally required, priority is given to looked-after children at all phases, and (other than Nursery) to those with an SEN statement naming Birkenhead High School Academy.

How to apply

To apply for a place in Nursery, you must complete and return the Birkenhead High School application form.  The closing date for entry in September 2009 is 12th December 2008.

To apply for a place in Reception, for entry in September 2009, you must complete and return the Parental Preference Form, provided and administered by Wirral Children’s Services or, if you live outside the Wirral boundaries, you must complete your local authority’s form and return it to them.

To apply for a place for entry to Year 7 in September 2009, you must complete the Parental Preference Form, provided and administered by Wirral Children’s Services or, if you live outside the Wirral boundaries, you must complete your local authority’s form and return it to them.  In addition, parents or guardians must complete the Supplementary Information Form, provided by Birkenhead High School.

The Supplementary Information Form is to be returned to us before 4.00pm on 24th October 2008 for applications for the academic year 2009-2010.

To apply for a place in Sixth Form, if you are not currently a Birkenhead High student, please contact the school for and External Application Form.  The closing date for applications from external students for entry to Year 12 in September 2009 is 27th February 2009.

Further Information about the Test of Musical Aptitude

The test consists of 60 questions of four types: Pitch, Tunes, Chords and Rhythm.

Pitch: for these questions girls listen to two sounds and have to indicate whether the second sound is the same as the first, or whether it is higher or lower. There are 20 pitch questions

Tunes: for these questions girls listen to two tunes consisting of five notes. Girls have to decide whether the second tune is the same as the first or if one of the notes has been altered. If a note has been altered girls will identify which one of the five notes has altered. There are 10 tunes questions.

Chords: for these questions girls listen to a number of notes played together at the same time (a chord). Girls decide whether or not each chord has two, three or four notes. There are 20 chords questions.

Rhythm: for these questions girls listen to two patterns of notes each of four beats (pulses) in length. Girls have to decide whether the second pattern is the same as or different from the first pattern. If girls decide that the pattern is different they have to say which of the four beats (pulses) is different. There are 10 rhythm questions.

Please contact the Admissions Secretary for any further information:

Telephone:  0151 652 5777/5209
Email:  AdmissionsSec@birkhs.gdst.net