Admissions


Transfer From Primary To Secondary School

Although St Oscar Romero School is a voluntary-aided school in which the Governors are the Admission Authority, we pay West Sussex County Council to administer the admissions process.

Applications can be made either on-line or through their offices at:
Pupil Admissions Admissions Office

Pupil Admissions Team

Bridge House

Barrington Road

Goring-by-Sea

Worthing

West Sussex

BN12 4FP

Telephone: 0845 075 1007
Email: [email protected]

Under the Education Act parents or carers can express a preference for any school but do not have the right to choose a school. West Sussex Education Authority does however make every effort to meet parental preference where possible.

The application process for children due to transfer to secondary school starts in September each year. All West Sussex resident parents must complete an application for a secondary school place by the closing date detailed on the West Sussex County Council admissions page.

Full details of how to apply, including deadline dates, a link to the on line application process can be found on the West Sussex County Council website CLICK HERE.

Please note that parents resident outside West Sussex will need to apply direct to the relevant local authority for their home address.

We do not have a catchment area all applications are ranked according to category your child comes under in our Admissions Policy and then distance to the school. You do not need to be Catholic to attend St Oscar Romero’s and currently many of our students are from non Catholic Backgrounds.

In order to ensure your child is placed in the correct category please also complete and return a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) to us. The form is located at the bottom of this page ‘Supplementary Information Form 2026-27’.

If your child is Baptized (Catholic, C of E etc.) or is member of a church please also include a copy of baptism certificate or letter from priest or pastor etc., as this puts your child in a higher category.

Our Open Evening takes place in October 2025 (TBC)   

In Year Admissions for St Oscar Romero Catholic School from 1 September 2024 until 31 August 2025

What are In Year Admissions?

You can make an in-year application if your child needs to join a school outside of the normal admissions round – for example, if you move house and your child can no longer attend their current school.

How Parents can apply for a school place

If you want to apply for an In-Year admission to St Oscar Romero Catholic School, you need to complete:

  1. A School Managed Application for In Year admission (IYA/SMA) – Application Form
  • The IYA/SMA Application Form can be found here: Click here
  • You MUST return the IYA/SMA Application Form to the school; Admissions Manager, Mrs K Godfrey, St Oscar Romero Catholic School, Goring Street, Worthing, Sussex BN12 5AF
  1. The School’s Supplementary Information Form (SIF)
  • The SIF is available at: Click here
  • You MUST return the Supplementary Information Form to the school:  Admissions Manager, Mrs K Godfrey, St Oscar Romero Catholic School, Goring Street, Worthing, Sussex BN12 5AF

Who processes your application?

The governing body is the admissions authority for St Oscar Romero Catholic School and has responsibility for admissions to the school, including setting the priority of admissions when the school is oversubscribed. The governing body will consider whether it has any vacancies and if so, whether they are able to offer a place. The school will confirm to West Sussex County Council as soon as possible. The school will contact you to let you know the outcome of your application.

When will parents be notified of the outcome of their application?

Upon receipt of an In Year application, the school will aim to notify parents of the outcome of the application in writing within 10 school days. However, it might take up to 15 school days. You must respond to any offer of a place within ten school days.

The right to appeal

If you are refused a place at any school you applied for, you have the right to make an appeal to an independent appeal panel. Where an application is refused, the school will set out the reason for refusal.

For applications for In Year Admissions, appeals must be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged. If parents wish to appeal, they must set out the grounds for appeal in writing.

Following an appeal hearing, parents will be sent a decision letter within five school days.

Other Information

Where an applicant is offered a school place following an in-year application, and the offer is accepted, arrangements should be made for the child to start school as soon as possible, particularly where the child is out of school.

If your child is not offered a place, you can add their name to a waiting list. Waiting lists are ranked according to each school’s admission criteria. Your child’s position on a waiting list may go down as well as up, for example, if other children with greater priority according to the school’s admission criteria are added to the list.

Note: a hard copy of this online page is available on request for parents who don’t have internet access

Waiting Lists

St Oscar Romero Catholic School maintains waiting lists for all year groups in accordance with the school’s over-subscription criteria. Please refer to our Admissions Policy below.


Appeals

Admission Appeals will be considered by an Independent Appeals Panel organised by West Sussex County Council in association with St Oscar Romero Catholic School.

Our main admission appeals, for Year 7 September 2025 applications, will be heard in June 2025 (dates TBC).

Following an appeal hearing, parents will be sent a decision letter within five school days.


Forms

Admissions Policy 2024-25
Supplementary Information Form 2024-25
Admissions Policy 2025-26
Supplementary Information Form 2025-26
Admimssions Policy 2026-27
Supplementary Information Form 2026-27