THORNHILL COLLEGE         

142 Culmore Road                                          

Londonderry  

BT48 8JF 

Tel No:   028 7135 5800  

Fax No:   028 7135 3311 

E-mail:  info@thornhill.derry.ni.sch.uk               

Web:   www.thornhillcollege.org.uk

Principal: Ms S Mallett BSSc, MSc, MSc, PGDFHE, PQH                     

Chairperson of the Board of Governors:  Mrs E McCloskey  

Girls Voluntary Grammar School 

Age Range:   11 – 18 

Admissions Number:  200 

Enrolment Number:  1410

Roll Number:   1403 

 

Due to current Covid-19 restrictions this year, we are unable to facilitate our annual Open Night.

Prospective pupils and parents, however, are most welcome to please visit our school website to access video footage for a flavour of all that Thornhill College has to offer: www.thornhillcollege.org.uk

 

 

RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND PRINCIPAL IN RELATION TO ADMISSIONS

The Board of Governors draws up the admissions criteria and delegates to an Admissions Sub-Committee, which includes the Principal, the responsibility for applying these criteria. Any reference herein to the term the Board of Governors includes any Committee or Sub-Committee appointed by the Board of Governors for the purposes of applying the Admissions Criteria set out herein.

Careful consideration was given by the Board of Governors to temporarily remove the academically selective element from the Admissions Criteria for a second year for the academic year 2022-2023. Thornhill College remains committed to its own ethos and academic focus on high quality teaching and learning. Those who would normally apply to be admitted are encouraged to continue to do so.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA 2022

If the number of applicants exceed the number of available places, then the following criteria will be applied sequentially in the order set down below until all available places are allocated:

(1) Priority will be given to those applicants who have selected Thornhill College as their 1st Preference school.

(2) Applicants who have a sister/half-sister/step sister or legally adopted sister presently enrolled in the College or who will be in the coming year.

(3) Applicants who are the first girl of the family eligible to transfer to second level education. For the purpose of this sub-criterion “first girl of the family” will be interpreted in accordance with DE Circular 2016/15 Annex 2, “The Procedure to Transfer to Post-Primary Education”.

(4) Applicants who are registered for entitlement to Free School Meals at the time of completing the Online Transfer Application or on any date up to and including Wednesday 9th March, no later than 4.00pm and who have communicated within their application that they are listed on the EA register as being entitled to Free School Meals.

(5) In the event of oversubscription after the application of all the above cited criteria, applicants will be selected for admission on the basis of initial letter(s) of surname as entered on the pupil’s long birth certificate in the order set out below:

P S J O N W Y Z V I Mc E U H C T A M F Mac K L G X B R D Q

This order was determined by random selection and witnessed by an independent adjudicator.

In the event of surnames beginning with the same initial letter, the subsequent letters of the surnames will be used in alphabetical order. In the event of two identical surnames, the alphabetical order of the initials of forenames will be used. In the event of the forenames beginning with the same initial letter, the subsequent letters of the forenames will be used in alphabetical order. In the event of identical surnames and forenames, the initial of the second forename will be used. If any of these applicants do not have a second forename they will be placed ahead of those with a second forename. If applicants have identical surnames and forenames they will be placed in rank order of eldest child by date of birth as stated on their birth certificate and admitted in this order. If, after this process, any applicants still tie for a final place, the place(s) will be allocated by random computerised selection.

ELDEST/FIRST GIRL / AGE VERIFICATION

Parents/guardians of children transferring should be aware that if they are using criteria relating to a child’s age or child’s relationship, then that information will be verified. At the time of Online Transfer Application, a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a verifying letter stating that the child is the eldest girl and that the family is known to the verifier must be attached/uploaded to the Online Transfer Application. The verifying letter must by written on headed notepaper and signed by one of the following who is not a member of the applicant’s family:

a) a primary school principal

b) a medical practitioner

c) a solicitor

d) a clergyman or equivalent

ADDRESS VERIFICATION

AT THE TIME OF ONLINE TRANSFER APPLICATION, ADDRESS VERIFICATION DOCUMENTS MUST BE ATTACHED/UPLOADED TO THE ONLINE TRANSFER APPLICATION. ADMISSION WILL NOT BE FINALISED UNTIL VERIFICATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

All parents/guardians of children resident in Northern Ireland transferring must verify their address in Northern Ireland by providing any two of the following nine documents:

(i) A bank or building society statement of the Parents/Guardians/Child which shows the address at which the child is resident;

(ii) A utility bill of the Parents/Guardians (electricity, gas, television licence, telephone (landline, Land) and Property Service rate demand) which shows the address at which the child is resident which shows the address at which the child is resident;

(iii) A letter awarding Child Benefit to the child or another letter relating to this benefit;

(iv) The child’s Medical Card;

(v) Electoral ID card;

(vi) Driving Licence;

(vii) Addressed payslip;

(viii) Mortgage statement;

(ix) Rental agreement.

NOTES

APPLICANTS RESIDENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND AT THE TIME OF THE PROPOSED ADMISSION WILL BE CONSIDERED BEFORE ALL OTHER APPLICANTS.

WHEN CONSIDERING WHICH CHILDREN SHOULD BE SELECTED FOR ADMISSION, THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WILL ONLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT INFORMATION WHICH IS DETAILED ON THE ONLINE TRANSFER APPLICATION. 

PARENTS/GUARDIANS MUST THEREFORE ENSURE THAT ALL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THEIR CHILD AND RELEVANT TO THE SCHOOL’S ADMISSIONS CRITERIA IS INCLUDED/ATTACHED ON THE ONLINE TRANSFER APPLICATION.

THE PROVISION OF FALSE OR INCORRECT INFORMATION, OR THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE VERIFYING OR OTHER DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE BY THE REQUIRED DEADLINE, MAY RESULT IN EITHER THE WITHDRAWAL OF A PLACE OR THE INABILITY OF THE COLLEGE TO OFFER A PLACE.

THE COLLEGE SEEKS A PARENTAL CONTRIBUTION OF £50 PER FAMILY WHICH IS USED TO ENHANCE AND ENRICH PUPILS’ EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT OTHERWISE COULD NOT BE FINANCED FROM THE SCHOOL BUDGET.

A WAITING LIST OF PUPILS WILL BE KEPT. SHOULD A VACANCY ARISE AFTER 21st MAY 2022 ALL APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO YEAR 8, INCLUDING APPLICATIONS THAT WERE INITIALLY REFUSED, NEW APPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS WHERE NEW INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED WILL BE CONSIDERED AND THE ADMISSIONS CRITERIA (1-5) ABOVE WILL BE APPLIED TO FILL THE AVAILABLE PLACE(S).

NUMBERS OF APPLICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

APPLICANTS WHO HAVE A STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS WILL HAVE THEIR APPLICATIONS DEALT WITH BY THE EA UNDER SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS AND ARE SUPERNUMERARY TO THE COLLEGE’S ADMISSIONS AND ENROLMENT NUMBERS.

Year   2019/20

Admissions No.   200

Total Applications All Preferences   210

Total Admissions   201*

Year   2020/21

Admissions No.   200

Total Applications All Preferences   227

Total Admissions   202*

Year   2021/22

Admissions No.   200

Total Applications All Preferences   228

Total Admissions   203*

* Includes figures exceeding the school’s approved admissions number due to either statemented children or successful appeals.

Admission to Years 9 – 12

Pupils will be considered for enrolment provided that:

1. Their admission will not cause the school to exceed its enrolment number;

2. Their admission will not cause the particular year group to exceed the admissions number set for it, at its time of entry. This limitation will not apply to pupils recently come to reside in the area;

3. In the opinion of the Board of Governors, their admission would not prejudice the efficient use of the school’s resources.

Where there are more applicants who meet these criteria than there are places, preference will be given as follows:

(i) Applicants who held a place in a grammar school elsewhere and who have moved into the catchment area of the College.

(ii) Applicants whose sibling(s) are pupils of the College in the year in which the application is made.

(iii) Applicants who had originally applied for a place in the College and whose grade was equal to that of the minimum scored by those accepted that year.

Applications for admission at the start of a school year will normally be considered in late August. Applications for admission during the school year will be considered as soon as possible after the application is received. If at the time of consideration of applications there are more eligible applicants than places available, criteria 2-4 of the admissions criteria for entry to Year 8 will be applied.