Oaklands is an 11-18 Catholic Comprehensive School now part of the Edith Stein Catholic Academy Trust in Portsmouth under the Trusteeship of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. The ethos of this school is founded on the principles of the Catholic tradition. We ask all parents applying for a place here to respect this ethos and its importance to the school community. This does not affect the right of parents who are not of the faith of this school to apply for and be considered for a place here, in accordance with the policy.

The Board of Governors is responsible for the policy of admission of students to the school. Students are admitted at 11+ without reference to ability or aptitude. The proposed published admission number for Oaklands Catholic School is 232.

Determined Admission Arrangements September 2024-2025

For admissions for September 2025/2026 click here

Determined Admission Arrangements September 2025-2026

For admissions for September 2025/2026 click here

Procedure for Making an Application Secondary Transfer

All applications to Oaklands Catholic School must be made on the Local Authority Common Application Form, (CAF) available to complete online via the Local Authority website. Paper forms will be available, from either the students’ current school or the Admission Team but only on request.

In addition to the Common Application Form, we request that parents complete a separate Supplementary Information Form (SIF). The additional information on this form assists Governors in placing applications in the correct oversubscription category. If no SIF is submitted Governors can only rank the application on the basis of the information contained in the Common Application Form. Without a SIF, in the event of oversubscription, the Governors would be unable to apply the correct tiebreak criteria and, as a result, the applicants may be ranked lower than others.

The Supplementary Information Form (SIF) is obtainable from Catholic Primary Schools, the Admission Secretary at Oaklands Catholic School, the school web site or the Local Authority. The SIF should be returned separately to the Admissions Secretary at Oaklands.

Relationship to Primary Schools

The Governors Admissions Committee will not be bound by the decisions of the Admissions Authority of any primary school, and will view each application on its own merits, against the criteria laid down in the Oaklands Governors’ Admissions Policy.

Applications other than at the Normal Date of Transfer

General

In general, where parents are applying for their child to transfer from another secondary school, for whatever reason, then the criteria set out in the Admissions Policy will be applied. For all in-year transfer enquiries, please contact the school.

If you have applied for a place at Oaklands Catholic School and Sixth Form, you can appeal against the decision to an independent appeals panel.

Process for all appeals

If you wish to make an appeal, the appeal forms are available from the School Admissions Secretary. These must be returned and clearly labelled for the attention of the School Admissions Secretary within 20 Days of an unsuccessful admission. This is known as Appeals deadline. With the forms you will be forwarded additional information about the appeals process.

Please note

  • You will receive at least 10 school days notice of your appeal hearing.
  • You must ensure any additional evidence you wish to submit in support of your appeal is received by the Admissions Secretary at least five school days before your appeal.
  • Decision letters will be sent within five school days of the hearing.

School days are term time only and do not include school holidays. If an appeal is submitted in the holidays the school days deadline will not start until the beginning of the next term e.g. an appeal received in July after schools have closed will not be heard until the new academic term,  ‘school days’ will start from the beginning of September when the term starts.

Admission Appeals Timetable for Year 7 in September 2025

Please click here to view the timetable.

Appeal for in-year admissions

Appeals against a decision in any other year group than Year 7 will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being received by the School Admissions Secretary.

Appeal for late admissions

Appeals against an unsuccessful late application for Year 7 will be heard within 40 school days of the appeal being received by the School Admissions Secretary. If the appeal is lodged after the appeal deadline, the appeal will be held within 30 days of the appeal being lodged.

Appeals to the Sixth form

Where the offer of a place would have been conditional upon exam results, appeals must be heard within 30 school days of confirmation of those results.

Where the offer of a place would not have been conditional upon exam results, appeals must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals.