Welcome from the Principal
Academic Excellence
Examination Results
What Our Students Have To Say
Catholic Ethos and Faithful Virtues
An Inclusive and Supportive Pastoral System
Careers Education and Progression
Personal, Health, Social and Education and Personal Development
Physical Education and Life Beyond the Classroom
Library
Designations
School Communication and Systems
General School Information
Admissions
Further Information
On behalf of our community at Bishop Challoner Catholic College, I’d like to extend a warm and heartfelt welcome.
In placing Christ at the centre, our school ensures that our Gospel Values are implicit in daily school life and in the way in which we reach out to serve the wider community. It is intrinsic within our mission to present to all pupils, both Catholic and non-Catholic, the Church’s vision of life through both words and, crucially, actions.
Our school is one of the highest performing non-selective schools in the country; it has outstanding examination results and is proud of the success of our young people who, at the end of their studies here, move on with excellent results, many to the top universities in the country.
More than that though, Bishop Challoner is a vibrant, dynamic learning environment, committed to the development of the whole child. We offer a broad, rich and balanced curriculum to nurture the academic, spiritual, moral and emotional growth of our students.
We have a wide range of extra-curricular programmes across not only sports, performing and expressive arts but, through enrichment in each and every subject area. Our school is dedicated to the fulfilment of its Catholic Mission Statement and is staffed by teachers who passionately believe in the vocation of teaching. We prepare young people to serve as witnesses to our moral and spiritual values in the wider world. To this end we are partners to our families and church in faith formation.
Dr J Coughlan PRINCIPAL
In our community of faith in Bishop Challoner Catholic College we give glory to God by developing our full potential and in our service to others in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
We are proud of our broad and balanced curriculum. We encourage all students to pursue excellence and to work to the best of their ability. Every encouragement is given to our students to enjoy learning, take responsibility for it and develop good learning habits including cooperation, collaboration, persistence and resourcefulness.
Our curriculum asks students to think about how they learn and solve problems and make decisions, in order to become independent and life-long learners, equipped to deal with work in the twenty-first century. All students follow National Curriculum core and foundation subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, Geography, History, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Technology including Food Technology, Computing, Art, Physical Education, RSE and PSHE.
Through our PSHE programme we include a detailed Heath Education Programme that includes Drugs and Sex Education.
In Year 7 students are taught in mixed ability groups. At the beginning of Year 8 we will look to place students in bands. The band a student is placed in will be influenced by their prior attainment from KS2, their academic progress made throughout Year 7, and their attitudes and commitment to learning.
When establishing mixed ability groups in Year 7, additional information received from Primary Schools is also used. We also use information from the screening process carried out by the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator. We use this information to ensure that students are placed appropriately when establishing teaching groups in Year 7.
Progress is monitored regularly and, where appropriate, students may transfer between teaching groups. Should this be required, parents/carers will be contacted.
All children are organised into mixed ability Form Groups for registration.
We have built a nationally recognised reputation as a dynamic and innovative school for teaching and learning. We are committed to using the best methods drawn from evidence based practice to promote the most effective learning for the students in our care.
We have a team of 10 Lead Teachers who are experts in teaching and learning, and who take responsibility for sharing the most up to date research evidence with staff.
Teachers in our school are committed to improving their teaching and learning, and every week we have opportunities for staff to read, implement, and share cutting edge teaching and learning practice together, so that our students get access to the best education possible today.
We have two staff who are Evidence Leads in Education, working with the local research school to spread the word about the best evidence based practice today.
We continue to put technology and innovation at the heart of our teaching and learning. All of KS3 have netbooks through the netbook project, and staff have had extensive training from our innovations team in the most effective way to use these to support learning.
You can follow our Teaching and Learning updates on Twitter: @BCTeaching
We have a happy and flourishing Sixth Form with an excellent reputation. Students consistently achieve impressive results which open doors to future success.
Students in our Sixth Form enjoy excellent working relationships with their teachers and Sixth Form Team. Our Student Services Department ensures that each student receives personalised guidance, be that invitations to master classes tailored to their needs and interests, mock interviews, individual support with university, apprenticeship and job applications.
Students in our Sixth Form continue to live out our Mission Statement “giving glory to God by fulfilling their potential and in service to others”. There are numerous opportunities to get involved in volunteering: Sixth Form students have served as subject mentors in several departments, volunteered with charity shops, care homes and food banks and run a fortnightly Seniors’ Tea Party, to name just some of their activities in the wider community in recent years.
Our Sixth Form students have a rich and varied curriculum. We offer an extensive range of A Level courses and vocational qualifications, which build on students’ talents and strengths, fostering in-depth learning and lead to excellent rates of progression to top universities and to other high quality Post 18 opportunities.’
The majority of our students progress to university and on average, around 45% of our students’ university destinations are to Russell Group universities. An increasing number of students are pursuing and securing prestigious and competitive apprenticeship opportunities, some of which leading to degree level qualifications.
Students are carefully monitored and closely supported with information, advice and guidance throughout their time with us. Our enrichment programme offers students the chance to develop new, and nurture existing skills, such as within the Duke of Edinburgh award, so that they may play a full part in their local community.
We would like to congratulate all our young people in Year 11 and Year 13 on achieving their GCSEs and A levels this summer and to pay tribute to them for the tremendous resilience and strength of character they have demonstrated in the last two years as they worked towards completing them.
We are extremely proud of them all for the efforts they have made to secure GCSE and A level grades that has allowed them to progress onto the next stage of their journey through life. We would also like to thank all our parent/carers for the support they have provided their children during this challenging time and for the support they continue to offer the school – it is much appreciated.
We offer our thoughts and prayers to all our young people in Year 11 and Year 13 as they embark on post 16 study, university study or work-related training in the coming weeks and months.
Attainment 8 = 53.1
English and Maths at Grade 4 and above = 84%
English and Maths at Grade 5 and above = 62%
A level pass rate of 98.2%
18% of grades at A*/A
48% of grades at A*/B
76% of grades at A*/C
94% pass rate
39% of grades at Distinction*/Distinction
55% of grades at Distinction*/Merit
75% attending university with 28% of those at Russell Group Universities
11% in apprenticeships, employment or Further Education
5% voluntary work/gap year
9% Other
Since joining Bishop Challoner Catholic College I have really enjoyed the many clubs and sports that they have to offer.
There are so many extra-curricular clubs run before and after school and they are all fun and competitive.
The lesson I enjoy the most is PE because I love sport.
In the future I am looking forward to exploring new opportunities that the school has to offer and passing my GSCEs and A Levels.
I have been really enjoying my time at Bishop Challoner. In my first year here I have seen how inclusive the school is and how it offers lots of opportunities to all students.
I have enjoyed my science lessons and the experiments that we have conducted. They have been really interesting and fun. I have also enjoyed history lessons.
At Bishop Challoner there have been lots of trips on offer such as, STEM trips to the Lickey Hill’s, reward trips to Drayton Manor any many many more. They have all been really fun.
I’m really looking forward to the future at Bishop Challoner and I’m excited to see what other trip opportunites the school has to offer.
One of the main aspects of Bishop Challoner that I have really enjoyed this year is the amount of opportunities I have had with trips and rewards.
PE has been my favourite subject because we were able to go swimming, the school has a brilliant dojo that we use and there are lots of different sports on offer.
At Bishop Challoner almost all subjects offer an extra-curricular club and everyone of all abilities are welcome to go along. I’ve particularly enjoyed art club, dance club, quiz club and the Year 7 STEM trip to the Lickey Hills.
In the future I can’t wait to sign up to DofE and some of the international trips that are on offer.
I have really enjoyed my first year at Bishop Challoner Catholic College. The school has a club for almost everything I can think of such as, sports clubs, science club, art club and many more.
I have loved the exciting trips that that the school has to offer and feel really lucky to be apart of it and have the opportunity to be involved.
The subjects I have liked the most this year have been maths, PE and computing. They are different to Primary school and I have really enjoyed my time in these lessons.
Year 7 has been a great year and I am really looking forward to meeting more new people and learning about exciting things in a range of subjects.
This is at the centre of all we do. In learning about the world we are learning about God’s world and so everything we do in school is part of our spiritual life. We know that we are unique and created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and we seek to recognise God in each person, in all our words and actions. In recognition of this, our spiritual life programme is vibrant. We pray together each morning in form time as well as in assemblies and we have retreats for all students of all age groups.
Our liturgies, special services, teaching group and year group masses are interwoven throughout the year. The liturgical season is linked into our daily collective worship and we celebrate the monthly devotions. Advent and Lent are given prominence in our school calendar and are linked to a number of charitable events that regularly take place. These offer increased opportunities for prayer; collective worship and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. All of these experiences ensure that we remain a community centred in prayer.
As a community we remain connected in our ethos by giving Glory to God in all that we do and encourage each other to be the person God has called us to be.
The school adheres to the Church Authorities’ guidelines for healthy relationships education based on the Church’s teaching on morality, the sanctity of life and family life education. Healthy relationships education is taught in the context of Religious Studies, Science and Personal and Social Education.
We show respect by being:
Our Religious Education is firmly founded in our faith. We follow the directives from the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, who are the trustees of the school. We continue to followed the Religious Education Catholic Directory for our curriculum. At Bishop Challoner, our outcomes in Religious Education are exceptional with 100% pass rate for A-Level and GCSE with 90% gaining level 4 or above, as well as 92% enjoyment from key stage 3 pupil surveys.
We continue to root our learning in the development of the whole person as a child of God, offering opportunities to dialogue and encounter other faiths and perspectives from Dharmic religions, Abrahamic and non-religions with an informative stance and Catholic lens.
We aim to offer opportunities to show Jesuit Values, which are virtues we as Christians strive to exhibit, such as compassion, attentive, faith-filled, eloquent, etc. In addition, to moments to live our faith, encounter God and go forth in bringing our best selves to this world and others by giving Glory to God through service. Laus Deo.
As our mission statement suggests, we give glory to God through our service to others and by fulfilling our potential. Such actions are commended at Challoner.
We are extremely proud of our students and their achievements. Recognition is given on a day-to-day basis with rewards and praise for excellent work and attitude. Teachers reward students using our online platform Class Charts, which is assessable to parents and carers. Students with the most praise are invited to reward activities and have included rock climbing, cake decorating and cinema trips, to name a just a few.
Assemblies, post-cards home, reward trips and our annual rewards evening ensures achievement is publicly recognised and celebrated. Our School Council evaluates the success and development of the reward scheme at three different points in the year to ensure it best represents how our young people would like their achievements recognised.
Every student matters to us. Our pastoral system is committed to ensuring our children feel secure and happy in their learning. Even before our children come to us our teachers will meet with their Year 6 teachers, so that we know a lot about our students before they arrive. To learn more about our students we have taster days and an open evening in July. All of this is to ensure an easy transition from primary to secondary school.
All of our students have named adults who can support them if they are worried: Form Tutors meet our students everyday and Heads of Year are also available to deal with more serious issues should they arise.
Additionally to this, we have a well established Student Services Department, which can offer even more support, advice and guidance where it is required.
As in every school, there are rules at Bishop Challoner; they exist to ensure that the children are safe, feel secure, work well in each other’s company and enjoy good relationships. Happily, most students co-operate, they are sensible, hard-working and courteous to one another and to staff.
The school is a Christian community and individuals within that community are expected to show self-discipline and be responsible for the consequences of their own actions. Students are encouraged at all times to think about the wisdom of what they are doing and its effect on others. These school rules are displayed around the school.
In order to live out our mission statement and develop our full potential, students are:
• Learned in the classroom, always punctual, organised and prepared.
• Attentive and listen to what is being taught, remaining silent when others are addressing the class.
• Intentional and resepectful and we follow all instructions the first time of being asked.
We have 7 whole school rules that all students must follow:
• Have good attendance and punctuality
• Follow instructions given by adults
• Be polite and show consideration, care and respect for others
• Respect the right of everyone to engage with teaching and learning
• Respect the environment, school property and the property of others
• Abide by the school dress code and come to school with the correct equipment
• Do not bring valuable items into school
Consequences will apply when either BC Basics or BC 7 standards are not met
Students, parents/carers and school will sign a Home/School Agreement in order to work together to promote high standards of academic study and behaviour.
Form Tutors have a pastoral overview of the needs of their students. They pray with their students every day, call the register, monitor attendance and punctuality, uniform and homework and respond to routine enquiries.
Heads of Year oversee the students’ general academic progress, pastoral welfare, attendance, punctuality, appearance and good conduct.
All Heads of Year and Assistant Heads of Year have teaching commitments; therefore any Head of Year/ Pastoral enquiries should be made by calling the main school number and selecting the most relevant option available or speaking to a member of our reception staff.
If student services staff are not available to answer a call in person, parents/carers are asked to leave a message with the nature of the enquiry/concern and a call back from the most appropriate member of staff will be made at their earliest convenience.
Consultation Tutors meet with parents/carers at Parents’ Evenings and Consultation events to review progress and discuss parental reports.
All students are required to attend school on time every day. Parents/carers should follow the school attendance policy to report a student’s absence from school by telephone, before the start of the school day (8.40am), on every day of absence. Parents/Carers are required to provide a reason for their child’s absence and the likely length of absence, if known. When returning to the school, students must bring an absence note to their Form Tutor, dated and signed by a parent/carer.
Text messages or phone calls from school are made where no absence has been reported. Should a parents/ carers receive such commnication they are required to contact the school as soon as possible.
Parents/carers should note that the Principal has no authority to give leave of absence for ‘long weekends’ or holidays in term time, as such absence may interrupt work.
Communication between home and school is very important, the following procedures are in place in the event that a parent/carer needs to contact school.
Parent/carer can call the main school telephone number, 0121 444 4161 and hold to speak to reception or select from the options available if the department is known.
Contact with Head of Year and/or Head of Department is expected to have been made before issues are escalated to Senior staff. Should a parent/carer need to speak to a Senior member of staff, contact can be made with the school by phone and following the procedures above. Any call back requests are passed on to the most appropriate Senior member of staff and contact is made at their earliest convenience.
At Bishop Challoner Catholic College we believe that every individual is special and made in the image of God. In living out our mission statement, it is the duty of all to respect each other and offer an environment where all feel secure and valued.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College is committed to safeguarding and fully recognises its responsibilities for protecting all members of our community and promoting the welfare of all our students.
We believe that all staff and visitors have an important role to play in safeguarding. All staff, including temporary staff and volunteers, are subject to stringent background checks including clearance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure their suitability for working with children.
Any requests for a face to face meeting with staff should be made using the same procedures as above. The purpose of any meeting request needs to be made clear. If more information is required a member of staff may contact the parent/carer before a meeting is arranged.
Parents/carers are asked not to attend school without an appointment unless there is a safeguarding emergency.
Safeguarding is defined as:–
Protecting children from maltreatment; Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development; Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its students. We believe that:
All young people will be listened to.
All young people have the right to be protected from harm, abuse and neglect. That every child has the right to an education and young people need to be safe and to feel safe in school.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College will fulfil their local and national responsibilities as laid out in the following documents:-
The most recent version of Working Together to Safeguard Children
The most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education: Statutory guidance for schools and colleges
The Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership
The Education Act 2002 s175
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy –
Bishop Challoner Catholic College.
Young people need support which matches their individual needs, including those who may have experienced abuse.
All young people have the right to express their views, feelings and wishes and voice their own values and beliefs in a safe environment.
All young people must be encouraged to respect each other’s values and support each other.
All young people have the right to be supported to meet their emotional and social needs as well as their educational needs, School must contribute to the prevention of abuse, victimisation, bullying, exploitation, extreme behaviours, discriminatory views and risk taking behaviours.
At Bishop Challoner Catholic College all children are entitled to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum. As a Catholic school, we acknowledge the unique creation of every person and endeavour to meet the individual educational needs of all students. We are committed to providing the right support in order to meet the needs of all students so that they can reach their full potential. Every teacher is a teacher of every student, including those with special educational needs and disability (SEND).
At Bishop Challoner Catholic College we aim to:
provide an environment in which all students are able to reach their potential, raise the aspirations of and expectations for all students with special educational needs and disability, to improve their outcomes ensure that the special educational needs of students are identified, assessed and provided for identify the roles and responsibilities of staff in providing for a student’s special educational needs ensure students are partners with school and parents in the decision making about their education enable parents to be involved with school and to support their child’s education.
Further details of the manner in which our aims are achieved can be found in the school’s Special Educational Needs policy document, which can be found on the school website.
This policy complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years, January 2015 and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:
Equality Act 2010: advice for schools DfE June 2014
Bishop Challoner’s SEND Information Report, (available on the school’s website)
Statutory Guidance on Supporting Students at School with Medical Conditions
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Teachers Standards 2012
The principles embedded in this policy link to other policies relating to: Admissions, Attendance, Antibullying, Behaviour, Safeguarding, Complaints Procedures, Disability Equality Scheme and Policy, Freedom of Information, Looked After Children, Pupil Premium and Race Equality Policy.
The school makes every effort to accommodate students with disabilities, both physical and sensory. However, the school is restricted in accommodating those children with physical disabilities due to the school being a two-storey building with no lift. Ramps are available to allow access to the ground floor level of the school, however without access to the first floor it is not possible to access the full curriculum. For those students with sensory disabilities the school calls upon the support and advice of the Visiting Teacher Service. The Sports Centre meets all requirements of the Disability Act.
Careers Education and guidance has never been more important than it is today and at Bishop Challoner Catholic College we will be preparing your child for a changing labour market and for jobs that do not exist yet. We are therefore committed to providing a full and broad careers education programme and access to good quality information, advice and guidance throughout Years 7 to 13 in order to prepare students for their next steps and ultimately, the world of work.
Unifrog activities
Careers themed assemblies and form time sessions
KS3
KS4
Careers themed PSHE lessons
Careers Fair
Talks with Employers
Unifrog activities
Careers themed assemblies and form time sessions
Careers Fair
Pathways assemblies Raising Aspirations Day (Careers)
CV Building workshop
Mock interview day
Employability day
Work Experience
Managing money
Post 16 Options assemblies
Post 16 support
Careers meetings with a Careers Adviser
Talks with Employers University and college visits
The careers education programme at Bishop Challoner Catholic College is implemented through: PSHE lessons, assemblies, form time activities, workshops, careers focused days and one-to-one careers meetings. Students will have multiple opportunities to meet with employers, colleges, training providers and university representatives (either in person or virtually) as well as to experience the world of work through work experience.
Students are well supported by their Form Tutor, Head of Year, Mrs Colgan (Careers Adviser) and Miss Darby (Careers Leader) who are on hand to advise and guide them to ensure that they make well informed decisions about their future plans.
Students from Years 7 to 13 have access to careers information, advice and guidance in the following ways:
Students can access a careers interview at any time. All Year 11 students and sixth form students will have at least one careers interview.
Throughout the Careers education programme students will become familiar with Unifrog, as well as other up-todate websites and resources such as the National Careers Service and the icould website.
The Unifrog programme aims to support students to progress into the best and most suitable opportunity for them. Unifrog is a one-stop-shop where students can explore their interests, then find and successfully apply for their best next step after school. It contains a wealth of information about any career or pathway any student might be considering. It is also a fantastic starting point for anyone who is not sure about their future direction.
At Bishop Challoner we recognise the importance of high quality PSHE. We provide our students with the knowledge and understanding of matters that affect their everyday lives within and outside of school, in order that they are able to make best and well-informed choices.
We deliver PSHE through a spiral curriculum of timetabled PSHE lessons, form tutor curriculum and activities, collapsed timetable days, assemblies, individualised pastoral support and through the use of external agencies.
Students engage with issues such as homelessness, safe relationships, online safety, alcohol and drug awareness, knife crime etc.
The national Citizenship curriculum is also taught through PSHE lessons and the wider PSHE curriculum time. Students engage with topics on modern politics, British and global values, community cohesion and how to live healthy and safe lives. Each year group is challenged with completing projects that helps them develop civic virtues at a local, national or global level, in relation to promoting British Values and our own Character Virtues.
Here at Bishop Challoner we aim to encourage all students to have a voice and use it well for the benefit of their community; one way they can do this is through School Council. Students are encouraged to be part of the school improvement process and to take an active and independent role in their community by working with their council representatives. In order to participate in School Council, students must verbally present the reasons they should be selected as a form representative to their form. Students are democratically elected and receive leadership skills training.
Relationships and sex education is delivered in a variety of ways including through Science, Religious Education, PSHE lessons, assemblies and tutor time. It was created in consultation with parents, governors, staff and students and is monitored closely and reviewed regularly. Due to the nature of the content of the new 2020 statutory curriculum, we implement most of the Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) programme within our Religious Education and PHSE departments. We ensure these lessons take place in a safe learning environment and are underpinned by our school ethos and values, which wholly align with those of the Catholic Church. A variety of opportunities are provided for pupils to ask questions to further their understanding and to find out more about what affects them personally.
The resources we use to deliver RSE in Religious Education lessons are provided by Ten:Ten - a Catholic education organisation. The Catholic Education Service and Birmingham Diocese have endorsed and promoted the use of Ten:Ten resources in all secondary schools. Their programme of study incorporates videos and Power Points specifically created to promote discussion and inform students about RSE issues. Every resource is rooted in scripture and informs students firstly of the Catholic Churches teachings whilst also sharing other world views as per the statutory framework. More information, including information on the right to withdraw, may be found on the RSE section of our school website.
There is an extensive extra-curricular programme run on a weekly basis, providing pupils with an opportunity to get involved in a large variety of clubs. Clubs are run by many departments and students in all year groups are welcomed to take part. Clubs available include a variety of Sports, Drama, Music and Homework. In addition, sports clubs run both before and after school, and well as fixtures in many of the clubs. These include Football, Netball, Basketball, Badminton and Athletics.
Furthermore there are numerous extra-curricular trips that run across year groups on a regular basis allowing pupils to develop holistically and gain access to an enriching educational experience outside of the curriculum. Some of these trips include Spiritual retreats, sport development tours, Outdoor Adventure trips, University and Science visits.
It is hoped that all students choose to take up some of the opportunities that are on offer to them. We would particularly encourage students that are gifted and talented to attend as there are a vast array of opportunities that we hope would encourage them to further develop their skills and abilities including an extensive Performing Arts programme, numerous Sports activities including Ball Crewing for the Lexus Birmingham Open Tennis tournament and other international tennis events. Additionally clubs such as STEM and Creative Writing help prepare students for Inter school competitions such as the Catholic School Games and even some National competitions, in which Bishop Challoner students have achieved very well in previous years.
Bishop Challoner has links with other schools in many other countries including Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the USA. These links include joint projects through email and video conferencing, as well as visits by staff and students.
The Bishop Challoner PE and Sport Premium Primary Programme uses the government funding to provide a wide range of opportunities for primary schools to develop staff confidence and competence to teach PE as well as providing more opportunities for young people to be physically active.
Throughout the academic year, courses for teaching staff are organised in athletics, OAA, gymnastics, dance, athletics and swimming etc. and schools can also benefit from having whole school training in any PE curriculum area. PE Coordinators in each primary school meet 3 times per year to network, share good practice and receive local and national updates on PE, school sport and physical activity. We have developed excellent links with Newman University and Swim England this year and will be organising specific courses in how to make PE lessons more active (through the SHARP principles) and swimming.
Schools also benefit from Play Leader training whereby 12 pupils and 2 teaching staff attend a training day that provides resources and ideas to play simple, fun playground games. Each play leader then gets allocated 1-2 lunchtimes per week back in their own primary school when they work with younger pupils with the intention that more young people are physically active.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College works with 37 local primary, secondary, special schools and PRUs through the School Games (SG) framework to provide competitive, non-competitive, fun, sporting events for pupils from Y313 to participate in.
These take place at schools and sports clubs across the area, such as at Billesley Tennis Centre, Kings Heath and Moseley Ashfield Cricket Clubs and The Irish Centre. We also provide opportunities to develop sports leadership through training and workshops as well as opportunities for more young people to be physically active.
One of the aims of the current government is for all schools to offer young people opportunities to be physically active for a minimum of 60 minutes per day (30 minutes in school and 30 minutes at home and at the weekend). This can be achieved in a wide range of ways, including through active travel (walking, cycling), active learning across the curriculum (e.g. active numeracy or literacy) and through getting involved in a local sports club or activities in local parks etc. The role of an SGO is 3 days per week and our mission, vision and outcomes, set by the Government and Sport England are shown here.
We organise a comprehensive event calendar for all schools which provides opportunities for young people to take part in competitions in such sports as gymnastics, basketball, football, cricket, tennis, badminton and swimming. Some of our events focus on fun and participation and the 6 SG values we use to promote fair play etc. are Teamwork, Determination, Passion, Self-Belief, Respect and Honesty and we provide certificates and badges to those pupils who take part in events across the year.
“The aim of the library is to create the environment and facilities where students and staff may read, study and seek information.”
The library is located right at the heart of the school and is a bright, welcoming space for Years 7-13 to study and read. It has both a formal study space as well as a more relaxed reading area for our students.
There are over 10,000 books on the shelves covering a wide range of subjects and genres including a graphic novel collection, selfhelp section, quick-reads and reference books. Our non-fiction collection reflects the curriculum as far as possible and also provides for recreational interest. Fiction aims to cover a wide selection of authors and genres.
We use Accessit Library at Bishop Challoner which enables all our students to search for and reserve our books via their netbooks, phones or home computers. Our school catalogue can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3xa9Jxd
We encourage students to also use a wide range of e-book platforms including LibbyApp, BorrowBox and obooko.
The main school library has 8 networked computers and a printer for ALL students to use. Adjacent to the main library is a Sixth Form study room equipped with 14 networked computers and printing facilities.
Reading is a vital part of the school culture at Bishop Challoner. Teachers are passionate about reading and want to share that with students. The Reading teachers= Reading Pupils programme, in conjunction with Cheltenham Literature Festivals, is a dedicated staff book group who read and review the latest young adult fiction and incorporate it into our lessons to share with students, once every half term. We also have a Key Stage 3 Reading group where we share this love of reading with our students. We know that reading will be immensely powerful for our students, not only in terms of developing vocabulary and understanding of the world but also developing our students’ sense of empathy. Research demonstrates that students who read for just 20 minutes a day achieve in the top percentile of exam results at the end of their school journey.
During the first few weeks of the autumn term, the Open Learning Centre runs an induction programme for all Year 7 students. Students are introduced to the facility and shown how to borrow and use resources. This programme is followed by another initiative to help the students locate the type of book they personally can relate to and enjoy reading. They are shown how to choose reading books independently and encouraged to read for pleasure throughout their school life. In addition reading clubs are run throughout the year and paired reading schemes have been successful.
Several special events celebrating student talents and providing new experiences have taken place in the OLC. These include the performance of the steel band, a sports champion showcase, a quiz, a board games day, a Balloon Debate and a Lesson in Sugar Craft. Chess playing is also encouraged.
The open Learning Centre encourages students to become Library Monitors and help run the Library. A structured training programme is in place which encourages the students to take on responsibility and make decisions. It also encourages new friendships and bonding through regular meetings.
In addition the students are encouraged to help plan and participate in various school fundraising activates that keep it involved in the school community.
The Open Learning Centre staff aim to help students use the Open Learning Centre in a way that benefits them and others so that it can be used and enjoyed by the whole school community holistically and educationally.
Since 2014, Bishop Challoner Catholic College has been proudly serving as the lead school for the Central Maths Hub.
The core purpose of Maths Hubs is to help schools and colleges lead improvement in mathematics education in England. They seek to harness all the maths leadership and expertise within an area, to develop and spread excellent practice, for the benefit of all pupils and students. They are part of the wider development of school-led system leadership in England, fully funded by the Department for Education, and coordinated by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College identifies strategic partners, who help plan and evaluate the hub’s work, and operational partners who help carry out the hub’s work. So, the hub is not just us – instead it is more like a maths leadership network involving schools, colleges and other organisations with maths education expertise from across our area, which covers Birmingham, Sandwell and Dudley. This development of excellent practice is conducted through localised Work Groups as part of wider Network Collaborative Projects.
There are 40 Maths Hubs that together serve all the regions of England. Each Maths Hub is open to working with any schools and colleges, from early years providers to post-16 institutions, in the broad geographical area that it covers. The benefits for schools and colleges engaging with their local Maths Hub include:
• Access to free professional development programmes
• Up-to-date information about all local maths education activities
• Participation in a network of Local Leaders of Maths Education (LLMEs)
To find out more, please visit our website www.centralmathshub.com, or follow us on X @CentralMathsHub.
Bishop Challoner Catholic College is a Training School. As Bishop Challoner Training School Alliance, we coordinate and run training for teachers at every stage of the career, across the West Midlands and beyond.
As part of this work, teachers and leaders in our school deliver teacher development courses including the Early Career Framework, and National Professional Qualifications for teachers at all levels of their careers. These include Specialist NPQS, and NPQs on Senior Leadership (NPQSL), and Headship (NPQH), the national gold standard training courses in education.
Our staff also write and deliver bespoke programmes, such as the Aspiring Middle Leader Programme, or the Teaching in a Catholic School programme. These attract teachers at all stages of their careers, from a huge variety of locations, and mean that teachers at Bishop Challoner are at the forefront of delivering training, reflecting their expertise in the classroom.
Our Training School Alliance works with many partners, including national partners such as Best Practice Network, or more local partners such as Multi-Academy Trusts who choose to collaborate with us on teacher training.
The work of Bishop Challoner Training School Alliance draws on the expertise of all our teachers, recognising their work as national best practice, and attracting new teachers who are excited by the opportunity to work in such an outward-facing organization with such a strong reputation for excellence.
More can be found about the work of BCTSA n the website, www.bctsa.org
From September 2024 we became a SCITT and deliver Initial Teacher Training (ITT) from September 2024 onwards.
This means we will be accrediting our own teacher training course for new teachers. We will be offering a large range of courses, with over 17 Secondary subjects, and 5 Primary specialisms offered. Trainees can also choose to achieve QTS and a PGCE (accredited by Bath Spa University), do QTS only, or take up the option of a Part Time route.
We are very excited to be working with a number of Lead Partner Multi-Academies who have chosen to partner with us to offer our brand new programmes to their trainees next year.
The SCITT will be offering training ‘by teachers for teachers’, with Bishop Challoner teachers designing the programmes and curriculum for our trainees. Our new trainees will be truly learning from the best experts in the region: the Bishop Challoner teaching staff.
WHAT IS CLASS CHARTS?
Class Charts is a school management system for teachers, students and parents. It is currently used in over 1000 secondary schools nationally and has been highly recommended by many schools in our local area. Class Charts allows staff, students and parents to keep in touch and communicate better.
HOW TO ACCESS CLASS CHARTS
Students and parent/carers will be provided with an access code. There are two main ways that both parents and students can use Class Charts-
1. Easiest and most convenient way is an App on either Android or Apple phones
2. The second method is to login through www.classcharts. com
WHAT WILL BE SEEN ON CLASS CHARTS?
Initially you will see all Homework set via Class Charts, as the school develops the system further it has the facility to share information with parents/carers about achievement and behaviour, attendance and detentions.
We operate an online payment system. This system will be the only way for you to make payments for your child’s school meals and selective school trips.
WHAT IS APPLICAA?
WHAT IS SCHOOLCLOUD?
SchoolCloud is a platform that simplifies the process of scheduling and conducting parents’ evenings, offering features like automatic appointment booking, video meetings, and data management.
HOW TO ACCESS SCHOOLCLOUD
Parent/carers will be provided with the SchoolCloud link when a parent/carer consultation is organised. Login credentials will be the parent/carer name and the student name that we hold in our system.
WHAT WILL BE SEEN ON SCHOOLCLOUD?
You will see the availability of the Consultation Tutor assigned to your child.
All students that arrive late to school or finish early are required to sign in and out of the school site.
The system allows students to find their name and give a reason for their lateness/early finish. InVentry will then link back to our main school system.
InVentry is also used for signing in and out all parent/ carers that are onsite for prearranged visits and all other visitors/contractors.
Applicca is a school management system for streamlining admissions, marketing, enrolment and onboarding. They are currently the UK’s biggest admissions network supplying over 2,200 schools, sixth forms and colleges.
HOW TO ACCESS APPLICAA
The Local Authority will share details of the students that have successfully been offered a placement with the school. From this data we are able to create Applicaa accounts. Parents/carers will receive email communication where they will be able to access the schools Transition Application Form.
Throughout the City of Birmingham Bishop Challoner is recognised for its discipline and sensible organisation. The following procedures are essential to the good running of the school.
Parents/carers are required to keep the school informed of any medical problems relating to their child. Any medicines brought into school must be handed to the school’s first-aider for safe keeping together with a parental letter of consent for medication to be administered. Students who have to receive dental or other treatment must go to the Pastoral Office and show their appointment card and a note from their parents/carers that includes the time the student will need to leave school for the appointment.
The School Nurse visits regularly to carry out routine health checks and will contact you if there are any concerns. The Local Authority medical services also arrange vaccinations and dental inspections; again, you will be informed when these will occur.
The school asks for the details of 3 contacts. It is very important that the school has an up-to-date EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER (in addition to your home number) in case we need to contact you urgently.
Please support Bishop Challoner in insisting that your child does not bring valuable items or large amount of money into school. If for some reason items of value have to be brought to school, they should be handed straight into the Pastoral Office.
A comprehensive range of meals is served cafeteria style in the dining room during the lunch break. Light snacks are also available before school and during break time. Students with special diets must inform the Pastoral Office. The school uses a biometric fingerprint, cashless system. Those who are entitled to free school meals should apply using the link on the school website. If you need further help with any matter relating to your child’s school meals provision, please contact Mrs HouldcroftFlint. It is essential that ALL STUDENTS STAY ON THE PREMISES DURING BREAKS.
We would like to stress that parents/carers are not permitted to drive their cars onto school premises when dropping off or collecting children. This avoids congestion and possible danger to children entering or leaving the site. We encourage students to use eco-friendly travel methods to get to and from school.
It is the policy of the school Governing Body to request students to make a contribution towards the cost of visits which take place in school time. A charge is made for maintenance of instruments to students receiving peripatetic music lessons. Full details can be found in our Charging and Remissions policy.
8.30 - 8.40
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MONDAY
2.30 - 3.30
TUESDAY - THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Black blazer with school badge
Royal blue, long sleeved, V neck jumper or sweatshirt (Year 11 jumper is maroon)- optional (Jumpers/sweatshirts must not carry a motif)
Black pleated skirt of knee to mid calf length worn on the waist not the hips (maximum of 5 cm above the knee/stretch/lycra/ straight skirts are forbidden)
Black full length school trousers (not flared/turn ups/skinny/leggings/hipsters/black jeans)
White or blue shirt
School tie royal blue and silver (maroon and silver for Year 11)
Plain black opaque tights
Formal black leather/leather look school shoes (Trainers/Trainer type shoes and boots are forbidden. No colours on the shoes)
Shoes must be all black.
Students are required to wear the standard uniform of blazer, tie, white/blue shirt with black school trousers (or knee length black pleated school skirt). If students are wearing a skirt they must also wear plain, black, opaque tights. Students are reminded that plain black school shoes should be worn and that trainers/trainer style shoes are forbidden.
Summer uniform is permitted after May half term. It will not be compulsory for students to wear a blazer, they are able to wear just a shirt and tie. If a second layer is required, it must be a blazer and not any other item such as a hoody or outdoor coat. Students are permitted to wear flesh coloured or black tights. All other uniform requirements remain unchanged.
Navy blue shorts with school badge
Navy blue leggings with school badge
White sports socks (must be plain and above the ankles)
Trainers or running or cross trainers (pumps, converse or vans are strictly forbidden)
Additional Information:
Black/navy plain swimming costume (only required in year 7).
Optional navy blue tracksuit bottoms with or without school badge
Optional navy blue 1/4 zip top with school badge
Students must bring their PE kit to every PE lesson, even if they have a note, as the PE staff will involve students in refereeing, scoring or to analyse the performance of other students. Students will be expected to wear the PE kit provided if they fail to bring their own. All PE kit is available from Clive Mark and will carry the Bishop Challoner School crest.
Students are not allowed to wear makeup, nail varnish, acrylic nails or jewellery to school at any time. One pair of plain gold or silver studs only to be worn in the lobes. No piercings in any other part of the ear are permitted. These must be removed for PE.
Our uniform requirements are complemented by a smart appearance and as such, hair styles that should not have a distinct contrast in length. Hair that is dyed must be of a natural hair colour and may not contain more than one colour. To avoid a health and safety risk, long hair must not impede vision or cover the face, except for a fringe which must not cover the eyes. Long hair must be tied up for practical lessons. Religious head coverings must be black and securely tied for practical lessons. Hair bands or accessories must be for functional use to secure the hair . Where hairbands are worn they must be black. Headwear that has religious or cultural purpose should be black. The final decision as to whether a particular haircut/style is appropriate is at the discretion of senior staff.
We hope that all students will co-operate fully with the above dress code. The final decision as to whether a student’s appearance is appropriate or not rests with the school.
Students require all the usual writing materials: pen, pencil, rubber, ruler etc. and their netbook. All computer-based work will be backed up using Microsoft OneDrive and we encourage students to not rely on removable storage such as memory sticks or external hard drives. A strong school bag is essential to keep equipment and books in good condition.
With most students in school now owning mobile phones for use to and from school, it is important that they are also not a distraction to study. If a mobile phone is seen or heard during lessons and around the school students will have them confiscated and they will be returned at the discretion of senior staff/Heads of Year. In more persistent cases, phones may only be returned to parents/carers.
Students are permitted to bring a bottle of water into school. We have a refilling station that can be used at break and lunchtime.
Fizzy drinks and energy drinks are NOT allowed in school and will be confiscated and disposed of if seen.
Sweets and chewing gum are NOT allowed in school and will be confiscated and disposed of if seen.
The admission limit to Year 7 is 200 students. For admission to the current Year 7, 1136 preferences were received, ranking the school 1–6, for 200 places. Applications are made on the LA Preference Form.
A copy of the School’s admission criteria is below and it is strictly adhered to.
Applications are made directly to the School. In the event of over subscription, the School’s admission criteria for the Sixth Form will be strictly adhered to.
Determined Birmingham School Admission Criteria September 2026.
School name Bishop Challoner Catholic College
School address Institute Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7EG
Headteacher Dr J Coughlan
Admission Number 200
The admissions process for Bishop Challoner Catholic College is part of the Birmingham Local Authority co-ordinated admissions scheme. To apply for a place at Bishop Challoner Catholic College in the normal admissions round, an application must be made using the school admission application process of the local authority in which you live naming Bishop Challoner Catholic College on the application form. Applications need to be made by 31st October 2025. A Supplementary Information Form (SIF) must also be completed and returned directly to the school by the same date (see Note 2).
All applications which are submitted on time will be considered at the same time, after the closing date.
You will be advised of the outcome of your application on 1st March 2026, or the next working day, by the local authority on behalf of the school.
Please note that throughout this policy, the term parent means all natural parents, any person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility for a child and any person who has care of a child.
The ethos of this school is Catholic. The school was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its Trust Deed and Instrument of Government and seeks at all times to be a witness to Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tel no: 0121 444 4161
As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education be fully supported by all families in the school. We therefore hope that all parents will give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for and be admitted to a place at the school in accordance with these admission arrangements.
The governing body is the admissions authority and has responsibility for admissions to this school. The governing body has set its Published Admission Number (“PAN”) at 200 pupils to be admitted to Year 7 in the school year which begins in September 2026. (See Note 1 below)
Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority. In Criteria 1-6 inclusive, if there is oversubscription within a category, the Governing Body will give priority to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance (see Note 6 below).
In criteria 7-10 inclusive, if there is oversubscription in a category, the Governing Body will give priority firstly to those applicants who have a brother or sister (see Note 4 below) attending Bishop Challoner Catholic College at the time of admission and then secondly to those children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance (see Note 6 below).
1. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below) who are looked after or previously looked after (See Note 3 below).
2. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below) who have a brother or sister (see Note 4 below) attending Bishop Challoner Catholic College at the time of entry.
3. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below) currently attending a named feeder school (see Note 5 below).
4. Baptised Catholic children (see note 2 below) who currently live in the parish area of a named Catholic feeder school (see Note 5 below) who are not currently attending a named Catholic feeder school (see Note 5 below).
5. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below) of staff appointed by the Governors to permanent positions at Bishop Challoner Catholic College for two or more years before the time at which the application was made and/or a member of staff recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
6. Other Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 below).
7. Non-Catholic children who are looked after or previously looked after (See Note 3 below).
8. Non-Catholic children currently attending a named feeder school (see note 5 below).
9. Non- Catholic children of staff appointed by the Governors to permanent positions at Bishop Challoner Catholic College for two or more years before the time at which the application was made and/or a member of staff recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
10. Other Non-Catholic children.
The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other children.
An Education, Health and Care Plan is a plan made by the local authority under section 37 of the Children and Families Act 2014, specifying the special educational provision required for a child.
In all categories, for a child to be considered as Catholic, evidence of Catholic Baptism or Reception into the Church will be required. For a definition of a Baptised Catholic, see the Appendix. Those who face difficulties in producing written evidence of Catholic Baptism or Reception into the Church should contact their Parish Priest.
Parents making an application for a Catholic child should also complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) which should be returned directly to the school. If you do not provide the information required in the Supplementary Information Form and return it by the closing date, together with all supporting documentation, this may affect the criteria that your child is placed into, which may affect your child’s chance of being offered a place at this school.
For the purposes of this policy, a looked after child living with a family where at least one of the carers is Catholic will be considered as Catholic. The carer must forward a copy of their own Catholic Baptismal or Reception certificate directly to the school in order for this priority to be given to the child as failure to do so will result in the looked after child being ranked as a non-Catholic.
NOTE 3
A “looked after child” has the same meaning as in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, and means any child who is (a) in the care of the local authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by them in the exercise of their social services functions (eg children with foster parents) at the time of making the application to the school. A “previously looked after child” is a child who was looked after, but ceased to be so because he or she was adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order and includes those children who appear (to the governing body) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state case as a result of being adopted.
For the purposes of this policy, a looked after child living with a family where at least one of the carers is Catholic will be considered as Catholic. The carer must forward a copy of their own Catholic Baptismal or Reception certificate directly to the school in order for this priority to be given to the child as failure to do so will result in the looked after child being ranked as a non-Catholic.
• For all applicants the definition of a brother or sister is:
• A brother or sister sharing the same parents
• A half-brother or half-sister, where two children share one common parent
• A step-brother or step-sister, where two children are related by a parents’ marriage or civil partnership, or where they are unrelated but their parents are living as partners.
• Adopted or fostered children
NOTE 5
The named feeder schools for Bishop Challoner Catholic College are:
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School (Billesley)
St Alban’s Catholic Primary School (Kings Heath)
St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School (Moseley)
St Dunstan’s Catholic Primary School (Kings Heath)
St Jude’s Catholic Primary School (Brandwood)
St Edward’s Catholic Primary School (Selly Oak)
SS John & Monica Catholic Primary School (Moseley)
St Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School (Moseley)
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School (Harborne)
The parish areas for the named feeder schools are as follows:
Our Lady of Lourdes Yardley Wood, St Dunstan Kings Heath, English Martyrs Sparkhill, St Jude Maypole, St Edward Selly Park, St John & St Martin, Balsall Heath and St Mary Harborne
For the purposes of this policy, parish boundaries are as shown on the Archdiocese of Birmingham parish boundary map which can be accessed at https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/boundary-map and will be applied to the admission arrangements for the academic year 2026/2027.
Distances are calculated on the basis of a straight-line measurement between the child’s home address and the front gate of the school. The Local Authority uses a computerised system, which measures all distances in metres. Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are used to plot a child’s home address and the address of the school. In a very small number of cases, where the school is oversubscribed, it may not be possible to decide between the applications of those pupils who are the final qualifiers for a place when applying the published admission criteria.
For example, this may occur when children in the same year group live at the same address, or if the distance between the home and the school is exactly the same, for example, blocks of flats. If there is no other way of separating the application according to the admissions criteria and to admit both, or all, of the children would cause the Published Admission Number for the child’s year group to be exceeded, the Local Authority, on behalf of the Governing Body, will use a computerised system to randomly select the child to be offered the final place.
The governing body will, where logistically possible, admit twins and all siblings from multiple births where one of the children is the last child ranked within the school’s published admission number.
A child’s home address refers to the address where the child usually lives with a parent or carer and will be the address provided in the Local Authority’s Common Application Form.
Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives for part of the week with each parent, the home address will be the address provided in the Local Authority’s Common Application Form, provided that the child resides at that address for any part of the school week.
Parents may be requested to supply documentary evidence to satisfy the Governing Body that the child lives at the address put forward by the parents.
The governing body reserves the right to withdraw the offer of a place or, where a child is already attending the school the place itself, where it is satisfied that the offer or place was obtained by deception.
APPLICATIONS FOR CHILDREN TO BE ADMITTED INTO A CLASS OUTSIDE OF THEIR NORMAL AGE GROUP
Parents have the right to request, but not insist, that their child be considered for admission to a class outside of their normal age group. This could be the case, for example, if a child is gifted and talented, has experienced problems such as ill health, or is already being educated in a class outside of their normal age group at their current Primary school. Parents who wish for their child to be considered for admission to a class outside of their normal age group must make an application for the normal age group in the first instance. Parents must then submit a formal request to the Governing Body for the child to be considered for a different age group class instead. This request should be in the form of a written letter of application outlining the reasons why they wish for their child to be considered to be admitted into a class outside of their normal age group and enclosing any supportive evidence and documentation that they wish to be taken into account as part of that request.
The Governing Body will consider requests submitted for a child to be admitted into a class outside of their normal age group and advise parents of the outcome of that request before national offer day, having taken into account the information provided by the parents, the child’s best interests and the views of the Head Teacher.
If the request is refused, the original application for the normal age group class will progress through the Local Authority co-ordinated admissions scheme, be considered by the Governing Body and the parents advised of the outcome.
If the request is agreed and the year group for which the parents have requested a place is a current year group in the school, then the application will be considered by the Governing Body and the parents advised of the outcome.
If the request is agreed and the year group for which the parents have requested a place is for a future year group, ie Year 7 in September 2027, then the original application is withdrawn and the parents must submit a fresh application for Year 7 2027 when applications open in the autumn term of 2026. Please note that parents only have the right to re-apply for a place. Where the Governing Body agrees to consider an application for Year 7 the following year, that application is considered alongside all other applications received and parents will be advised of the outcome of that application on national offer day. No place is reserved or held for the child in advance.
If parents are considering submitting an application for their child to be admitted into a class outside of their normal age group, it is strongly recommended that they also read the DFE guidance which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ summer-born-children-school-admission
Parents who wish to appeal against the decision of the Governing Body to refuse their child a place in the school should make that appeal request in writing to the Chair of Governors at the school address. Appeals will be heard by an independent panel.
Please note that parents do not have the right to appeal if their request for their children to be admitted to a class outside of their normal year group has been refused, but the Governing Body have offered a place in the normal age group instead.
Any parent can apply for a place for their child at any time outside of the normal admissions round. Parents do not have the right to a second appeal in respect of the same school for the same academic year unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Governing Body has accepted a second application from the parent because of a significant and material change in the circumstances of the parent, child or school, but have still refused admission.
Late applications will be dealt with in accordance with the Local Authority’s co-ordinated admissions scheme. This states that in exceptional circumstances applications submitted to Birmingham local authority after the final closing date, but before the date that Birmingham local authority forwards the applications to the appropriate admission authority for consideration, may be considered at the same time as those which were received by the final closing date. Discretion will be used when considering the individual circumstances. For example where:
• There were exceptional reasons which prevented the parent from applying by the closing date.
• A child and the parent have moved home.
• Where the parent has been contacted regarding the information contained within their application, for example, an incomplete application or potentially misleading information requiring further investigation.
All late applications received after the date that Birmingham local authority forwards the applications to the appropriate admission authority for consideration, but before the offer of places, will only be considered after those applications which were received on time have been considered. Such applications may therefore be less likely to be offered a place. All late applications received after the offer of places will be considered. In the event that Bishop Challoner Catholic College is undersubscribed, a place will be offered. Applications made on or after the start of the Autumn Term 2026 will need to be submitted directly to the school and will be treated as an in-year application.
You are encouraged to ensure that your application is received on time.
Parents can submit changes of preferences from 1st September 2025 up until the closing date 31st October 2025 and the family’s latest change in preferences up until the closing date will be the application that is processed. Any late changes of preferences received after 31st October 2025 no matter the family’s circumstances, will not be processed until after the offer of places on 1st March 2026 (or the next working day). Parents in Birmingham are restricted to a maximum of six live preferences at a time, it is therefore important that parents visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions for further information of the implications of making late changes of preferences.
In addition to their right to appeal, children who have not been offered a place at Bishop Challoner Catholic College but were offered a school that was ranked as a lower preference on their application form will be added to a waiting list.
The waiting list will be maintained until the last day of the summer term 2027 and will then be discarded.
A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed. When a new child joins the waiting list, all applicants on that waiting list will be re-ranked to ensure that the list is always maintained in oversubscription criteria order. This means that a child’s position on the waiting list could go up or down during the time that it is on the list. Any late applications accepted will be added to the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
Inclusion on the waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available. It may be that those already offered places may accept them, thereby filling all available places.
Children on the waiting list who attend a named feeder school (see Note 5 above) who have not been offered a place in the school by the beginning of the Autumn term 2026 will be re-ranked to take into account that they will no longer be attending that feeder school from 1st September 2026. This will affect the oversubscription criteria that your child is placed into on the waiting list from 1st September 2026.
Children who are the subject of a direction by the Local Authority to admit or who are allocated to a school in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol take precedence over those on a waiting list.
The Governing Body of Bishop Challoner Catholic College is committed to taking its fair share of children who are vulnerable and/or hard to place, as set out in locally agreed protocols. Accordingly, outside the normal admission round the governing body is empowered to give absolute priority to a child where admission is requested under any locally agreed protocol. The Governing Body has this power, even when admitting the child would mean exceeding the published admission number subject.
An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the normal admission round and the child will be admitted where there are places available. Further information regarding instructions on how to apply for a place in the school at any other time other than the normal intake is available on the school’s website at https://bishopchalloner.org.uk/informationabout-our-school/admissions
Parents will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing and, where the Governing Body’s decision is to refuse their child a place, have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel.
If there are no places available and admission is refused, the child will be added to the waiting list in line with the Waiting List section above.
There is no charge or cost related to the admission of a child to this school.
ADMISSION TO THE SIXTH FORM
The school operates a sixth form for a total of 300 pupils. 160 places overall will be available in Year 12. Whilst the admission number is 50, if fewer than 110 of the school’s existing pupils transfer into Year 12, additional external pupils will be admitted until Year 12 meets its capacity of 160.
Applications for the Sixth Form should be made directly to the school using the application form available from the school’s website. Completed application forms must be returned to the school by the last working day of September.
Both internal and external pupils wishing to enter the sixth form will be expected to have met the same minimum academic entry requirements for the sixth form. These are:
• A level courses– a minimum of 6 GCSEs at Grade 5 and above and a minimum Grade 6 in the subject to be studied at AS, or an equivalent subject. In certain circumstances students with 5 GCSEs may be accepted. Very exceptionally, students who do not quite meet these entry requirements may be considered. This will be at the discretion of senior staff and Heads of Subject and the offer of a place will be subject to the completion of a trial period, the length of which will be determined.
• Level 3 BTEC courses – a minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 and above, preferably to include GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4.
• For external students a reference will be required from their current institution.
In addition to the sixth form’s minimum academic entry requirements pupils will need to satisfy minimum entrance requirements to the courses for which they are applying. If either internal or external applicants fail to meet the minimum course requirements they will be given the opportunity of pursuing any alternative courses for which they do meet the minimum academic requirements. Course requirements are published annually in the school’s prospectus and on its website.
When Year 12 is undersubscribed all applicants meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will be admitted or permitted to progress.
When there are more external applicants that satisfy any academic entry requirements priority will be given in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out below.
Where there is space in Year 13, ie where there are fewer than 140 pupils in the year group, the school will admit additional pupils up to this number using the oversubscription criteria set out below.
Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority. If there is oversubscription within a category, the Governing body will give priority firstly to children who will have a brother or sister (see Note 4 above) attending Bishop Challoner Catholic College at the time of admission and then secondly to children living closest to the school determined by the shortest distance (see Note 6 above)
The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school must be admitted. Where this takes place before the allocation of places under these arrangements this will reduce the number of places available to other children.
An Education, Health and Care Plan is a plan made by the local authority under section 37 of the Children and Families Act 2014, specifying the special educational provision required for a child.
OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA FOR SIXTH FORM
1. Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 above) who are looked after or previously looked after (see Note 3 above)
2. Baptised Catholic students with brothers or sisters (see Note 4 above) attending at the time of entry.
3. Other Baptised Catholic children (see Note 2 above)
4. Non-Catholic children who are looked after or previously looked after (see Note 3 above)
5. Other Non-Catholic children.
A “Baptised Catholic” is one who:
Has been baptised into full communion (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 837) with the Catholic Church by the Rites of Baptism of one of the various ritual Churches in communion with the See of Rome. Written evidence of this baptism can be obtained by recourse to the Baptismal Registers of the church in which the baptism took place (Cf. Code of Canon Law, 877 & 878).
Or
Has been validly baptised in a separated ecclesial community and subsequently received into full communion with the Catholic Church by the Rite of Reception of Baptised Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church. Written evidence of their baptism and reception into full communion with the Catholic Church can be obtained by recourse to the Register of Receptions, or in some cases, a sub-section of the Baptismal Registers of the church in which the Rite of Reception took place (Cf. Rite of Christian Initiation, 399).
WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF BAPTISM
The Governing bodies of Catholic schools and Boards of Directors of Catholic Academies will require written evidence in the form of a Certificate of Baptism or Certificate of Reception before applications for school places can be considered for categories of “Baptised Catholics”. A Certificate of Baptism or Reception is to include: the full name, date of birth, date of Baptism or Reception, and parent(s) name(s). The certificate must also show that it is copied from the records kept by the place of Baptism or Reception.
Those who would have difficulty obtaining written evidence of Catholic Baptism/Reception for a good reason, may still be considered as Baptised Catholics but only after they have been referred to their parish priest who, after consulting the Vicar General, will decide how the question of Baptism/Reception is to be resolved and how written evidence is to be produced in accordance with the law of the Church.
Those who would be considered to have good reason for not obtaining written evidence would include those who cannot contact the place of Baptism/Reception due to persecution or fear, the destruction of the church and the original records, or where Baptism/Reception was administered validly but not in the Parish church where records are kept.
Governors and Boards of Directors may request extra supporting evidence when the written documents that are produced do not clarify the fact that a person was baptised or received into the Catholic Church, (i.e. where the name and address of the Church is not on the certificate or where the name of the Church does not state whether it is a Catholic Church or not.)
For the purposes of this policy, a looked after child (see Note 3) living with a family where at least one of the parents/carers is Catholic will be considered as Catholic.
Policies available on the school website: www.bishopchalloner.org.uk
Select Our School from the menu, Governance and Statutory Information and then Policies.
The most recent Ofsted Report is available from www.ofsted.gov.uk
Available from the Department for Education website: www.education.gov.uk. Select School Performance Tables from the Tables and Statistics section.
