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The Board of Governors delegates, to the Principal, the responsibility of applying the criteria in the selection of Year 8 pupils, such selection to be approved by the Board of Governors.
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA FOR ENTRY OF PUPILS TO YEAR 8 IN SEPTEMBER 2024
During the admissions procedure when applying the criteria punctual applications will be considered before late applications are considered. The application procedure opens on 30 January 2024 at 12 noon (GMT) and an application submitted by the closing date of 22 February 2024 at 12 noon (GMT) will be treated as a punctual application. An application received after 12 noon (GMT) on 22 February 2024 and up to 4pm on 4 March 2024 will be treated as a late application.
Where the number of applications for admission to the school exceeds the admission number, the following criteria shall apply in the order set down.
1. A girl who has a sister / *child of the family enrolled at Ashfield Girls’ High School at the time of application. (This information must be indicated on the Transfer Application, noting the name of the sister / *child of the family).
2. A girl who places Ashfield Girls’ High School as first or second preference.
3. A girl who attends one of the school’s traditional feeder primary schools (see table below).
4. A girl whose brother / *child of the family currently attends Ashfield Boys’ High School. (This information must be indicated on the Transfer Application, noting the name of the brother / * child of the family)
5. A girl who lives closest to the main entrance of the school (Holywood Road), as determined by a straight-line measurement on an Ordnance Survey Map.
* The criterion “child of the family” will be, defined in relation to the parties to a marriage or parties living together in the same household, interpreted in accordance with Annex 2 paragraphs 3-5 of The Procedure for Transfer from Primary to Post-Primary Education: “Child of the family” means a child of both of them, and any other child who has been treated by both of those parties as a “child of their family”.
The Department of Education has been advised that this definition of a child of the family covers:
• a child born to a married couple or to a couple in a civil partnership;
• a child born to a co-habitating couple;
• a child of either / any of those people by a previous marriage, civil partnership or relationship;
• a child living with a couple / individual who has been treated as a ‘child of the family’ whether there is a marriage or a civil partnership or not;
• an adopted or fostered child.
| Braniel Primary School | Harding Memorial Primary School | Rosetta Primary School |
| Brooklands Primary School | Holywood Primary School | St Joseph’s Primary School (Ballyhackamore) |
| Cregagh Primary School | Knockbreda Primary School | St Patrick’s Primary School (Holywood) |
| Dundonald Primary School | Knocknagoney Primary School | Strandtown Primary School |
| Elmgrove Primary School | Leadhill Primary School | Strathearn Preparatory |
| Euston Street Primary School | Lisnasharragh Primary School | Victoria Park Primary School |
| Forge Integrated Primary School | Nettlefield Primary School | |
| Gilnahirk Primary School | Orangefield Primary School |
In the event that there is a tie and that more than one applicant resides the same distance from the main entrance of the school (Holywood Road), as determined by a straight-line measurement on an Ordnance Survey Map the following tie breaker will be used (Method B followed by Method A – if required).
Applicants will be selected for admission on the basis of the initial letter/s of their surname (as entered on their Birth Certificate) in the order set out below:
Z T Mac S H E I Q G C D M L X R J A K W Mc U N V Y B P O F
In the event of surnames beginning with the same initial letter, the subsequent letters of the surname will be used in alphabetical order. In the event of two identical surnames, the alphabetical order of the forenames will be used (to include all letters).
Applicants who remain tied after Method B, will be selected for admission based on their age (eldest being admitted first) as established by date of birth as entered on their Birth Certificate.
- Priority will be given to children resident in Northern Ireland, at the time of application.
- When considering which children should be selected for admission, the Board of Governors will take into account only information which is detailed on or uploaded with the Transfer Application. Parents should ensure that all information pertaining to their child and relevant to the school’s admissions criteria is stated on the Transfer Application or uploaded with it.
The Board of Governors reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or verify information on any applicant’s Transfer Application.
Evidence requested;
• Name and date of birth of the sister who attends Ashfield Girls’ High School and is a *child of the family (included in application)
• Name of the feeder primary school (included in application)
• Name and date of birth of the brother who attends Ashfield Boys’ High School and who is a *child of the family (included in application).
• Two utility bills containing the address of the child applying (uploaded on EA site with application).
If the requested evidence is not provided to the Board of Governors by the deadline given, this will result in the withdrawal of an offer of a place. Similarly, if information is supplied which appears to be false or misleading in any material way, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.
Should a vacancy arise after Saturday 18 May 2024, all applications for admission to Year 8 that were initially refused, new applications and applications where new information has been provided will be treated equally and the published criteria applied. This waiting list will be in place until 30 June 2025. The school will contact you if your child gains a place in the school by this process.
Your child’s name will be automatically added to the list. Please contact the school if you wish your child’s name to be removed from the list.
| Year | Admissions Number | Total Applications ie All Preferences | Total Admissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 113 | 120 | 118* |
| 2022/23 | 130 | 216 | 141** |
| 2023/24 | 130 | 190 | 134*** |
*5 statemented pupils admitted in 2021
**5 statemented pupils admitted 2022 and 1 pupil admitted through the ECB. 5 additional temporary places granted 2021
***4 statemented pupils admitted in 2023
Similar criteria will be used for entry into Year 9 onwards. Please see the school website for details of the criteria and an application form.
Application Form for Admission