Admissions for Year 7

We would love to give a place to everyone who wants to come to Crossley Heath School (CHS) but sadly that isn’t possible. We admit 180 pupils each year into Year 7, and these places are awarded strictly in line with the terms of our admissions policy which you can download from this page

• Link to CHS Policy

Entry to the school will be determined by academic ability and attainment as identified by the admissions exam which will be a test of ability – irrespective of sex, race or disability.

Admissions Test

Parents need to register their child to sit the admissions test (please note, an application to sit the test is not an application to attend the school – refer to your local authority’s website for information on applying to secondary schools) . We operate a joint registration and admissions process with North Halifax Grammar School. Parents need to complete an online registration form for the admission tests.

Students wishing to join the school in Year 7 are required to sit the joint NHGS/CHS admissions tests in September during Year 6 at primary school. The tests comprise four elements across two tests:

• English and Verbal Reasoning
• Maths and Non Verbal Reasoning

All tests will be answered on optical mark reader sheets.

Updated familiarisation resources are available from G L Assessment (see link) who are the providers of the tests.

The test length on the familiarisation materials is not indicative of the length of the actual tests. They are intended for familiarisation only.

• www.gl-assessment.co.uk/free-familiarisation

Once the tests have been marked, parents will be informed in writing by the schools of their child’s position in the order of merit and whether they have reached the required standard to be considered for admission.

Tests for potential in-year admissions will be held no more than once during each term. The school will notify applicants in writing within 15 days of the next available test date. If no applications have been received, the tests will not be held. Any application received after invitations to sit the tests have been sent out will be invited to sit the following term’s test. Achievement of the qualifying standard does not guarantee an offer of a place. Following the tests, a place or places will only be offered if there is a vacancy in the relevant year group. If there is a vacancy or vacancies, the place(s) will be offered to those who demonstrate the strongest ability in the areas tested, provided that ability meets the qualifying standard for the school. Applicants will be removed from the list at the end of each academic year unless a request is made by the parent/carer to remain on the list. Applicants will be allowed only one attempt at the tests in any given academic year.

We will be holding an in-year transfer test each term this academic year as follows:

• Autumn: Tuesday 22 October 2024 (closing date 7 October 2024)
• Spring: Wednesday 29 January 2025 (closing date 13 January 2025)
• Summer: Tuesday 6 May 2025 (closing date 21 April 2025)

Anyone wishing to transfer to the school, other than at the normal date of entry in September, must apply on a In Year Application Form, and must be on the waiting list at the time of the vacancy. Each grammar school operates its own In-Year vacancies.

Applicants wishing to transfer to CHS, either from another school in Calderdale or from a school in another Local Authority (LA), need to complete a ‘Transfer Request for Calderdale Schools’ form available from the LA.

If the application is from a student attending a school in another LA or who has recently moved into the area, the application will be sent to the school by the LA. If there is a vacancy in the appropriate year, the applicant will be invited into the school to sit the appropriate admission test. If the applicant meets the qualifying standard and a place is available, then the applicant will be offered a place.

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions