St Ambrose

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elizabethswan
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:10 pm

St Ambrose

Post by elizabethswan »

Does anyone think it's at all likely to gain a place at st Ambrose for a non Catholic.(I have asked this before, but just checking!) my neighbours son is in yr 7 and says there is a non Christian boy from north Manchester who is in his year; would this boy have appealed or got really high marks or something , I'm so confused and want to know whether it's worth hoping or to just forget about it.
Catseye
Posts: 1824
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: St Ambrose

Post by Catseye »

If my memory serves me well ? I think exceptions are made for the staff and their children.

I do not think staff have to be RC (I'm almost certain that would be illegal-although Faith schools in general do seem to be a law onto themselves)
TIDDLYMUM
Posts: 881
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:19 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by TIDDLYMUM »

He may be in care or similar, if think that gives priority. I'd say unlikely for non Catholics to get a place these days, though they did in the past.
Mandy21
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by Mandy21 »

When we visited last year, the admissions officer said they had filled all of their places with catholic boys in 2 of the last 3 years - I think perhaps 2 years ago, they dropped a further category on the "over subscription" criteria that was brothers of Christian boys already in school (supported by a vicar's letter).

As others have said though, there are quite a few categories that "non catholic" boys could come under which rank quite high (sons of staff, looked after boys etc) or it could have come down to an appeal (based on it being the most suitable school for him).

I think generally speaking, there is little prospect of non-catholic boys (without any additional circumstances) getting a place.
elizabethswan
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:10 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by elizabethswan »

Ah well, never mind, I won't hope for a place for there for my lad, his next choice was North Cestrian, let's see if he ends up getting a place there, it's a short walk from where we live anyway, so it would be very easy and convenient.
Macca
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:39 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by Macca »

My son is in his first year at the College and there are non-Catholic boys attending who fit into category 7 (baptised Christians with supporting letter from their minister). Not sure if this helps your son?
elizabethswan
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:10 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by elizabethswan »

Hi Macca, thanks for the feedback; I did get our vicar to write a supportive letter and they changed my lad's category to 7, although the admissions lady said that last year they filled the school with up to category 6, which is christian boys with brothers at the school, I wonder how it works? unless maybe the boys you know appealed for some other reason and got the place. or perhaps the school doesn't like to encourage people who aren't catholic to apply but has a few places left at the end and wants to fill them? I find it very difficult as the schools are so cagey when you ask them for admissions information!! oh well, here's hoping!!
wilmslowmum
Posts: 96
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:13 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by wilmslowmum »

Hi Elizabethswan, My friends boy didnt get a place on allocation day but was offered a place off the waiting list (he was 2nd on the list) after a couple of weeks. He was a christian boy with letter, but he already had a brother at the school. He didnt have to appeal, i dont know if anyone else got in who wasnt a catholic.
Mandy21
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: St Ambrose

Post by Mandy21 »

I've just had another look at the website for the school. You will see that there is a note saying the Schools Adjudicator has required a change to the over subscription criteria. They had changed it to give priority to sons of people who worked at the school - that is no longer a high ranking priority. That may free up some places.

There is a booklet on the Trafford website called Transferring to Secondary School which shows at the back of it how far down schools got down their oversubscription criteria before they filled their places. It says Category 4 for St Ambrose which I think was Catholic boys. That would suggest that the non Catholic boy currently in Year 7 is looked after or got in on appeal.
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