The school serves the areas of Acklington, Amble, Broomhill, Hadston, Red Row, Warkworth and Widdrington. All children resident in the area are automatically entitled to a place at the college. However, parents are entitled to express a preference for a different secondary school. This process takes place early in the autumn term of each academic year.
Children resident in our area are given first choice of places in our schools but if parents from outside of the area express a preference for our schools their children will be admitted if we have vacancies in the desired year group. If the year group is over-subscribed parents can appeal to the school to have their child admitted.
The school accepts all children and does not discriminate on the grounds of special educational needs, disabilities, gender, faith or ethnic group. Admissions to the school are organised by the local authority. You can find out about life at James Calvert Spence College by looking at the JCSC prospectus.
As a maintained school, the Local Authority manages the admissions. Further information on the process, documentation to complete and contact details for finding out more about the local authority’s admission and appeal arrangements are available on the School Admissions page of the Northumberland County Council website.
If you need to contact the Northumberland County council to find out about school admission arrangements, you can email them at schooladmissions@northumberland.gov.uk
Joining JCSC in Year 7
Pupils who are in Year 6 at local Northumberland primary schools are welcome to join JCSC in Year 7 by following the Northumberland County Council in-year admissions process on the NCC website. The NCC portal for applying for High School/ Secondary School places in Northumberland opens every September for intake the following September, however, due to our unique circumstances this is not how you will apply for a place at our school. If you would like to apply for a place at our school this can be done by completing the Northumberland County Council School Online Schools Application form here. Places will be allocated in-line with national offers day (3RD March 2025) and you will be contacted by our school shortly after that.
Post 16
Students are now required to stay in education, employment or training until they are 18. Many students choose to follow courses in JCSC Sixth Form, some move to other schools or colleges or take up apprenticeships and/or training schemes. Students are given independent advice and guidance to help them to make these decisions.
If students choose to stay with us they have an interview with senior staff in the spring term and are given guidance on their subject choices. They have a second interview on GCSE results day when we can confirm their choices or offer alternative courses. There are entry requirements to Level 3 courses (A Level or equivalent) but students can also choose Level 2 courses (GCSE equivalent). Students who have not gained at least a 4 grade in English and mathematics at GCSE are required to re-sit these subjects in any school or college they might attend.
We have open evenings at both schools in October each year for prospective parents but any parent who is considering our schools for their child or children can contact Mrs Louisa Hedley, PA to the Headteacher, who will arrange a visit: lhedley01@jcsc.co.uk.