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Frequently Asked Questions

To assist parents who may not be familiar with the school we have grouped the frequently asked questions we receive into sections

If you have a question to which you cannot find the answer, please email enquiries@croxleydanes.herts.sch.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Admissions

Q: How do we apply to the school?

A: To make an application to the school for 2023 secondary transfer, some parents must complete two applications. Firstly, all parents must apply online to their Local Authority, selecting Croxley Danes School as one of their choices. Secondly, parents applying under the musical aptitude criterion or the children of staff criterion must complete the school's Supplementary Information Form (SIF) – also known as an application form and return it by post or by hand to Croxley Danes School, c/o The Admissions Officer, Croxley Danes School, Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, WD3 3LR by 31st October 2022. Applications after this date will be accepted but classified as late applications. Application forms (SIFs) can be downloaded from the school’s website or can be obtained from the visitors’ reception at Croxley Danes School, Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 3LR

Q: What are the admissions criteria?

A: The admissions criteria for secondary transfer in September 2023 can be viewed in the admissions section of the school website. Alternatively, parents who obtain a Supplementary Information Form from the school will also be provided with a copy of the admission arrangements.

Q: Will there be an academic entrance exam like there is at St Clement Danes and other local schools?

A: New schools are not permitted to select on ability, so there is no academic entrance exam. 

Q: How do we apply for a place based on musical aptitude?

A: For 2023 entry, you can apply for a place based on musical aptitude if your child completes the South West Herts Consortium’s musical aptitude test this term. Parents can apply for musical aptitude testing for 2023 entry from late April to mid-June 2022. Details of this testing can be found here: www.swhertsschools.org.uk

Q: What will the cut off score for musical aptitude places be?

A: This information is available on the school’s website in the ‘Admissions’ section.

Q: What will the catchment area of the school be?

A: In 2022, the last place awarded on National Offer day (1st March 2022) was at a distance of 1285.16 m from the address point on the permanent site of the school in Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 3LR.

Q: How many places will be offered in Year 7?

A: 180 places will be offered in Year 7 for September 2023.

Q: How many applications did the school receive for secondary transfer for September 2022?

A: The school received 1025 applications.

Q: When will I hear whether my child has been awarded a place?

A: Parents will be informed on National Offer day (1st March 2023) whether they have been awarded a place at Croxley Danes School for September 2023. Parents will then have a deadline by which they must inform their Local Authority whether they will be accepting that place, otherwise it will be re-offered.


Staffing

 

Q: What are the arrangements for Headship in the new school?

A: Josephine Valentine is Chief Executive Officer of the Danes Educational Trust and oversees all four secondary schools within the Trust. Stephen Thompson is Headteacher of Croxley Danes School.

Q: Will the new school employ qualified teachers?

A: Absolutely.

Q: How do I go about applying for a job at Croxley Danes School?

A: Please visit the Vacancies page of the school website where we will advertise posts which become available.


The curriculum

Q: What subjects will my child be able to study at GCSE?

A: The projected curriculum for Croxley Danes School is the same as the current curriculum at St Clement Danes School. The students joining Croxley Danes in 2023 will commence their GCSE studies in September 2026. They will all study the core subjects of English, Maths and Science and most will study a Modern Foreign Language (either French or Spanish). Most students will then choose three further GCSE option subjects from a wide range available: Art, Drama, Music, Computer Science, Modern Foreign Languages, Business Studies, Geography, History, Religious Studies, Food Preparation & Nutrition, Design & Technology, PE.

Q: Will the school have a specialism?

A: No. For a number of years now, schools have not been awarded Specialist Status. The awards that some schools still advertise are a legacy of an educational programme that no longer runs.

Q: What are the arrangements for children with Special Educational Needs?

A: The provision for students with Special Educational Needs will be overseen by the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). The role of the SENCO is to ensure that barriers to learning are sharply identified upon student entry to the school and then removed through quality first teaching and targeted personalised provision. The SENCO will ensure the provision meets the aims and objectives of the school and clearly meets the statutory requirement. He leads a SEN teacher and a team of Learning Skills Practitioners, organising in-class and out-of-class support. The SENCO also contributes to school decisions and delivery in relation to the provision of a differentiated curriculum in Key Stages 3 and 4.

Q: Does the school have a sixth form?

A: Yes, Croxley Danes will be an 11-18 school and will offer a full suite of A level subjects for sixth form students to study. The first sixth form cohort will commence their A-level or BTEC studies in September 2022.


Uniform, lunch and transport arrangements

Q: Where do we buy uniform?

A: You can see images of our uniform on our website. All items are available from BEAT School Uniforms, http://www.beatschooluniforms.co.uk

Q: What are the catering arrangements at Croxley Danes?

A: Catering is provided by Herts Catering Limited (HCL). There is a kitchen on-site at Croxley Danes School in which the food is freshly prepared and cooked each day. Students use a biometric cashless catering system to purchase food and parents can top-up their accounts with on-line payments.

Q: What are the school transport arrangements?

A: Since the school has been accommodated in Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green there has been negligible demand for a school trnasport service. Therefore, no transport service currently runs and there are no plans to introduce a transport service. The school is well served by local bus routes and a short walk from the Croxley Undeground station; however, the majority of students walk or cycle to school, with some travelling by car. 


The school and its relationship with St Clement Danes

Q: What is the ongoing relationship between Croxley Danes School and St Clement Danes School?

A: Both schools are part of the Danes Educational Trust and, as such, they will permanently be related as ‘sister’ schools. Being in such close proximity, this will assist the deployment of teaching staff, some of whom may work across both schools, and also offer the opportunity for curriculum collaboration at GCSE and A level.