Admissions
We are a Catholic school, but we welcome children of all faiths and backgrounds who wish to join our community.
Admission Consultation 2025-26
Following the consultation period, St Philip Howard has kept the criteria re brothers/sisters (as consulted) but has removed the criterion that had been proposed re children of staff (due to comments received).
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Admissions
St Philip Howard Catholic School was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with the trust deed of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, its articles of association, and seeks at all times to be a witness to Jesus Christ.
As a Catholic school, the governors aim to provide a Catholic education for all pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeate every aspect of the school’s activity. The governors ask all parents applying for a place to respect this ethos and its importance to the school community.
Although Catholic children have priority of admission, this does not affect the right of an applicant who is not Catholic to apply for a place for their child at the school. The school welcomes applications from those of other denominations and faiths, or of none. The school was set up primarily to serve the Catholic community in the Cathedral deanery.
This includes the following parishes: Arundel, Bognor Regis & Slindon, Chichester, Selsey & the Witterings, Petworth & Midhurst, Storrington. The school also serves the Billingshurst & West Grinstead parish.
Admissions Process
Complete Common Application Form
Complete the local authorities Common Application Form (CAF). The completed CAF must be returned either online or in the paper form by 31st October.
For further details please see our Admissions Policy
Apply NowComplete Supplementary Information Form
Complete our Supplementary Information Form (SIF), this form should be completed between September and October while your child is still in Year 6.
For further details please see our Admissions Policy
Download FormSubmit your forms
The local authority are responsible for making offers for places at schools in West Sussex and usually do so on the first working day of March.
Depending on how you completed the CAF in step 1, West Sussex County Council will contact you by email or by post.
Make your decision
If an offer has been made, you can either accept or decline, if an offer has not been made and you are unhappy about the decision made, you can appeal the application.
AppealsIn-Year Admissions Process
Complete Supplementary Information Form
Complete our Supplementary Information Form (SIF) for an in-year admission for your child in year 7 - year 11, this form should be returned to St Philip Howard.
For an in-year admission, there is no requirement to complete the Common Application Form (CAF).
Download FormComplete the In-Year Application Form
Applications for places other than at the start of Year 7 should be made to the local authority by completing an In-Year Application Form.
Apply NowSubmit your forms
Once your application has been reviewed, the local authority will then respond on the school’s behalf.
In the event that your child’s application is not accepted, you have the option to appeal through our standard appeals process. Additionally, their name will be placed on a waiting list and this list will continue for the year group until the end of the academic year. If you would like your child’s name to remain on the list beyond this time, then please contact the school in writing by the end of July.
For further details please see our Appeals Procedure
Staying Informed
We will notify you as soon as a place becomes available for your child at St Philip Howard.
Please note that we are unable to reserve places and if a place becomes available and is offered to your child, we normally expect them to commence within 10 school days of being offered.
Admissions Appeals Procedure
Parents/carers have the right to make oral representations to the Appeal Panel.
Appeals should be lodged no later than 20 school days after the National Offer Day (1 March) for secondary schools i.e. by 28 March 2024. Appeals lodged during this period will be heard within 40 school days. The appeals are scheduled to take place 7 – 15 May 2024
For applications for in-year admissions, appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.
If it is not possible for late application appeals to be heard with the ‘on-time’ appeals, where possible they will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.
No later than 10 school days before the appeal hearing, the Local Authority will provide appellants with written notification of the date and arrangements for the appeal hearing. The notification will include a deadline for the submission of any further evidence that was not sent in the initial appeal. Appellants will be informed that any information or evidence not submitted by the deadline might not be considered at the appeal hearing. The Local Authority will ask appellants whether they intend to call witnesses or be represented at the hearing. Parents/carers may waive their right to 10 school days’ notice of the hearing.
Useful Information
If you would like to know more information about admissions please look into our various admissions policies and procedures.
