Year 7 Admissions September 2026
Application Process and Fair Banding
At Gateacre School, our admissions assessment is a vital tool that enables us to manage oversubscription in a fair and transparent way. By undertaking this assessment, we gain a valuable understanding of how each student learns, allowing us to best tailor our approach to meet their individual needs from the moment they join us.
Our published admission number for Year 7 entry in September 2026 is 240 students. We highly recommend you read our full admission arrangements before applying.
- How it Works: All prospective students applying for a place at a fair banding school are required to sit a reasoning assessment. The assessment is not a "pass or fail" assessment. Instead, it places students into one of several ability bands. For example, a school might have five bands across all abilities.
- Ensuring a Balanced Intake: Once the assessments are complete, the school allocates a certain number of places to each band. For instance, if a school has 240 places and five bands, they might offer 48 places to students in each band. This ensures the school community reflects a true cross-section of academic abilities, avoiding a concentration of students at either end of the academic spectrum.
- Fair and Transparent Admissions: For schools that are oversubscribed, fair banding provides a clear and unbiased way to allocate places. It eliminates any potential for selection bias and gives every student, regardless of their academic background, an equal chance of securing a place.
- Tailoring Our Approach: Beyond admissions, the assessment provides a valuable insight into how each student learns. The results allow the school to understand the unique strengths and needs of each incoming student, helping them to tailor their approach and provide the most effective support from day one.
How to Apply
The Fair Banding Assessment and Supplementary Form
To ensure a balanced intake of students across the full ability range, all Year 6 students who name Gateacre School as a preference are required to sit our fair banding assessment.
- This is not a pass or fail assessment.
- Students who do not sit the assessment will only be considered for a place after all students who have taken it.
To register for the assessment, you must complete our online supplementary form by the closing date of Friday, 31st October 2025.
Click here to register for the Fair Banding Assessment
Paper copies of the supplementary form are also available from the school reception if you do not have internet access.
Assessment Details and Key Dates
The Fair Banding Assessment
- This is a reasoning assessment.
- It is not a pass or fail assessment.
- Assessments will be held at Gateacre School. Parents and carers will be notified of their child’s specific assessment time via email.
Important Dates:
Fair Banding Assessment Dates:
- Saturday, 4th October
- Monday 6th October
- Monday 10th November
- Saturday 15th November 2025
Closing date for all forms: Friday, 31st October 2025.
National Offer Day: Monday, 2nd March 2026.
COMMON APPLICATION FORM
In addition to completing our Supplementary Form above, you must apply through your local education authority by naming Gateacre School as one of your choices on the Secondary Common Application Form.
Apply for a Secondary School Place Now
Further Information
For full details of our admissions policy, please visit the Gateacre School admissions page. Parents applying from outside of the Liverpool Local Authority should apply through their own Local Authority.
For further assistance, please contact us:
Email: gateacreadmissions@gateacreschool.org
Liverpool Admissions Contact Centre: www.liverpool.gov.uk/contact-us/school-admissions-and-student-support/
Open Events
The best way to truly understand what makes Gateacre School special, is to experience it for yourself. We warmly invite you to join us at one of our upcoming open events to see our vibrant school community in action.
Upcoming Events
Please find below the details of our open events for this year. We kindly ask that anyone wishing to attend arrive at, or shortly after, the stated start time.
Year 6 Open Mornings
Tuesday, 23rd September 2025 at 8:45 am.
Wednesday, 24th September 2025 at 8:45 am.
Year 6 Open Evenings
Thursday, 2nd October 2025 at 4 pm.
Thursday, 16th October 2025 at 4 pm.
What to Expect at our Events
Year 6 Open Mornings
Experience an authentic day in the life of a Gateacre student. Our student ambassadors will lead you on a guided tour, giving you an inside peek at normal lessons and the opportunity to see our passionate teachers in action. You will also hear from a member of our leadership team and have the chance to ask our Admissions Team any questions you may have.
Year 6 Open Evenings
This is your chance to get hands-on with life at our thriving Liverpool school. From creative workshops to academic challenges, you will be immersed in the engaging and empowering atmosphere that defines Gateacre School. Whether you're acting out Shakespeare, inventing smoothies, or tackling an Apprentice-style project, you'll get a true taste of our vibrant curriculum. You will also hear from a member of our leadership team and have the chance to ask our Admissions Team any questions you may have.
We look forward to welcoming you to Gateacre! If you have any questions before you visit, feel free to get in touch.
