Admissions

We are a comprehensive school and do not have any admissions criteria. Everyone is welcome at The Cooper School. In the event that we have more applications than we have places, the following apply:

Oversubscription Criteria
In accordance with legal requirements, children who have an Education, Health & Care (EHC) Plan naming the school will always be admitted.

The oversubscription criteria below for The Cooper School will be followed in descending order of priority. 

1. Children who are “looked after” 2. (LAC) by a Local Authority within the meaning of Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of their application, and all “previously looked after” children 3. (PLAC), including those who appear to this Admissions Authority to have been in state care outside England (IAPLAC) 4. and ceased to be in state care having been adopted. Evidence of the previously looked after status and/or the adoption will be requested. 
2. Children who have exceptional medical or social needs that make it essential that they attend The Cooper School rather than any other. These needs must be fully supported by written evidence from the appropriate professional person involved with the family. 
3. To children of staff in any/all of the following circumstances:
   • Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for at least two years
   • The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. 
   • Where a member of staff works for a school in the wider Trust and has been employed for at least two years or has been recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. 
4. Children who attend one of the schools in the Acer Trust (listed in Paragraph 10 of The Admissions Policy) and live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry.
5. Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools (listed in Paragraph 10 of The Admissions Policy) and live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry.
6. Children who live in the designated (catchment) area and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry.
7. Children who attend one of the designated catchment  schools (listed in The Admissions Policy) and live in the designated (catchment) area.
8. Children who live in the designated (catchment) area. 
9. Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools (listed in The Admissions Policy) and have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry but live outside the designated (catchment) area.
10. Children who have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry but live outside the designated (catchment) area.
11. Children who attend one of the designated catchment schools (listed in The Admissions Policy).
12. All other children who do not live in the designated (catchment) area and also do not attend a designated catchment school and also do not have a brother or sister on roll at the time of application who will still be attending at the time of entry.

Now that here are three secondary schools in Bicester there are more places available to students. Therefore, school preference is more important than the proximity of the school to your home.

Of course you can.

If you are considering The Cooper School for your child, we would be delighted to arrange a tour of the school at a time that suits you. Please do not hesitate in contacting the school via our Contact Us page to request further information or to book your tour/visit.

We also hold annual Open Evenings, usually at the end of September and/or the beginning of October of each year. This offers an excellent opportunity to visit all of our departments and speak to members of staff, as well as current students.

Please check our school calendar for details or contact the school. Our Open Evenings are also published on this website and on social media.

Yes. Your application will only be refused if other applicants meet the admissions criteria more than you. Please see the ‘Admissions criteria’ question above for more details regarding the order of criteria for allocation of a place at The Cooper School.

You must apply at the website of the Local Authority in which you live. If you live in a council with a unitary authority, you will have a single council that you need to apply to, the same as the one you pay Council Tax to. However, if you live in an area that has multiple councils, (Town, District and County) this will likely be your County Council. Applications normally open in early September and stay open till October 31st of each year.

Local Council authorities that our pupils normally live in include:

• Oxfordshire County Council (County)

• West Northamptonshire Council (Unitary)

• Buckinghamshire Council (Unitary)

Applications normally open at the beginning of September and are open until 31st October. You should apply in the year your child begins attending Year 6. For more exact details, please visit the website of the Local Authority you live in that is responsible for education.

• Oxfordshire County Council

• West Northamptonshire Council

• Buckinghamshire Council

Yes. We hold annual Open Evenings, usually at the end of September and/or the beginning of October of each year. This offers an excellent opportunity to visit all of our departments and speak to members of staff, as well as current students. Please check our school calendar for details or contact the school. Our Open Evenings are also published on this website and on social media.

Please read the information for appeals on your council's website

• Oxfordshire County Council

• West Northamptonshire Council

• Buckinghamshire Council