METHODIST COLLEGE BELFAST
1 Malone Road
Belfast BT9 6BY
Telephone No: 028 9020 5205
E-mail: info@mcb.belfast.ni.sch.uk
Website: www.methody.org
Principal:
Mrs
J
Lendrum BA PGCE MEd PQH(NI)
Chair of Board of Governors: Rev Niall Johnston MA BTh
CAPITAL FEE: £140 per annum.
Criteria for Admission to Forms 2 – L6
Voluntary Grammar School
Age Range: 11-18
Admission No: 240
Enrolment No: 1810
The criteria for admitting pupils to places in Forms 2 to Lower Sixth have been approved by the Board of Governors of Methodist College Belfast. Applications will be considered if there are places within the College’s approved Enrolment number and within the relevant year group. The application of the criteria is delegated to an Admissions Panel consisting of the Principal and the Vice Principal (Curriculum). A pupil will be admitted only where their admission will not prejudice the efficient use of resources.
International Applicants and Residential Status
Applicants who will be resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their proposed admission to the College will be selected for admission before any such applicants not so resident. International applicants will be required to provide proof of future residence in Northern Ireland. It is the responsibility of the parents of foreign national children to check that their children have a right under their UK entry conditions to study at a school before applying for a place. Please note, that Methodist College Belfast is not a licensed student sponsor and cannot provide a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies for visa purposes. Children may be breaching their UK entry conditions by entering the country to attend a state-funded school without immigration status that permits such study.
Entry to Forms 2 to 5
There is a separate Admissions Process for children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs. This is operated by the Education Authority.
Applications should be made to the school using the College’s application form on the Admissions section of the College website.
Following receipt of an application, the College will advise Parents/Guardians as to the next steps to be taken. It should be noted that when a place in the relevant year group is not available, applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
The Admissions Panel will consider the following evidence, if available:
a) A Cognitive Ability Test assessment administered by the College.
b) The most recent school report(s).
c) A reference from the applicant’s current school; this will be sought by Methodist College Belfast. Reference contact details should be provided.
The following process will be followed:
1. Applicants who have sat a Cognitive Ability Test, as directed by Methodist College, with a standardised mean result in the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections greater than or equal to 105, will be eligible for consideration. Applicants with a mean standardised score in the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections which falls below 105 will not be considered beyond this point
2. Remaining applicants will be rank ordered based on their standardised mean result in the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of the Cognitive Ability Test and will be considered on the basis of this rank order In the event of a tie, the overall standardised mean result will be used.
3. Each applicant must satisfy the Principal on past school record and achievement through their most recent school report.
4. Methodist College Belfast will seek a school reference from the applicant’s current school. This reference must satisfy the Principal with regards to attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attitude. This will also provide an opportunity for the College to be made aware of any SEN support required.
The College will only admit pupils up to a maximum of 256 per year group in Junior and Middle school. Once the year group is full, remaining applicants will be placed on the waiting list.
It should be noted that applicants to Form 4 must have a viable course of study. Due to the nature of GCSE study, pupils will not be considered for admission after September of Form 4.
Please note that new pupils will not be admitted to Form 5/Year 12 unless in exceptional circumstances.
Waiting List Policy
Applicants will remain on the Waiting List for the year group to which they applied. This list does not transfer into applications for other year groups.
Entry to Sixth Form
There is a separate Admissions Process for children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs. This is operated by the Education Authority.
Internal Applicants
The academic requirements for entry into Sixth Form are as follows:
1. A minimum of 6 GCSE subjects at Grade ‘C’ or above (all taken by the end of Form 5) including a Grade ‘C’ or higher in GCSE English and Mathematics.
2. A minimum of 3 GCSE subjects at Grade B or above.
3. Students must have a viable course of 3 A levels/BTECs to study. In addition to points 1 and 2 set out above, students must meet the Subject Entry Criteria, as outlined in the Options Booklet, for each subject they wish to take at A level. Their subject combination must timetable and have available places.
4. Students may request to take a 4th subject if they have attained 35 points or higher in their GCSEs. Students studying Further Mathematics must take a 4th subject.
It is anticipated that all students will progress to Upper Sixth. However, if a student is significantly underachieving in the Lower Sixth Year, then a meeting will be arranged with the Head of Sixth Form and/or the Vice-Principal Curriculum to discuss and identify alternative pathways of progression.
External Applicants
Applications should be made to the school using the College’s application form on the Admissions section of the College website.
Priority for entry to 6th Form Courses will be given to students enrolled at Methodist College Belfast (students previously enrolled within 5th Form will be considered as an internal applicant). Pupils from other schools applying to Methodist College Belfast who have satisfied the above academic criteria used for internal applicants will be considered for admission to 6th Form where there are available places. We do not accept applications from external candidates to repeat Lower Sixth.
The College uses a tariff system to review academic performance at GCSE/iGCSE as follows;
Short Course GCSEs carry a tariff of one half of a full GCSE (A*=2.5, A = 2, B = 1.5, C* = 1, C = 0.5). BTECs will be given an equivalent scoring. The College does not score Occupational Studies qualifications.
Applicants coming from an education system which does not use GCSE/iGCSE must provide verifiable evidence of
having achieved at an equivalent standard - a statement of equivalence can be applied for here; if no equivalence is available, the College may request that the applicant sits an aptitude test. Applicants not offering GCSE/iGCSE may also be invited to sit entrance examinations in relevant subjects to demonstrate adequate foundational knowledge to embark on A level study. All international applicants who have English as an additional language must have fluency in both written and spoken English to manage the fast pace of A level teaching/study and should include an IELTS results profile as part of their application https://ielts.org/. Prior to taking their place, applicants must be resident in Northern Ireland with a parent or adult guardian and should take note of the information regarding international applicants and residential status set out in this policy.
In the event that external applications to 6th Form exceed the College’s enrolment number, the following process will be followed:
1. Applicants will be rank ordered based on the total GCSE tariff score (or equivalent). Students attaining over 40 points will be offered a place subject to meeting subject entry criteria/timetabling/places available
2. Where places remain, the College will identify a GCSE points threshold based on the number of remaining places available. Remaining pupils attaining this score or higher will be invited for interview (in person) to discuss subject choice/entry criteria. Applicants who meet the College’s 6th Form entry criteria but fall below the identified GCSE points threshold for interview will be placed on the College’s Waiting List.
3. Applicants within the interview pool will be offered places available in rank order of GCSE tariff points subject to spaces available in the relevant courses/timetabling. Where a particular subject offer is not available, an alternative may be offered.
4. In the event that places remain following the interview pool, the College will contact students on the waiting list in rank order of GCSE tariff score subject to a place being available in the courses applied for.
Please note that new pupils will not be admitted to Upper Sixth/Year 14.
Waiting List Policy
Applicants will remain on the Lower Sixth Waiting List for the duration of the academic year. It does not transfer into Upper Sixth.