Sixth Form Admissions
We hold a Sixth Form open afternoon in April each year to allow you to come into school and meet with current Sixth Formers who study subjects you have indicated an interest in, plus Sixth Formers who joined us from other schools. You will also have a chance to meet senior staff and subject teachers and have a tour of the school. It is an informal occasion with a focus upon allowing you a chance to explore RSD and ask questions, not just about study but also about life as a Sixth Former and the many activities in which you can become involved.
You can find out a lot more about life in the Sixth Form and the subjects you can study by exploring the website. We hope you like what you see and choose to make an application. We would love to hear from you!
To apply for a place in the Sixth Form at RSD please review the eligibility criteria below and complete the online application form. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can download the form to print and then post your application to the school.
Criteria for admission to the Sixth Form (Year 13) by pupils from another school when places are available.
After the completion of the admissions process to the Sixth Form (Year 13) for pupils currently attending the Royal School Dungannon and undertaking GCSE studies in Year 12, the School will consider applications from pupils in other schools.
A pupil from another school will be considered for admission to Year 13 by the School’s Admissions Committee on the basis of:
1. Enrolment Number
The School’s enrolment number has not been reached.
2. Subject Availability
Availability of places in AS subjects selected for study.
3. GCSE Results
At least six GCSE passes (or equivalent qualification) at grade C or better, including;
- A minimum of 16 points at GCSE (where A* = 4; A = 3; B = 2; C = 1 points)
- Grade B or better in subjects selected for study at AS Level
- If AS subjects selected have not been studied at GCSE level then a grade B or better in a related subject
- If wishing to study Mathematics or Physics at AS Level then a grade B or better in GCSE Further Mathematics
4. Resources
If undersubscribed, as set out in and 1 and 2 above, then a pupil meeting the criteria set out in 3 above will be admitted unless the admission of a pupil would prejudice the efficient use of resources in the School.
5. Ranking
If the School’s enrolment number has not been reached and more pupils apply for places than there are places available then the Admissions Committee will admit pupils on the basis of the rank order of their respective total points score at GCSE, with those achieving higher scores being allocated places before those with lower scores.
6. Additional Considerations
If more than one pupil is eligible for the last remaining place(s) because they have equal GCSE points scores, then the final place(s) will be allocated using the Additional Considerations as set out below:
- Pupils who have a child of the family, at the time of application, currently attending or who previously attended the school (details to be supplied); or pupils who are the eldest child in the family
- Pupils who are entitled to Free School Meals
- Pupils with a parent or guardian who is a former pupil of the Royal School Dungannon or the former Dungannon High School for Girls (name and date of attendance to be supplied)
- Pupils ranked by the initial letter of surname (and if necessary, subsequent letters), as entered on the birth certificate, in the order set out below:
O B W TP ZI L N S D F Y V R C K Q H E U A X M J G- Children will be selected for admission on the basis of the initial letter of the surname as it appears on the birth certificate.
- Where surnames begin with the same letter, the second and, if necessary, subsequent letters will be used to establish relative priority for admission.
- Where children have the same surname, the initial letter of the first forename as it appears on the birth certificate will be used for admission.
- Where the first forenames begin with the same letter, the second and, if necessary, subsequent letters will be used to establish relative priority for admission.
- Where no priority can be established by means of this comparison the child with the shorter first forename will be prioritised for admission.
- In the event that two or more children have identical surnames and forenames then the oldest pupil shall be admitted first (established by date of birth as entered on the birth certificate).
- The School wishes to continue its tradition of accepting children from a wide catchment area, irrespective of the proximity of their homes from the School. If however, after criteria 6(i) to 6(iv) have been exhausted it becomes necessary to make a final selection, priority will be given to the child whose home is closer to the School. Distance will be measured in a straight line using an Ordnance Survey web distance measurement tool from the child’s home to the front entrance of the School’s main administrative building. The applicant’s home address will be verified by the school.
Criteria for requesting any extra places made available by the Department of Education for admission into Year 13 (Sixth Form)
The Department of Education may, in response to a request from a school, increase the number of pupils that the school can admit to its Year 13. Places that become available in this way shall be allocated only to pupils who meet the basic eligibility criteria for Sixth Form study (as set out below) and shall be allocated in the order determined by the criteria to be applied in the order set down.
- Pupils who have most recently completed Year 12 in the Royal School Dungannon.
- Pupils from other schools where admission has been agreed and additional places granted by the Department of Education.*
*Parents should note how the Department of Education (DE) will, in response to a school’s request, temporarily increase a school’s enrolment number in order to allow extra post -16 pupils to enrol. DE will only increase the school’s enrolment number if it is content that each external pupil for whom a place is requested would not be able to pursue their post-16 course-choices at another suitable school without undertaking an unreasonable journey (i.e. a journey, that by public transport, would be over an hour from where the young person lives or is further than 15 miles distance). If DE finds that no other suitable school may provide all of the post-16 courses that the pupil wishes to pursue – then DE will agree a school’s request for an extra place.
What is a school of a type that is suitable for a pupil?
The criteria addendum states that the Department will consider what suitable alternatives are available to a pupil for whom an additional place is sought. To determine suitability, the Department first considers all schools to be one of 4 types: (i) denominational (ii) non-denominational (iii) Integrated; and (iv) Irish- medium. A school requesting an extra place for a post-16 pupil will belong to one of these 4 types and the Department will consider any other school from this same type as suitable for the pupil. The Department will also consider as suitable for the pupil any school of the same type as that attended by the child in Year 12.
The School places a strong emphasis on a pupil’s willingness to participate in the broader life of the School, such as sports (including Saturday games), music, drama and a large number of clubs and societies and all those applying for admission should be willing to support the School’s ethos of active involvement in the life of the School.
Sixth Form Application
After downloading and completing this form please return to: The Headmaster’s Secretary, The Royal School, 2 Ranfurly Road, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, BT71 6EG
