Admissions
Here you will find all the information you need to apply for a place at our school.
No items found.
Here you will find all the information you need to apply for a place at our school.
Newlands Academy is a special school which provides 70 places for boys in the age range 11-16 with SEMH needs.
For a pupil to be admitted, the school must be named, by a local authority, in the pupil’s education health and care plan (EHCP). Parents wishing their children to benefit from our provision should ask their local authority to name our school in their child’s EHCP. The LA consults with the school's Principal on the proposed admission before naming the school on the pupil’s EHCP.
A local authority can also refer a pupil to the school whilst being assessed for an EHCP plan or following a change in the child’s circumstances for his or her needs to be assessed or reassessed. Any assessment should be completed within the 20 weeks as set out in the SEND Code of Practice. Children being assessed for an EHCP will be dual registered and return, full time, to their mainstream school if the LA decides not to issue an EHCP.
For further information on our school, and the process for obtaining a place here contact the Principal, Michelle Stone on 0207 639 2541.
Other school policies and further information can be found on the Statutory Information on our website.
For further information on our admissions arrangements, please refer to the links below:
If you would like your child to attend our school:
1. Talk to your local authority’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) team. They will assess your child and provide you with an Educational Health Care Plan (ECHP); these have replaced ‘Statements’. The contact details for the SEN team will be on the education section of the council’s website.
2. Contact the school to arrange an informal visit; you do not have to bring your child at this point. We will be happy to answer your questions as we show you around.
3. If you like what you see, you can let your local authority know that you have been to look around and would like your child to be referred here. You will however then have to wait for your child’s Education Health and Care Plan which will tell you whether your local authority thinks a special school would provide the best education for your child. If this is so, they may agree to your child coming here and would then send us a referral letter and papers for us to consider.
4. We would then consider your child’s referral along with others we may have, in terms of age, educational needs and resource requirements matching them to the places we have available.
5. If on paper it looks as if we can meet your child’s needs, we will invite you and your child in for a visit to the school. This visit is important. It gives us an opportunity to meet your child and find out more about them. It also gives us an opportunity to see whether as a school we can provide the things your child needs.
6. If we have spaces and the resources we need, we will let the local authority know. If we don’t have spaces we will let them know too and ask if they would like us to put your child’s name on our waiting list until a space becomes available.
7. Your local authority will formally let you know if we have a space for your child.
Below is the local authority admissions (and also a guidance booklet to assist you in the process.)
https://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions
If you have any queries, please contact school office on 0207 639 2541 or contactus@liftnewlands.org
Southwark Local Offer
The Local Offer contains information on all services available for children and young people with special educational needs and disability in Southwark. The Local Offer provides information from birth to 25. It includes information on health, education, social care, activities outside of school and where to access advice, support and guidance.
It gives information on all of the changes happening locally such as how to apply for an EHC and personal budgets. Parents and young people can provide feedback and help to shape the way we commission services in the council.
https://www.southwark.gov.uk/social-care-and-support/the-local-offer-0-to-25-years
Many of our students at Lift Newlands attend our provision from different boroughs, please check the local offer from your borough if you require any further information.
Merton - https://fsd.merton.gov.uk/kb5/merton/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0
Bromley - https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/lbb-local-offer.aspx
Lambeth - https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/send-local-offer
Croydon - https://www.croydon.gov.uk/education/special-educational-needs
Lewisham - http://www.lewishamlocaloffer.org.uk/#/
If you would like to apply for a place outside the normal admissions round, you will need to complete a mid-year application form through the Local Authority’s admissions website. Once submitted, the school will contact you to confirm the outcome and, where possible, arrange a tour of the school. Please note that waiting lists for mid-year admissions are ranked based on the oversubscription criteria.
Applications for Year 7 places must be made through the Local Authority’s admissions process. The admissions round for September 2026 entry opens on 12 September 2025, with a closing date of 31 October 2025. We encourage families to attend our Open Evening to meet staff and explore the facilities. National Offer Day is on 2 March 2026, when parents will be notified of the outcome of their application.
If your application for a place is unsuccessful, you have the right to appeal the decision. Appeals should be submitted in writing within 20 school days of receiving the refusal notice. Appeals will be heard by an independent panel, and you will have the opportunity to present your case.
