Frequently Asked Questions
To assist parents who may not be familiar with the school we have grouped the frequently asked questions we receive into sections
If you have a question to which you cannot find the answer, please email enquiries@croxleydanes.herts.sch.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Admissions
Q: How do we apply to the school?
A: To make an application to the school for 2025 secondary transfer, some parents must complete two applications. Firstly, all parents must apply online to their Local Authority, selecting Croxley Danes School as one of their choices. Secondly, parents applying under the musical aptitude criterion or the children of staff criterion must complete the school’s Supplementary Information Form (SIF) – also known as an application form and return it by post or by hand to Croxley Danes School, c/o The Admissions Officer, Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 3LR by 31st October 2025. Applications after this date will be accepted but classified as late applications. Application forms (SIFs) can be downloaded from the school’s website or can be found as an insert to the school prospectus, which can be obtained at one of the open events or from the main visitors’ reception at Croxley Danes School.
Q: What are the admissions criteria?
A: The admissions criteria for secondary transfer in September 2025 can be viewed in the admissions section of the school website – Determined Admissions Arrangements for 2025.
Q: Will there be an academic entrance exam like there is at St Clement Danes and other local schools?
A: New schools are not permitted to select on ability, so there is no academic entrance exam.
Q: How do we apply for a place based on musical aptitude?
A: For 2025 entry, you can apply for a place based on musical aptitude if your child has already completed the South West Herts Consortium’s musical aptitude test this term. Parents can apply for musical aptitude testing for 2026 entry from late April to mid-June 2025. Details of this testing can be found here: www.swhertsschools.org.uk
Q: What will the cut off score for musical aptitude places be?
A: In 2024 the pass mark for the aptitude test was 44 and the lowest performance score allocated a place was 18. This information is available on the school’s website in the ‘Admissions’ section.
Q: What will the catchment area of the school be?
A: In 2024, the last accepted place was awarded at a distance on National Offer day (1st March 2023) was 1822.04m from the address point of the school in Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green.
Q: How many places will be offered in Year 7?
A: 180 places will be offered in Year 7 for September 2025.
Q: How many applications did the school receive for secondary transfer for September 2024?
A: The school received 895 applications.
Q: When will I hear whether my child has been awarded a place?
A: Parents will be informed on national offer day (1st March 2025) whether they have been awarded a place at Croxley Danes School for September 2025. Parents will then have a deadline by which they must inform their Local Authority whether they will be accepting that place, otherwise it will be re-offered.
Staffing
Q: What are the arrangements for Headship in the school?
A: Dr Josephine Valentine OBE is Chief Executive Officer of the Danes Educational Trust. Andy Harris is Headteacher of Croxley Danes School.
Q: Does the school employ qualified teachers?
A: Absolutely.
Q: How do I go about applying for a job at Croxley Danes School?
A: Please visit the Vacancies page of the school website where we will advertise posts which become available.
The Curriculum
Q: What subjects will my child be able to study at GCSE?
A: The curriculum for Croxley Danes School is the same as the current curriculum at St Clement Danes School. Students joining Croxley Danes in 2025 will commence their GCSE studies in September 2028. They will all study the core subjects of English, Maths and Science and most will study Geography or History as well as a Modern Foreign Language (either French or Spanish). Most students will then choose two further GCSE option subjects from a wide range available: Art, Drama, Music, Computer Science, Modern Foreign Languages, Business Studies, Geography, History, Religious studies, Food preparation & Nutrition, Design & Technology, PE.
Q: Does the school have a specialism?
A: No. For a number of years now, schools have not been awarded Specialist Status. The awards that some schools still advertise are a legacy of an educational programme that no longer runs.
Q: What are the arrangements for children with Special Educational Needs?
A: The provision for students with Special Educational Needs is overseen by the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). The role of the SENCO is to ensure that barriers to learning are identified upon student entry to the school and then removed through quality first teaching and targeted personalised provision. The SENCO ensures that the provision meets the aims and objectives of the school and clearly meets the statutory requirement. She leads a team of Learning Skills Practitioners, organising in-class and out-of-class support. The SENCO also contributes to school decisions and delivery in relation to the provision of a differentiated curriculum in Key Stages 3,4 and 5.
Q: Does the school have a sixth form?
A: Yes, Croxley Danes is an 11-18 school and offers a full suite of 24 A level subjects for Sixth Form students to study. The first Sixth Form cohort of over 90 students commenced their A-level or BTEC studies in September 2022.
Uniform, lunch and transport arrangements
Q: Where do we buy uniform?
A: You can see images of our uniform on our website. All items are available from BEAT School Uniforms, http://www.beatschooluniforms.co.uk
Q: What will the catering arrangements be for Croxley Danes in 2025-26?
A: Catering is currently provided by Herts Catering Limited (HCL). There is a kitchen and dining hall on-site in which the food is freshly prepared and cooked each day. Students use a biometric cashless catering system to purchase food and parents can top-up their accounts with on-line payments.
Q: What will be the school transport arrangements in 2025-26?
A: Since the school has been accommodated in Baldwins Lane, Croxley Green there has been negligible demand for a school transport service. Therefore, no transport service currently runs and there are no plans to introduce a transport service. The school is well served by local bus routes and a short walk from the Croxley Underground station; however, the majority of students walk or cycle to school, with some travelling by car.
The school and its relationship with St Clement Danes
Q: What will be the ongoing relationship between Croxley Danes School and St Clement Danes School?
A: Both schools are part of the Danes Educational Trust and, as such, they will permanently be related as ‘sister’ schools. Being in such close proximity, this will assist the recruitment and deployment of teaching staff and also offer the opportunity for curriculum collaboration at GCSE and A level as well as extra-curricular partnerships.
