Starting secondary school September 2025

If you have a child born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014, you must apply for your child to start secondary school in September 2025.

Secondary school applications
There have been reports of processing issues when applying for a secondary school place. If you come across any problems making a new application, visit eAdmissions support online or call the helpdesk on 020 8255 5555 then choose option 1.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.

In this section


Key dates

  • The deadline for on-time applications was Thursday 31 October 2024.
  • National offer day is Monday 3 March 2025.

Before you apply 


Schools open evenings Autumn 2024

Every year schools hold open evenings for parents to provide information specific to their schools. Information on when school open evenings will be taking place can be found in the starting secondary school leaflet 2025, or by checking the schools individual websites from September.


Grammar school information for September 2025

View our designated page on grammar schools for advice and support. 


How to apply

To give your child the best possible chance of being offered their preferred school place, ensure your application is received on time. 

The closing date for on-time applications was Thursday 31 October 2024.

You can still submit a late application online until August 2025. However, your application will not be processed until after Monday 3 March 2025 (National Offer Day).

Apply for a secondary school place (opens new window)

Please note:


Proof of address

You are required to submit  Proof of address (PDF) [101KB] alongside your application.

Please note: When you apply online, you will not be able to attach any documentary evidence until after you have submitted your application. 


Applications for families arriving from abroad, including from the EU

In most cases, children arriving from overseas have the right to attend schools in England. It is the responsibility of parents to check whether their child has a right, under their visa entry conditions, to study at a school before submitting an application. 

Read more about applications for families arriving from abroad


Supplementary information forms 

Some schools (such as faith schools) require the completion of a supplementary information form (SIF). This is so that they can decide which pupils should have the highest priority when making offers.

SIFs are available directly from each school and their website. They must be returned to the school or to the address provided by the school by the specified deadline, which may differ between schools. 

The following schools require SIFs to be completed in order to process applications. SIFs can only be considered if they have a direct bearing on oversubscription criteria, or for the purpose of selection by aptitude or ability. 

Schools must still accept applications without a completed SIF, because all schools have to consider 'other applicants'. 

Visit the schools' individual websites for supplementary forms and deadline dates. 

*SIF only required if applying for a place under the aptitude criterion.

The following school operates a fair banding system to allocate places. The places within each band are based on year 6 students taking a Non Verbal Reasoning Test (NVRT).

  • Swakeleys School for Girls

Please be aware that the form must be returned to the school direct by Friday 20 September, 4pm.


Statistics

The following provide information on furthest distances offered for secondary schools. 


Parental responsibility and disputes

Our School Placement and Admissions team has seen a significant increase in the numbers of disputes between parents, relating to where their children should go to school. We understand that, when trying to come to a mutual agreement on child arrangements, parental disputes can be extremely upsetting for all involved (including the children). 

Protocol and guidance regarding parental responsibility (PDF) [179KB] has been published to help parents understand the council's protocol for dealing with situations where parents disagree. This is general guidance intended to help parents understand their rights and responsibilities in line with the law. 


Can't find the information you're looking for?

If you're unable to find the information you are looking for, please complete our online schools query form.

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Page last updated: 01 Nov 2024