Admission to secondary and high school September 2023 entry

If your child will be in year 6 at a primary or junior school or year 8 in a middle school in September 2022, you will need to apply for a place at secondary/high school to start in September 2023.

See the timetable further down this page for key dates in the process.

If you are moving to Staffordshire from abroad, please see the information on moving from overseas.

If you want to apply to change schools during the academic year, or your child does not currently have a school place, please see the information on in-year admissions.

Our online search and compare tool will help you to find information about your nearest schools, including performance information, teacher/pupil ratios and much more.

You can also find information on:

open evening/morning dates
types of schools
how places were allocated for September 2020, 2021 and 2022 entry
learning options and careers
frequently asked questions

Please see the timeline below which includes important points to consider prior to making your application.

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September

The application system will open on 1 September 2022. You should only use this system if your child lives within Staffordshire.

You are strongly advised to make more than one preference.
We recommend you include your catchment area school. There are some schools in Staffordshire who do not operate a catchment area within their admission arrangements.
Understand the admission arrangements for your preferred school(s) and view further information on how places are allocated.
Consider how your child will get to school. Very few children are entitled to free or discounted home-to-school travel assistance. You can check to see if your child is entitled.
If you are applying for an academy, foundation or voluntary aided school you may need to provide extra information or submit a supplementary form.

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October

Applications will close on 31 October 2022.

Last year there were over 250 late applications. This may have affected the outcome of these applications.
The late application policy (detailed in the published admission arrangements) will apply to those applications made after the closing date.

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November

Applications sent to and received from other local authorities.

Application details and supporting documentation sent to academies, aided and foundation schools.

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December

Academies, aided and foundations schools forward lists of all preferences ranked in accordance with their admission arrangements to the county council.

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January

Provisional offers shared between local authorities.

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February

Final offers exchanged between local authorities.

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March

Parents receive outcomes on National Offer Day, 1 March 2023.

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March - August

Processing of late applications and any available places allocated from waiting lists.

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May - July

Appeals heard by independent appeal panels.

Making an application

Applications closed on 31 October 2022.

You can make a late application by completing the relevant paper application form. Please note: Paper application forms sent by post will not receive an acknowledgement of receipt and you will not receive your school place offer by email on 01 March 2023.

You can then either:

Email the form to admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk
Or print out the form and post it to:

School Admissions and Transport Service,
Staffordshire County Council,
1 Staffordshire Place,
Stafford,
ST16 2DH

You must apply through the local authority where your child lives not where your preferred schools are located.

Applications for JCB Academy

Applications for JCB Academy are open until 31 January 2023.

JCB Academy requires applicants to take a CAT test as part of the application process. Please view the UTC's information on how to apply for further details

For a Year 9 place, please complete a paper application form and send to the School Admissions Team as detailed above.

For a Year 10 place, please apply to the academy directly.