Admission to secondary and high school September 2021 entry
If your child will be in year 6 at a primary or junior school or year 8 in a middle school in September 2020, you will need to apply for a place at secondary or high school to start in September 2021. See the timetable for key dates in the process.
Moving from overseas
If you are moving to Staffordshire from abroad, please see the information on moving from overseas.
Changing schools during the academic year
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.
Further information
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:
- how places were allocated for September 2018, 2019 and 2020 entry
Please see the timeline below which includes important points to consider prior to making your application.
September
The application system opened on 1 September 2020. You should only use this system if your child lives within Staffordshire.
- You are strongly advised to make more than one preference.
- If you are applying for an academy, foundation or voluntary aided school you may need to provide extra information or submit a supplementary form.
October
Applications will close on 31 October 2020.
- Last year there were over 200 late applications. This may have affected the outcome of these applications.
November
Applications sent to and received from other local authorities.
Application details and supporting documentation sent to academies, aided and foundation schools.
December
Academies, aided and foundations schools forward lists of all preferences ranked in accordance with their admission arrangements to the county council.
January
Provisional offers shared between local authorities.
February
Final offers exchanged between local authorities.
March
Parents receive outcomes on National Offer Day, 1 March 2021.
March - August
Processing of late applications and any available places allocated from waiting lists.
May - July
Appeals heard by independent appeal panels.
Making an application
The quickest and easiest way to apply is online.
You must apply through the local authority where your child lives not where your preferred schools are located.
What if I can't apply online or have a problem?
You can call us on 0300 111 8007 and select the option for 'school admissions and transport' or email admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk so we can help you.
As a last resort, you can complete the relevant paper application form but it really is better to apply online.
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 1 March 2021.
You can then either:
- print out the form and post it to:
School Admissions and Transport Service,
Staffordshire County Council,
1 Staffordshire Place,
Stafford,
ST16 2DH
Applications for The Rural Enterprise Academy (TREA)
TREA will be an 11-16 school from September 2021 and is therefore open to applications for year 7, as well as year 9. Please apply online.
Applications for JCB Academy
For a year 9 place, please apply online.
For a year 10 place, please apply to the academy directly.
Applications for University technical college (UTC)
Please see the UTC page for further information on how to apply.