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FAQs

Answer:

You will need to complete the in-year application form

All sections of the application form must be completed.

The form should be returned directly to the preferred school/academy. The school/academy will then notify you of the outcome.

Answer:

For children due to move to secondary/high school in September 2024, you can make an application from 01 September 2023.

Applications will close on 31 October 2023.

Answer:

You must make an application to ensure that your child is considered for a place at your preferred school. Children are not automatically allocated a school place.

Answer:

Yes, you must still make an application for your preferred school. Available places are then allocated using the relevant admission arrangements.

Answer:

No, every parent must complete an application to ensure that their child is considered for a place at their preferred school.

Where a parent does not make an application for any school, a place will be allocated at a school where places are still available on 1 March 2024. This may not be your catchment area school and transport assistance will not necessarily be provided.

If you require assistance making your application, please contact us on 0300 111 8007 or email us at admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk. Your child's present school will also be pleased to help you.

Answer:

You can check the catchment area using the schools guide for addresses within Staffordshire.

Your child will not be considered for a place at your catchment area school unless it is named as one of your preferred schools on your application.

Please also note there is no guaranteed admission to your catchment area school.  Allocations will be dependent on the availability of spaces in the relevant year group.  In addition, there are now 15 schools in Staffordshire who do not give priority for admission to catchment area children.

Catchment areas are also subject to regular review and may change.

Answer:

You can find information about schools in Staffordshire using the Schools Guide.

You can enter a postcode or part of a road name. Then select the type of school you are interested in. This will give you a list of up to 40 schools closest to that address.

Answer:

You are able to name up to three schools in your application and if you wish to apply for more you should let us know. No extra weighting is given for the number of times you include a school on your form.

The majority of parents and carers in Staffordshire get one of their preferred schools.  You must still consider the possibility of not getting your school preferences. This is particularly the case if your preference is for a school that is not within your catchment area.

Answer:

When making an application, you must name all the schools where you wish your child to be considered for a place in order of your preferences. This includes any maintained schools, academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools either within or outside of Staffordshire.

Please view types of schools for more information.

Answer:

If you live in Staffordshire and you only list one school and your child cannot be offered a place at that school, a place will be offered at a school with a space available and you will be advised of the independent appeal process. There may have been other schools that you would have preferred your child to go to.

Answer:

If you are a Staffordshire resident you will still need to make an application via Staffordshire County Council even if you want to apply to a school in another authority.  This is because we exchange details of pupils applying for schools outside Staffordshire with all of our neighbouring authorities as part of the co-ordinated admission scheme.

You should view the admission arrangements information so you will know your chances of getting a school place there.

Answer:

You can apply for places at schools both within and outside Staffordshire on the application provided by your home authority. You cannot apply directly to Staffordshire.

Answer:

You should be aware that there is no guarantee of a place at any school. You can refer to the individual school's prospectus and the admissions arrangements.

Answer:

For academies, foundation and aided schools, it is not always the case that this criteria is relevant, please check individual admission arrangements to see the criteria used to allocate school places at particular schools.

For community and voluntary controlled schools, children must have current exceptional circumstances and also demonstrate that they will suffer hardship if they are unable to attend the preferred school. Hardship means severe suffering of any kind, not merely difficulty, inconvenience or mild to moderate emotional distress, which is likely to be experienced as a result of the child attending a different school.  There are very few applications that meet the threshold for admission under this criteria (please read the admission arrangements carefully).

Answer:

You can get information about the school from the schools guide.

You can also get a copy of the school's prospectus, get OFSTED reports and look at examination results in order to gather information about the schools you are interested in.

We would always encourage parents to arrange to visit the school that they are interested in applying for before making an application for admission.

Answer:

Applications will close on 31 October 2023 for a school place for September 2024.

What happens if I apply after this date?

Late applications for schools for which Staffordshire is the admission authority, i.e. community and voluntary controlled schools, will be considered alongside those applicants who applied on time wherever possible. 

If places have already been allocated, late applicants will only be considered afterwards. If one of your preferred schools is not a Staffordshire community or voluntary controlled school then the relevant admission authority may decide not to process your application until after the 01 March, and therefore after places have been allocated.

A late application does not affect the right of appeal or the right to be placed on a school’s waiting list. 

Last year there were over 250 late applications.  This may have affected the outcome of these applications.

Answer:

For September 2024 applications, if you live in Staffordshire and you applied online, you should receive an automatic email on 1 March 2024.

If you applied using a paper application form, your offer letter will be posted second class on 1 March 2024. You will not be advised of the outcome over the telephone.

Answer:

If you wish to change your preferences to include schools not previously named or wish to change your preferences after National Offer Day you will need to email admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk to make a late application. Your application will be administered in line with the late application process detailed in the relevant admission arrangements.

Answer:

If you are resident within Staffordshire you will be able to apply online. Alternatively you can complete a paper application form and return this to us before 31 October 2023.

For further advice please call us on 0300 111 8007 or email admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk

If you live outside of Staffordshire you should make your application through your home local authority.

Answer:

Please contact the School Admissions and Transport Team if you wish to need to discuss any aspects of the admission and appeals processes.

 

Answer:

Some schools will require you to complete a supplementary application form in order to apply their admission arrangements.

If you ar required to provide a copy of your child's baptism certificate please email this to admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk detailing your child's name, date of birth and school(s) applied for.

Some maintained grammar schools in other areas will require your child to sit an entrance exam. You will need to complete a form to register your child for the entrance exam and you should contact the school directly for further information about this. However, you must still list grammar schools on your Staffordshire application otherwise it will not be classed as a valid application.


Answer:

Please note that a child having received or being in receipt of free transport to a particular school does not guarantee that free transport will be provided to any other siblings.  Applications will be assessed under the policy, road and school network in place at that time.

Be sure to understand the entitlement to travel assistance and consider how you child will get to school before making a school place application.

Children attending their catchment or closest school where the home address is over 3 miles from the school are entitled to free travel assistance.

More information is available on the free transport for under 16s web page. 

If your child is in receipt of free school meals or you are on the maximum level of working tax credits you can apply for free travel assistance on low income grounds.  To qualify your child must be attending one of 3 closest schools between 2 and 6 miles.

 

 

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