Secondary School Application Deadlines

[RyanLondon]

Hello Everyone,

My daughter is 9 years old and she is in Year 4. She will be in Year 5 from September this year. I am thinking of moving house, and I wanted to find out in which year do kids apply for Secondary School or their "Preferred School", is it Year 5 or Year 6. And is there a deadline? As I wanted to move houses before the deadline.

I was going to get her to try for 11 Plus before, now I have decided against it, as I feel she doesn't need the extra pressure with everything else. So if she is going a state secondary school is their a deadline, and when is it?

Thank you.

Before October half term in year 6.

Any sort of specialist aptitude test - art, music etc is carried out before the deadline, so ensure you read up on the arrangements well before time.

It's usually on or around 31 October of year6.

If you change your mind about a selective place (whether academic or specialist) you need to check dates for exams/assessments as there all have to be held early enough for parents to be able to apply knowing their DC's scores. So that will mean early Sept deadlines at the latest.

Some areas require registration for 11+ in the summer term of year 5.

You also seem to be muddling up 11+ and 'state secondary', in as much as 11+ gets you to state grammar schools if you are unfortunate enough to live in an area that thinks its a good idea to test kids age 10 and decide whether they are 'grammar' or 'not grammar'.

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for replying quickly. Its something thats been stressing me out a bit.

@TeenAndTween, its been a long time since I was at school, so I get confused sometimes. And I only have one child. Believe it or not, I don't believe in all this pressure on kids. But life isn't always simple. When you have 2 parents with complete opposite views on the world and education, you often have to make a compromise. I was never for or against Grammar schools. What I was always against was the extra pressure. Hence why I have for the time being abandoned the idea of Grammar Schools. However, if someone wants to do it, thats their choice. I wouldn't normally chose that route if had my way.

In our Borough applications for the Common Application Form (CAF) open online via eadmissons on 1 Sep each year with a deadline for submission of 31 Oct. I gather this is in line with most regions. Tests for 11+ open in the spring with supplementary information forms (SIF) due by a specified date, often mid July. Tests taken in September with results before the CAF deadline.

Thanks. It gives me a year to work things out and plan. I am planning on leaving London, either buying a house outside or renting.

Initially I was going to move based on Grammar School catchment area - I was always one of those that told myself that I won't put myself and my daughter through that - now that the Grammar school or 11+ is abandoned, I am happy to move near a "good" school or "good area". I am keeping my options open.

Do check the information for each LA or if the LA isn't the admission authority the info for the school. Kent for example accept a change of address as late as first week of December. Some admissions will not accept short rental terms. I've read of some schools that have a residency requirement well ahead of time but I can't find those threads so I may be mis-remembering. The vast majority will be around the October time but they will want good evidence of your address so allow time for your first utility bill etc. Our LA requires the child benefit statement even if you are not entitled to CB. It can take a few months for that to get updated and you have to get in touch with them to make the changes and send proof.

PettsWoodParadise, Thanks.

If you are not going for Grammar, then move to an area without Grammar schools and good comprehensives. You may well be pleasantly surprised (I know the ex-Head of a Public school whose youngest two children go to State Comprehensives and are the "happiest" any of their children have been at school). Look at destinations that children go to from those schools and make sure you move close enough (and don't rely solely on rightmove).