Applying to schools in different counties

[PilgorTheGoat]

We live right on the edge of a county border. Our first choice high school is on one county and second choice is in the other. You can’t apply for high schools in different counties on the same website.

Does anyone know what I do? Do I just do a separate application for each application!

In England?
You should usually apply to your own LA but just name the school across the authority line on that form in your true order of preference. The LA then should deal with cross border applications.

When you say you can’t apply for high schools in different counties on the same website what do you mean? Are there drop downs of schools and the other isn't on it, or what?

If the online form doesn't have the other schools - which isn't all that unusual - then you will probably need to do a paper form, so contact your LA. You must apply through them.

You apply via your home LA.

Don't miss the deadline whatever happens!

My eldest went to a school in another county & I was able to still apply through the website for my LA even though this one was outside of ours. I’d maybe give your LA a call as I was able to find it in the drop down box.

DS attends school in a different county, we applied using the form (our LA website), no issues.
Is there a reason you say you can't apply on the website?

It might be complicated by the fact that one school is in England and one is in Wales. Only English schools are available to apply for on the English county website and only Welsh once’s are on the Welsh county website.

Contact your LA's admissions team first thing tomorrow and explain that you want to add a school over the border to your applications - if you are that close, then it's highly unlikely it's something that doesn't come up every year (are you sure there is nothing at all about how to do it in your LA's 'Moving to secondary school' info, along the lines of How to apply for a school in another authority, or in the information provided by the Welsh authority e.g. How to apply if you don't live here?) and they should be able to give you the solution. However, if it's 'do a paper form', remember you have actually got to get the form to them by the deadline, not just in the post.

It does seem to depend on which English county you are in: a quick look online and Shropshire says yes, include Powys and Wrexham schools on our form, Herefordshire says yes for Powys and Monmouthshire - but Cheshore West says no, contact the relevant authority.

www.herefordshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/21128/herefordshire-secondary-transfers-year-7-school-admissions-booklet

next.shropshire.gov.uk/media/vntna0uq/guidance-on-making-an-application-parents.pdf