Please select the Starting Primary or Starting Secondary tabs for more information about each transition.

Placing Requests

You have the right to make a placing request for your child to be educated in a school, other than the local school. In December each year, the authority will advertise its arrangements for placing requests. There are sound educational reasons for trying to ensure that the transfer or admission of children to a school takes place at the start of a school session. Other than those who are moving home, to a new area, parents / carers are advised to time any placing requests so that they take effect from the beginning of the new school session. Every effort will be made to try to meet the parental wishes, but you should note that it is not always possible to grant every placing request, to a particular school.

Placing requests to a primary school does not necessarily ensure that your child will have direct entry to the associated secondary. Advice on this must be sought from the primary school Head Teacher. Further information on placing requests and procedures is available from the school or the council’s website.

Parents / carers and young people have a right under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2009 to make a placing request for their child or young person to attend a nursery (including partnership nursery), special school or special class managed by the home authority. In the event of a successful placing request the authority is not required to provide transport. The Act also enables parents / carers and young people to make a placing request to attend a school / establishment belonging to another authority.