Changing your child's school in the middle of a school year (in-year transfer)

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You may be applying for a school place outside of the usual time of entry. This might be because you have moved house, because your child is unhappy at their current school or because they have been excluded.

These are known as transfers or in-year applications and are co-ordinated by the local authority.

• Application form for an in-year primary school transfer Application form for an in-year primary school transfer 125kb
• Application form for an in-year secondary school transfer Application form for an in-year secondary school transfer 163kb

You should only complete a transfer form if your child is changing schools during the academic year. You cannot complete a transfer application online.

If you live outside the county and would like to apply to transfer your child to a school in Wiltshire you should complete a transfer application form from your local authority and return it to them directly. They will then pass on your preference details to the admissions team at Wiltshire Council.

Where possible you will be notified in writing of the result of your application within 20 school days. Decisions will not be given over the telephone.

An offer will be made at one school based on the admissions criteria of the school and, as far as possible, your preferences. Where it is not possible to offer a place at one of your preferred schools, and you live in Wiltshire, one will be allocated by Wiltshire Council. If you cannot get a place for your child in your preferred school, you will need to go through the appeals procedure.

Whenever a child is refused admission to a voluntary controlled or community school their name will automatically be added to a waiting list,

Foundation and voluntary aided schools and academies look after their own waiting lists. If you have been refused a place at this type of school you should contact them directly.

You should not remove your child from their current school before you have made a transfer application and secured a place at another school.

Applications from service personnel moving into Wiltshire

When applying for a school place, children of UK Service personnel (HM forces) or other crown servants are treated as meeting the residency criteria for a particular area, even if they don't yet own a house in the county. Until a fixed address is available, the unit address of the military base will be used and a school place allocated accordingly.

Parents are advised to attach proof of their posting to the transfer application form and a letter of support from the commanding officer if the posting note does not indicate the housing arrangements.

• It isn't always possible to allocate places in popular schools so no school place can be guaranteed.

If your child will be starting school in September with the normal round of admissions, parents must complete the common application form and attach proof of their posting to the county.

Related information

• Our schools directory provides details of all Wiltshire schools.

Last updated: 31 August 2012