Proposed Co-ordinated Scheme for Secondary School Admissions for 2025/26

Details of where to submit an application for your preferred school can be found on the Wiltshire Council website.

All applications received by Wiltshire Council via post or online will be date stamped on the date they are received by the school admissions team, unless the application is received over the weekend in these cases the form will be stamped as being received on the next working day.

For in-year transfer applications co-ordinated by Wiltshire Council, the following process applies.

54. The LA will make available copies of the 'Finding a School Place Guide' online and hard copies on request from County Hall.

55. All applicants who wish to apply for a school place must complete an application form which should be returned to the LA. The applicant may or may not live in Wiltshire. Applications should be completed online.

56. Should a parent living in Wiltshire wish to apply for a school in another authority, they must contact that authority directly for details on how to apply.

57. Should any Wiltshire school receive an in-year application form expressing a preference for that school, the form should be forwarded to the LA within two school days of receipt. This will only be applicable if the LA co-ordinates in year applications for the school.

58. Where the LA receives an in-year application form expressing a preference for a VC or C school the application will be forwarded to the school within three school days of receipt. The school is then required to advise the LA if a place can be offered within two school days or receipt.

59. For any Academy, F or VA school who is part of the in year co-ordination process, the school's governing body is responsible for deciding the outcome of the application and advising the LA accordingly within two school days of the date of which the information was received by the school.

60. In all cases, a decision letter will be sent out by the Local Authority within 15 school days of receiving the application form and this will provide information, if appropriate, about the statutory right of appeal.

61. If an application has been passed on to a selective school, it is recognised that such a school will not be able to make a response to the LA until after the result of an appropriate selection test has been received. The selective school will inform the LA of the outcome of the application as soon as practicable after the result of any selection test is known. A decision letter will be sent out by the LA and will provide information, if appropriate about the statutory right of appeal.

62. The Local Authority will maintain waiting lists for all year groups for VC & C schools, however the parent must confirm if they wish their child's name to be placed on the waiting list. This will not happen automatically.

63. The school/academy will maintain waiting lists for all year groups for A, F & VA schools and parents should contact the directly to place their child's name on the waiting list.

If an own admission authority school does not wish the LA to co-ordinate its in year, applications, the admission authority must officially confirm this to the LA by 31 August each year. It will then be the responsibility of that admissions authority to ensure that applications are processed in line with the School Admissions Code.

The admissions authority will then have to process the application and inform the parent of the outcome and where necessary their statutory right of appeal. In all cases, it is also required to forward a copy of the application, along with the decision, to the LA within two school days.

Where a school has opted in to the in-year co-ordination process, then all places offered at one of these schools must be taken up within 28 working days of the date stated on the initial application form, unless the school has an alternative timescale for this on their website. If the place has not been taken up with 28 working days, then the offer could be withdrawn.