Applying for a place
I would like to know which is my catchment school
You can find out which is your catchment school by checking the School catchment area. We recommend including your catchment school as one of your preferences.
I have moved in, or I am moving in and would like to know the schools in the area
If you have just moved or are about to move and want to know which schools are nearby, please see our Find a school page.
I am moving to a different Local Authority and need to change my child’s school
If you have proof of your new address you can apply directly to the Local Authority you are moving to. If not, you can apply through your home Local Authority.
If a change of preference is received and can be offered, the previous school place offer will automatically be withdrawn.
I would like to know the eligibility criteria for school transport
The criteria for school transport can be found on our Apply for school travel assistance page.
I need help with my school admission application
The Somerset Choice Advice Service is a free, impartial service to help families with school admissions and appeals. For more information please visit the Choice Advice website.
I have moved or I am moving and would like to know what proof of address are considered suitable
If you have moved or are moving and need to provide proof of your address, you can use one of the following:
- a letter or email from your solicitor confirming you have exchanged contracts on a house purchase
- a minimum six month signed tenancy agreement from a letting agency
- a recent utility bill in your name
I applied for a school place and would like confirmation this has been received
If you have applied for a school place and want to check it has been received:
- Applications made on the Citizen Portal – You can log in to see if your application was submitted. You will also get a confirmation email after submitting. If you log back into your application you will need to make sure you re-submit and receive another confirmation email.
- For late applications – You will get a confirmation email after submitting.
I have changed my mind about my preferences on a school application and the Portal has closed
If you want to change your school choices after the Portal has closed, you will need to make a late application with your updated preferences.
- For primary schools: See Apply to start school for the first time.
- For secondary schools: See Starting at a secondary or upper school in September
If a change of preference is received and can be offered, the previous school place offer will automatically be withdrawn.
I would like to home educate my child
For information about home education, see our Somerset elective home education page.
Outcomes information
I have received an outcome, and I am happy with it
You do not need to confirm acceptance of the school place in Somerset. If the school place has been allocated by another Local Authority, check with them to see if you need to accept it.
It is outcome day and I have not received an outcome
Please check your junk mail and if your email has not arrived by midday, email schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk. If you chose to receive your outcome by post, letters will be sent on outcome day by second class post. Outcomes cannot be given over the phone.
You can also check the portal to see your results. Use the Citizen Portal – Sign in.
If you have forgotten your password, try resetting it through the portal. If that does not work, email schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk and we can reset it for you. Please note we cannot offer this service on outcome day.
If your email address has changed, you can still use your old email and password to log in and see your outcome. If you are having problems with the portal, email schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk and we will send your outcome by post.
I share 50/50 custody with my ex-partner and have not received an outcome
Outcomes are sent to the parent carer who made the application. Only one school place application can be processed. So if both parents apply, the application made by the parent who lives at the same permanent home address as the child is the one that will be processed.
My child is on the waitlist, and I want to know their position
If your child is on a waiting list for a school, their name will stay on that list until at least 31 December or longer depending on the admissions authority. Your child will stay on the waiting list regardless of if you apply for other schools or appeal a school admission decision. If a place becomes available, it will be offered to the highest-ranked child on the waiting list. The waiting list includes everyone who applied on time as well as those who applied later and is ranked strictly in order of over-subscription criteria.
Make sure to tell us in writing about any changes in your circumstances, like moving house, so your child is ranked correctly on the waiting list.
If a place becomes available for your child and you accept it, your child will be removed from the waiting list of any lower-preference schools you were previously refused.
Refusing a place and appeals
I would like to know the process of refusing a school place
If you wish to refuse a school place please email schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk clearly stating the reasons why.
Refusing the offer will mean that a school place will not be held for your child and may be offered to another applicant. We would not recommend that you refuse the school place offered unless you have an alternative plan for your child’s education.
Once we have offered a place, our statutory duty is met, and it is the parent or carer’s responsibility to make sure that their child is accessing education.
You may decide to turn down the place offered and make your own arrangements for your child’s education. For example, your child may have been offered a place at an independent school, or you may decide that you want to educate your child at home.
I received my outcome, and my child has not been given their preferred school
When you receive your outcome email there will be a link to a web page that will clearly set out all the options available to you. Please read this carefully.
If your child has not been given a place at the school you wanted, you can appeal the decision.
You can also send in a late application with new preferences if you want to apply for different schools:
- For primary school, see Apply to start school for the first time
- For secondary school, see Starting at a secondary or upper school in September
I need help with my appeal
The Somerset Choice Advice Service is a free, impartial service to help families with school admissions and appeals. For more information please visit the Choice Advice website.
I submitted an appeal and would like to understand the process
There is a School Appeals parent guide on our website that may help.