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As a result of Coronavirus, all Somerset County Council staff have been asked to work from home and therefore the School Admissions Team will not regularly be receiving post. If you need to send us any documentation or applications, if possible, please email them to schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk. If you have sent information to the team through the post, please be aware that it may take longer for the team to receive it.
All applications for a secondary or upper school place in September 2021 must be made to your home authority – this is who you pay your council tax to.
If you are unsure if your child lives in Somerset, you can check whether we are your local authority for school admissions here.
If your child is due to start at a secondary or upper school in September 2021 we strongly suggest you carefully read the Secondary Admissions Guide before making your application. This contains everything you need to know in order to make your school place application including information on the different types of school, published admission numbers and the criteria used to allocate places at schools and academies.
You may be prompted for a Unique Identification Number (UID). Please note we do not use these , so please choose the ‘NO UID’ button.
We only offer one school place for each child. If you submit ‘new’ preferences and it becomes possible to offer a place at one of these schools, any place we have offered you previously will be withdrawn.
How to get more information
Pupils start at a Secondary school at the beginning of Year 7
Pupils start at an Upper school at the beginning of Year 9
If your child is due to start at a secondary or upper school in September 2021 we advise you to carefully read the Secondary Admissions Guide before making your application. This contains everything you need to know to make your school place application, including information about the different types of school, published admission numbers and the criteria used to allocate places at schools and academies.
You can find the criteria used to allocate places at schools and academies on their websites. We have a list of schools on our Local Offer site which have links to Admission policies. Just search for the school you are interested in and click on the admissions policy link.
If you would like information on how places were allocated at your preferred schools in previous years please see our School Place Allocation Summaries page.
How you find out which school you’ve been offered
If you applied online by 31 October 2020 you will receive an email with the outcome of your application on 1 March 2021 or the next working day. If you applied using a paper application form your outcome will be sent out by second class post on 1 March 2021 or the next working day.
Outcomes will not be given out over the phone or in person at the Council offices.
From 1 March 2021, or the next working day, you can view the outcome of your application by logging into the online application system.
What happens if you miss the deadline or want to change your preferences after the closing date
Please note, it is the parent or carer’s responsibility to make an on-time school place application. If you are making an application after the closing date, it will be classed as late and your application will be considered according to the dates below.
For applications received by 20 March 2021 we will send outcomes on 1 May 2021.
Applications received after 20 March 2021 will be processed in strict date order of receipt, and outcomes will be sent out after 1 May 2021.
Important tips for making your school place application
We would strongly advise that you carefully consider the following when making your school place application.
- It is strongly advised you put three school preferences on your form especially if you live in an urban area. You are not given a higher priority for any school by stating it as your only preference and may be more likely to be allocated a school you have not chosen. This could also be some distance from your home address. Although it is unlikely it could even be the case that it is not possible to allocate your child a school place and you need to make a further application in the second round.
- All preferences are considered equally and a place is offered at the highest preference possible.
- If you wish to be considered for your catchment school you must include it as one of your preferences. You can check your school catchment area on a map on the School Catchment page. The map is a representation of the catchment areas and cannot be relied upon for purchasing a property. If you are considering purchasing a property or if you live near a school border then please contact us.
- There are no guarantees that siblings will be allocated the same school when the school is over-subscribed. You are advised to put other preferences, especially if you live outside the catchment area.
- Carefully read the over-subscription criteria for the schools you have chosen. This can be found further up this page under the heading How to get more information
- If your preferred school requires a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) or further proof (for example, proof of regular church attendance), it is essential that this is sent in with your application form if you would like your child to be considered under the appropriate criterion. You can upload any supporting information, such as a SIF onto your online application. All SIFs can be found on the school website.
- If you have recently moved address or are due to move please provide proof of your new address. This can be the ‘exchange of contracts’ letter from the solicitors on a house purchase or a minimum six month tenancy agreement.
- You will be responsible for transporting your child to any school you name as a preference unless you have a statutory entitlement.
- Please ensure you fully complete the applicant details section of the application form including supplying a phone number and email address. School Transport use a texting service to notify parents of changes to transport arrangements and require accurate and up to date details.
Applying for University Technical Colleges and studio schools
The information on this page also applies to applications for University Technical Colleges (UTC) and studio schools which take pupils from Year 10. Normally, you apply through your home local authority or directly to the school for a place.
If the studio school or UTC you are interested in requires you to make an application through your local authority please use the online form on this page. We will tell you the outcome of your application.
There are no UTC or studio schools in Somerset, only in neighbouring authorities.
Fraudulent school place applications
We thoroughly investigate all potentially fraudulent or misleading applications we are made aware of and welcome information from schools and the public.
For the 2019/20 academic year one home address claimed by the parent carer was not used to allocate a school place, and one school place was withdrawn as a result of information received about potentially fraudulent or misleading home addresses.
If you know or suspect that someone is trying to or has gained a school place fraudulently please let us know. You can send us this information anonymously if you prefer and rest assured that your details will remain completely confidential.