Deadline for Nottinghamshire secondary school applications fast approaching

With just one week to the 31 October deadline, parents are reminded to apply for their child’s secondary school place as soon as possible.

If your child has just started in year 6 and is due to start secondary school in Nottinghamshire in September 2021, you must submit your application by the deadline and list four school preferences for the best chance of getting your child into one of your preferred schools.

Across Nottinghamshire over 1800 families have still not applied for a school place. 

Nottinghamshire County Council’s service director for education, learning and skills, Marion Clay, said: “Applying within the deadline and using all four of your school preferences is key. Listing only one school does not increase the chances of being offered a place at that school, so it really is important to list four schools. And it’s not too late – parents can make changes to their online application up until the deadline, you just need to remember to resubmit.  

“The good news is that last year, almost 97% of families who applied on time for a secondary school place were offered one of their preferred schools.”

Applying after 31 October deadline significantly reduces the chances of being offered a preferred school as places will have been allocated on national offer day to people who applied on time.  

The easiest way to apply for a place is online at:
www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/admissions

The Council’s committee chairman for children and young people’s services, Councillor Philip Owen, stressed : “It is crucial that parents give themselves the best possible chance to get their child into their preferred school - if the application is late or only one school is listed, this could substantially reduce their chances of getting their child into one of their preferred schools. Using all four school preferences is very important - last year of those families that were not successful for any of their preferences, 55.6% had listed only one preference.

“Parents sometimes think that making only one preference will ensure that a place is allocated at that school, but that is not the case. If there is no place available at the preferred school(s), an alternative offer will be made. Remember, you will not automatically be allocated the catchment area school. If all places at other schools near to your home address have been allocated, the alternative offer could be at a school which is some distance away from the child’s home address. 

"The council processes all of the applications received by this date at the same time using schools’ oversubscription criteria to prioritise applications when necessary.”

Nottinghamshire residents still need to apply through Nottinghamshire County Council, even if they wish to apply for schools in other areas such as Nottingham City or Derbyshire.

The application process for children transferring from primary schools to secondary schools in September 2021 closes at midnight on Saturday 31 October 2020. 

Secondary school offers will be made on 1 March 2021. If parents apply online and have opted to receive an email outcome, they will receive notification that day. All those applying online can log in to view the outcome of their application.

For parents who apply by telephone or by completing a paper application, their offer will be sent by second-class post on 1 March 2021, no outcomes can be given over the telephone so they will need to wait to receive it by post.

For more information about the application process, schools, the number of places available or how places are allocated, please visit: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/admissions or call 0300 500 80 80.