Changing schools or new to Wakefield

If you would like your child to change schools either during the current school year, or at the end of a school year when there is not normally a transfer to another school, contact the School Admissions Team and request an application form (see the 'Contact Us' section of this page).

You will be asked to provide your child’s name, date of birth, your current address, and details of your child’s current, or previous, school.

You can apply for a place at any school in the Wakefield district that includes your child’s age group.

You can select up to five preferred schools on your application form, regardless of where you currently live. You are also encouraged to make a preference for more than one school.

This does not affect your chance of being offered a place at your first preferred school.

• Find schools in the district
• Find schools near you

If you want to apply for a place at a school outside the Wakefield district, you will need to contact the relevant Local Authority.

Information about completing your application form

If you have moved house - or are due to move house - you must:

• Complete all sections in Part A of the form
  
  
• Arrange for your child’s current or previous school to complete Part B of the form. If you have moved to Wakefield and are unable to contact their previous school, School Admissions will request the information from the previous school directly
  
  
• Your application to change schools will be processed once we have received both completed parts of the application form. Wherever possible, the School Admissions Team will allocate a school place within 15 school days

If you want your child to change schools for any other reason you must:

• Complete all sections in Part A of the form
• Arrange for your child’s current school to complete Part B of the form
• Make sure that we receive both completed parts of the application form. We will not process your application until we have received both Part A and Part B

Changing schools can be extremely disruptive to a child’s education and can be complex to deal with.

We ask that you take every possible step to try and resolve any concerns about your child’s education or wellbeing at their current school before making an application for a place at another.

You can discuss your concerns with staff members at the school, or with a member of the governing body. We will ask for evidence of this on your application form.

School Admissions Process

• The School Admissions Team will contact the preferred schools, to confirm numbers on roll in the relevant year group
  
  
• School Admissions will consider your application alongside other applications for the same schools using the relevant over subscription criteria
  
  
• A place will be offered at the highest preference possible
  
  
• If it is not possible to offer any of your preferences and your application is because of a house move resulting in your child no longer being able to attend their previous school, a school place will be allocated at the nearest school to your home address with a place available
• Where the relevant year group is full, your child will be placed on the waiting list for the rest of the academic year. You will be contacted should a vacancy become available within the school year which can be offered to your child. You will be given the right to an appeal and you can find more information about this process here
  
  
• You will be notified of the outcome of your application by letter. Your child should start the new school within 10 school days from the date of the offer letter

Your child must continue to attend their present school until a place has been allocated at an alternative school.