Parents urged by Council to apply now for school places

This year, Swindon Borough Council was able to give 96 per cent of applicants their first choice primary school and 87 per cent of applicants their first preference secondary school.

However, parents are encouraged to put down a second and third choice of school when they apply, in case their first choice school is oversubscribed.

Parents of children born between 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2011 who are entering secondary school next year, will have until 31 October 2021 to submit their preferences.

Meanwhile, parents of children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 who are entering primary school, will have until 15 January 2022 to submit their school preferences.

Parents of children born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 are now able to apply for a junior school place starting September 2022. Parents will need to apply for a transfer to junior school if their child currently attends infant school. The child will not automatically qualify for a place at a junior school, even if they attend the connected infant school. Preferences must be submitted by 15 January 2022.

These closing dates follow national guidelines.

The offer of a preferred school place depends upon the number of applications received and the number of places available. Priority for places will be determined by the individual school’s admission criteria.

Applications submitted after the deadline has passed will be considered as a low priority and the child concerned will be allocated a school place after all other applications have been considered. Late applicants are unlikely to be placed in their preferred school. To avoid this situation parents are urged to get their submissions in with plenty of time to spare.

Applications for secondary, primary and junior school spaces should be made online on the Council’s website which contains all of the information parents will need to make their application.

Those with children entering secondary school will be informed about the outcome of their application on 1 March 2022 and those with children entering primary or junior school will be told on 19 April 2022.

Councillor Tim Swinyard, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Place, said: “It’s time for parents who have children entering primary, junior or secondary school in September 2022 to start thinking about what school they want their child to attend.

“Each child is entitled to three different school choices and it’s really important parents use all of the preferences available to them, as this maximises their child’s chances of being allocated one of their preferred schools.

“We have an excellent selection of schools in Swindon, with great Ofsted ratings, easy transport links and fantastic exam results. We’d encourage all parents to consider a local school when applying for their child’s school place.”

Parents can find out more information at www.swindon.gov.uk/schoolplaces.