Primary school in-year admissions guidance

How do I apply to change primary schools?

You must complete Croydon's primary in-year admissions form.

You may list up to 6 school preferences. Once completed the form can be returned to us in person, by post or by email to school.admissions@croydon.gov.uk 

Harris Academies in Croydon administer their own in-year admissions. For further information on how to apply, contact them directly. 

How do I apply for a primary school which is in another borough?

To apply for schools outside of the borough you must contact the school admissions department in the local authority where the school is based. Please see the primary school prospectus (PDF, 6.2MB) for more information.

I am new to the area, how do I find out my nearest school?

Details of the nearest schools to your home can be found by entering your address and postcode in our primary school finder.

How does sibling criteria work?

A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, half brother or sister, step brother or sister, foster-brother or sister or adopted brother or sister whose main residence is the same address as the child for whom the school place application is being made.

Where priority in a school’s admissions criteria is given to children with siblings at the school or linked infant school, this criterion does not include children with siblings in the nursery of the school or the nursery of the linked infant school, if it has one.

I am currently abroad, how do I apply for a primary school?

It is the responsibility of parents to check that their children have a right, under their visa entry conditions, to study at a school.  Applicants must check that they have a right of abode or the conditions of their visas otherwise permit them to access a state-funded school.

Foreign nationals cannot use the 6 month visitor visa or a 6 month short-term study visa to enter the UK to enrol as a pupil at a school.

Parents who are moving/returning to the UK should provide evidence of the address they intend to return to in order for the distance criteria to be applied, failure to provide evidence will result in the application being considered from the place of residence from which the application is made.  If this is in another country, it would give the child a lower priority for admission to most schools.

You must complete Croydon's online application for primary in-year admissions if you are eligible to apply for a school place.

When will I receive an offer of a school place?

The we aim to provide you with an outcome to your application within 20 school days. If your child lives in Croydon, is out of education and it is not possible to offer your child a place at any of the schools for which you have applied, our admissions team will seek to identify an alternative placement for your child, which will normally be the nearest available school with a vacancy or in some cases an appropriate alternative education provision. If you have applied for a place at a school who administer their own in-year admissions those schools will write to you direct to advise of the outcome.

How do I find out my child’s waiting list position?

Waiting list positions are available on our website. There are some schools in Croydon that manage their own waiting lists, you will need to contact these schools directly for a waiting list position. 

Why has my child been offered a place at an alternative school? 

Alternative schools are offered if your child lives in Croydon and we have been unable to offer a place at a preference school. This is normally in cases where a child is out of education or where the family have relocated and the child’s current school becomes too difficult to travel to from the new address. The School Admissions Team will seek to identify a suitable alternative which will normally be the nearest available school with a vacancy.

Will my child remain on the waiting list if I accept an alternative or lower preference offer?

Children who apply for a school place through the in-year admission process and who receive an offer at a lower preference school will not automatically be placed on the waiting list for higher preference schools. If your child has been offered an alternative school, they will remain on the waiting list for any preferences for the remainder of the academic year.

Why has my waiting list position changed? 

Waiting lists must be ranked according to each school’s admission criteria. No priority can be given to children according to the date their application was received or their name was added to the list. Your child’s position on a waiting list may go down as well as up, because other children who meet the criteria closer than your child might be added to a school’s waiting list after your application was received. 

When should I apply for a junior school place if my child is attending an infant school?

If your child will be attending year 2 in an infant school during 2024/25, you must apply by 16 January 2024.