School Admissions FAQs

Advice for parents about applying for a school place and what happens on National Offer Day.

In-Year applications

To make an application for a school place for the current (2021/2022) school year, please visit move to a different school (in-year applications 2021/2022).

Applying for a secondary school place for September 2022

Find information on how to apply for a secondary (including high, middle and upper) school place for the 2022/2023 school year.

Applying for a primary school place from September 2022

Find information on how to apply for a primary (including infant and junior) school place for the 2022/2023 school year.

The Fair Access Protocol will apply if there are no places available in a particular area. However, we will not be able to place a child in a key stage 1 class if it already has 30 pupils with a single qualified teacher.

Please visit our website for further information for residents in Suffolk on how they can provide support to Afghan and Ukrainian refugees.

Due to the high volume of applications we are currently processing, we are unable to provide an update or outcome on any individual application over the phone.

We would like to thank you for your patience whilst we work through the volume of applications as quickly as we can.

Secondary (including high, middle and upper) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

If you have applied for a school place in the normal year of entry at a secondary (including high, middle and upper) school for September 2022, and your application was received before 10 June 2022, we are working hard to get you the outcome as soon as possible and before the end of the summer term.

If your application was received after 10 June 2022, it may not be possible to notify you of the outcome by the end of the summer term, but we will notify you of the outcome before the start of September 2022.

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

If you have applied for a school place to start in the Reception Year at a primary or infant school, or a Year 3 place at a junior school, for September 2022, and your application was received before 22 June 2022, we are working hard to get you the outcome by the end of the summer term.

If your application was received after 22 June 2022, we will aim to notify you of the outcome before the beginning of September 2022.

If you wish to apply for a place for your child from September 2022 in the Reception Year, Year 1 or Year 2 at Grace Cook Primary School in Stowmarket, you will need to apply separately and directly to Orwell Multi Academy Trust.

You can find the relevant application form on the school’s website under the Admissions tab.

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

Online applications – 19 April 2022 (National Offer Day):

  • You can log on to see the outcome of your application on offer day
  • You will receive an email* with details of your child's offer of a school place on offer day. This email will give you more information about what to do next. This will include details of how to make an appeal.

*unless you have indicated that you do not wish to receive an email. Please check your 'spam' and 'junk' folders.

Paper applications – 19 April 2022 (National Offer Day):

  • You will be sent a letter, which we will post out on this day by second class post with the offer of a school place and information about what to do next.

If you cannot access your online account, please visit the school admission portal homepage which offers advice on common user problems.

Please contact the Admissions Team on 0345 600 0981 (local rate) for further assistance.

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

Online applications – 19 April 2022 (National Offer Day):

If you applied online, and received an email at that time confirming submission, you should receive an email with the offer of a school place, unless you have indicated that you do not wish to receive an email.

If you applied online successfully, you should have received a confirmation email immediately. If you did get a confirmation email and you have not received your offer email on the National Offer Day, please check:

  • your spam or junk mail folder
  • that you haven’t changed your email address since making your online application
  • whether your mailbox is full.

If you did not receive a confirmation email immediately after applying online, you may not have successfully submitted your application and will need to submit a paper application (CAF1) for consideration.

Please note: if you have changed your email address since submitting your online application and you have not updated your details in ‘My Account’, then an email will have been sent to the email address you used to apply for a school place. If you no longer have access to your old email address, you will still be able to log on to view your child’s school offer using your old email address.

Please contact the Admissions Team on 0345 600 0981 (local rate) or admissions@suffolk.gov.uk for further assistance.

Paper applications – 19 April 2022 (National Offer Day):

If you applied on a CAF1 paper application form, or you applied online and indicated that you did not want to receive an email with the offer of a school place, you will receive a letter which will be posted on the National Offer Day by second class post.

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

Suffolk schools for the normal year of entry

We assume that you are accepting the school place offered unless you let us know in writing and tell us what education provision is in place for your child for the 2022/2023 school year.

We recommend that you email us at admissions@suffolk.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can write to us at The Admissions Team, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX. 

Please note: We are unable to withdraw an offer of a school place unless your child has another education provision in place.

Schools outside of Suffolk for the normal year of entry

If your child has been offered a school in another county, you may be required to formally accept the place. Please contact the school directly for details.

Further information

You can find out more by reading the section What to do after receiving your offer (Step 7) on the following pages:

You will be emailed or posted by second class post an offer of a school place to a primary (including infant and junior) school on 19 April 2022, if your application was received by the closing date of 15 January 2022.

If your application was received after 15 January 2022 please see the Admissions to Schools in Suffolk 2022/2023 guide for information on late applications and when you are likely to hear the outcome.

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

Suffolk schools for the normal year of entry

Please email admissions@suffolk.gov.uk to let us know and to tell us what education provision is in place for your child for the 2022/2023 school year.

Alternatively, you can write to us at The Admissions Team, Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX

Please note: We are unable to withdraw an offer of a school place unless your child has another education provision in place.

Schools outside of Suffolk for the normal year of entry

Please contact the school directly for details.

If we cannot meet any of your preferences, we will offer your child a place at the next nearest suitable school with a place available. You will not be eligible for Suffolk County Council funded school travel to that school if you could have been offered a place at a nearer school, had you applied for it, or if you do not meet the statutory walking distance criteria.

For more information and guidance, read the section What to do after receiving your offer (Step 7) on the following pages:

You can contact the Admissions Team on 0345 600 0981 (local rate) or email us at admissions@suffolk.gov.uk to find out your child’s position on the waiting list.

Please remember that the information we provide is only accurate at the time you contact us.

There may be circumstances which affect your child’s place on the waiting list (for example, moving house). In which case you should send the appropriate written evidence to the Admissions Team as soon as possible. We recommend that you email this to admissions@suffolk.gov.uk.

The waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools will close on 31 December 2022.

The waiting lists for those voluntary aided schools and academies who have agreed to operate the same policy as Suffolk County Council will also close on 31 December 2022.

Information on when the waiting lists close for voluntary aided schools, free schools and academies who do not operate the same policy as Suffolk County Council is available from the schools directly.

If your child has been refused a school in another county, you should contact the school directly for details of waiting lists.

Further information

You can find out more about waiting lists by reading the section What to do after receiving your offer (Step 7) on the following pages:

For the normal year of entry to a school, if your child has been refused a place at a preferred school, their name will automatically be added to a waiting list for that school in case a place becomes available.

If you do not want your child’s name on a waiting list, please email us at admissions@suffolk.gov.uk.

The waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools will close on 31 December 2022. The waiting lists for those voluntary aided schools and academies who have agreed to operate the same policy as Suffolk County Council will also close on 31 December 2022.

Information on when the waiting lists close for voluntary aided, free schools and academies who do not follow the same policy as Suffolk County Council is available from the schools directly.

Further information

You can find out more by reading the section What to do after receiving your offer (Step 7) on the following pages:

We understand that there are several reasons why parents may want to change the schools they originally listed on their application.

Read the Admissions to Schools in Suffolk 2022/2023 guide for more information on late applications or you can find out more about your options by reading the section What to do after receiving your offer (Step 7) on the following pages

Primary (including infant and junior) school places for the 2022/2023 school year

If your child is eligible for Suffolk County Council funded school travel the Passenger Transport Team will email you by 13 May 2022, for those that applied by the closing date of 15 January 2022, with details of how to opt-in and when.

If we don’t have an email address for you, we will write to you.

If you have not received an email or a letter from the Passenger Transport Team by 13 May 2022, and you think your child may be eligible for Suffolk County Council funded school travel, please visit suffolkonboard.com/schooltravel for more information on how you can apply.

If your child is not eligible for Suffolk County Council funded school travel, we have provided some information on suffolkonboard.com/schooltravel that may help you consider how your child will travel to and from school, accompanied as necessary.

Find information about sustainable travel options here.

SCC funded school travel eligibility will not be reassessed unless there is a change of school offered or change of the child’s home address.

If you are refused school travel you will be able to ask for a review of the decision.

Suffolk County Council (SCC) Funded School Travel

Please be aware: You must consider how your child will travel to and from school before you apply for a school place.

The following information is very important:

1. We will provide SCC funded school travel to the Nearest Suitable School that would have had a place available for your child when they are: a) aged under 8 and live at least two miles from the school; or b) aged 8 or older and live at least three miles from the school. This would be whether or not an application was made for a place at that school. The nearest suitable school might not be your catchment area school.

2. We strongly recommend that you check which school is your nearest suitable school on our Nearest School Checker because this might not be your catchment area school. You can find out which are your three nearest Suffolk schools (based on the statutory walking distance including Public Rights of Way) by putting your postcode into our Nearest School Checker. We update this each year to include new roads and developments.

3. We would only provide SCC funded school travel to your Catchment Area School if it is the nearest suitable school to your home that would have had a place available for your child and they meet the distance criteria.

4. Your School Preferences and the order you put them on your admissions application could affect your child’s eligibility for SCC funded school travel. Our school travel scenarios can help you work out when your child might be eligible for SCC funded school travel to their school when the age and distance criteria are met. 

5. Full details about SCC funded school travel, including the School Travel Policy, additional arrangements for low income families and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), can be found at Suffolk on Board.

The closing dates for on time applications for school places for the 2022/2023 school year have now passed.

You can still submit an application, find out how to apply for a school place by visiting one of the following pages:

You can find out which are your three nearest Suffolk schools (based on the statutory walking distance including Public Rights of Way) by putting your postcode into our Nearest School Checker.

We strongly recommend that you check which school is your nearest suitable school on our Nearest School Checker before you apply. This is because this it might not be your catchment area school and could affect any entitlement you may have for Suffolk County Council funded school travel if you live over the statutory walking distance.

We update this each year to include new roads and developments.

Use our school catchment area lists to find out if your address has a catchment area school.

Some voluntary aided, free schools and academies do not operate catchment areas. Please check the school's admissions policy for details, these can be found for the relevant school year on the pages below. 

A catchment area school may not be the nearest school to your child's home address.

We strongly recommend that you check which school is your nearest suitable school on our Nearest School Checker because this might not be your catchment area school. Please be aware that school travel eligibility is based on a child attending their nearest suitable school that would have had a place available for them and they meet the distance criteria. More information on school travel can be found at Suffolk on Board.

You can find out which are your three nearest Suffolk schools (based on the statutory walking distance including Public Rights of Way) by putting your postcode into our Nearest School Checker.

We cannot guarantee your child a place at any school, including your catchment area school.

Information and guidance is available on how to apply for the coming year:

Find out about making an in-year application for the 2021/2022 school year.

Online applications

You should have received an email acknowledgement if you have submitted an online application for the normal year of entry.

Paper applications

We do not acknowledge receipt of paper applications. We recommend you get proof of postage when submitting a paper application as we cannot be held responsible for forms being lost in the post.

If you’re still worried that your application has not been received, we recommend that you submit another application.

You can find out more about applying for a school place by visiting one of the following pages:

If you’ve recently moved, or you’re unhappy about your child’s current school you can apply for a school place during the current school year 2021/2022.

You can find information about the School and Post-16 Travel Policies by visiting Suffolk on Board.

How to contact School Admissions

Contacting us online is quicker, easier and costs less than a phone call. You can contact us using:

If you need to contact us by phone please call 0345 600 0981.

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