School Admissions FAQs

You can find out how to apply for a school place by visiting one of the following pages: 

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021 
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

You can search for schools in your area by checking the school catchment areas list.

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

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

Some voluntary aided, foundation, free schools and academies do not have catchment areas.

Find out about making an in-year application for the 2019/2020 school year.

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

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021 
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

You can find information about the School and Post-16 Travel Policies by visiting suffolkonboard.com/schooltravel

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

You can also view the guide to making an online application (PDF, 1.4MB) or the instructions for adding a date of birth and selecting the right transfer group (PDF, 231KB).

If you are experiencing difficulties, such as starting an application after registering or certain functions of the form are not working, please visit the school admission portal homepage. It will explain what devices/browsers are best to use to complete an application.

You can also view the guide to making an online application (PDF, 1.4MB) or the instructions for adding a date of birth and selecting the right transfer group (PDF, 231KB).

Online applications

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

If you apply online, you can change and resubmit your application at any time before midnight on the closing date. You must resubmit your form even if you haven't made any changes.

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.

If you apply using the paper application form (CAF1), you can change your application at any time up until the closing date by submitting another paper form.

You must make sure that these changes are received by us before the closing date. We will process the application received nearest to the closing date.

You can try entering part of the school’s name in the required field and click on ‘search’.

This process is more successful if the ‘postcode’ and ‘schools located in’ fields are left unfilled.

If the search returns a list of schools, click on the correct one to select it and to continue with the application.

Please note, even if the search only returns one school, you must click on it to select it before you can continue with the application

Suffolk schools for the normal year of entry

We assume that you are accepting the school place offered, unless you complete and return the non-acceptance form accessed through your offer email. It will be enclosed with your offer letter if you made a paper application.

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:

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

For the normal year of entry to a school, if you’ve been refused a place at a preferred school you’ll automatically be put on a waiting list for that school in case a place becomes available.

The waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools will close on 31 December 2020. The waiting lists for those foundation, voluntary aided schools, and academies who have agreed to operate the same policy as Suffolk County Council will also close on 31 December 2020.

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

We do not hold waiting lists for in-year applicants to community and voluntary controlled schools. Some academies, voluntary aided, foundation and free schools do hold waiting lists for in-year applicants. This information is available from the schools.

Further information

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

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

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

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:

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

If we cannot meet any of your preferences, we will offer your child a place at the next nearest suitable school with spaces available.

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

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

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

The waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools will close on 31 December 2020.

The waiting lists for those foundation, voluntary aided schools, and academies who have agreed to operate the same policy as Suffolk County Council will also close on 31 December 2020.

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

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:

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

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

• Apply for a primary school place 2020/2021
• Apply for a secondary school place 2020/2021

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 2019/2020.