In-Year Applications FAQ's

Questions

1. Why can the school not offer my child a place if they have a space?
2. What will happen to my application if I do not complete my application form fully?
3. What special considerations should I make?
4. Why do I have to put three preferences on the application form?
5. My child currently lives outside Worcestershire and would like a Worcestershire school place, what should I do?
6. My child currently lives outside the UK, but is relocating to Worcestershire, what should I do? 
7. My child currently lives outside Worcestershire, but would fall under the category of 'children of UK service personnel and other Crown Servants', how would my application differ from other applications?
8. Where can I find the full In-Year scheme?
9. How will I know that you have received my application?
10. My child has a statement of educational needs, how do I apply to change their school?
11. How can my child be placed on a waiting list for a particular school?
12. Do I need to complete an additional (supplementary) form for the school as well as completing the Local Authority Common Application Form?
13. Can I still visit a school prior to making an In-Year application?
14. I would like to apply for an in-year school place for September 2011, when should I apply?

Answers

1. Q. Why can the school not offer my child a place if they have a space?
   A. It is unlawful for any school to offer your child a place directly as parents are required to apply through the local authority. This does not prevent you from visiting the school and speaking to the Head Teacher to decide whether you would like your child to attend if this is possible.
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2. Q. What will happen to my application if I do not complete my application form fully?
   A. If you do not complete the In-Year Common Application Form fully, we will not be able to begin processing your application. The form will be returned to you for you to complete the relevant parts. We will only start processing your application once we receive the fully completed Common Application Form.
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3. Q. What special considerations should I make?
   A. You need to look at the published admission criteria for each school you are placing as a preference. Sometimes you may be required to submit extra information (such as a baptism certificate or letter from your church) before your application can be considered under a particular admission criterion.
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4. Q. Why do I have to put three preferences on the application form?
   A. You are not required to use all three preferences, however you should consider all schools in an area in case your application for your higher preference schools are unsuccessful. If the local authority cannot offer your child a place at your preferred schools, you will be offered the nearest school to your home address that has a place available. By including three preferences, it helps the local authority consider schools that you would find acceptable for your child.
   
   You will be able to indicate on the application form if you would prefer your child to stay at their current school, in the event that we are unable to offer one of your preferred schools.
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5. Q. My child currently lives outside Worcestershire and would like a Worcestershire school place, what should I do?
   A. You should apply to your child's home Local Authority, regardless of which schools you are placing as a preference. If you would like to express a preference for a Worcestershire school, you will need to add it as a preference on the Common Application Form for your child's home Local Authority. Please refer to the website of your home Local Authority for information on their in-year process and timescales.
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6. Q. My child currently lives outside the UK, but is relocating to Worcestershire, what should I do? 
   A. We will only be able to accept applications from children who are resident in Worcestershire. You will need to provide appropriate evidence as proof of address if applying prior to residence in the UK, for more details, please contact the School Admissions Team on telephone: 01905 822700 or Email.
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7. Q. My child currently lives outside Worcestershire, but would fall under the category of 'children of UK service personnel and other Crown Servants', how would my application differ from other applications?
   A. Applications from UK service personnel and other Crown Servants will be considered in advance of their arrival in Worcestershire. Subject to the provision of the appropriate proof required by the School Admissions Code (proof of posting or proof of relocation date and intended address) applications will be considered up to one term in advance. Please contact the In-Year Admissions Team, if you require further clarification about how we will consider your application.
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8. Q. Where can I find the full In-Year scheme?
   A. Please read the full School Admissions Criteria for September 2011
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9. Q. How will I know that you have received my application?
   A. If you return your application by email, you will receive notification that we have received your application via an automated return email. If you post or fax your application, we will only respond with an appropriate offer letter, which will take approximately four school weeks. If you require notification that we have received your application, please include a stamped addressed envelope with your application, we will stamp the date of receipt on the back of this envelope and will return it to you.
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10. Q. My child has a statement of educational needs, how do I apply to change their school?
    A. Parents should contact their child's current school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or SEN casework officer to discuss change of school for their child.
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11. Q. How can my child be placed on a waiting list for a particular school?
    A. Waiting lists for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, are maintained by the School Admissions and Transfers Section, and parents need to apply, in order to be included. For full details on how to apply please refer to Section 7.8 of the Information for Parents Book.
    
    Waiting lists are operated in line with the admissions criteria as published in Section 7.3 of the Information for Parents Book. Please refer to the relevant section for full details.
    
    Waiting lists for Academy, Foundation and Voluntary Aided Schools, are maintained by the individual schools and parents will need to contact the school directly, in order to be included.
    
    You should be aware that a school waiting list is an active document. As parents request for their children to be included on the list the position of an individual child already on the list can change. A waiting list does not give priority based simply on the date an application was added to the list.
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12. Q. Do I need to complete an additional (supplementary) form for the school as well as completing the Local Authority Common Application Form?
    A. If your preference is for an Academy, Foundation or Voluntary Aided school you are advised to refer to the individual school's prospectus or contact the school direct to find out.
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13. Q. Can I still visit a school prior to making an In-Year application?
    A. Before making your application, we would advise you to take time to make contact with schools in your area. Find out about what happens there everyday, talk about how you could be involved, find out about how children learn and the other activities which they are involved in.
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14. Q. I would like to apply for an in-year school place for September 2011, when should I apply?
    A. Standard in-year applications for school places in September 2011 will be considered following the Summer 2011 half term school holiday, we would therefore advise that to ensure that your application will be considered for September, you apply mid-June. If you apply later in July and/or during the school holidays, there is no guarantee that your application will be processed in time for a September start.
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