In-year admissions and fair access procedure

1. Scope and applicability

This procedure applies to maintained and academy schools in England. The school-managed application controls apply only where the school manages its own in-year admissions. The fair-access and behavioural-admission controls apply to admission authorities in their respective circumstances.

2. School-managed in-year admissions

Where the school manages its own in-year admissions, publish by 31 August how in-year applications will be handled. The published information must explain how parents can apply for a school place and provide a suitable application form for parents to complete.

Where the school receives an in-year application, notify [local authority name] of the application and its outcome.

3. Receiving and deciding applications

Record the date on which each in-year application is received. Inform the applicant in writing of the outcome within 15 school days of receiving the application.

Where an applicant is offered a school place and accepts it, arrange for the child’s name to be added to the admission register on the agreed starting day and for the child to start school as soon as possible, particularly where the child is out of school.

4. Fair access protocol

Comply with the applicable local authority fair access protocol. This includes admitting children allocated to the school through that protocol.

Apply the protocol to unplaced and vulnerable children and to children who are having difficulty securing a school place in-year, in accordance with the applicable local authority arrangements.

5. Behavioural admission decisions

Do not refuse to admit a child on behavioural grounds in the normal admissions round or at any point in the normal year of entry, except where the child has been permanently excluded from two or more schools.

Where an admission authority receives an in-year application for a year group that is not the normal point of entry, and it has good reason to believe that the child may display challenging behaviour, the admission authority may refuse admission and refer the child to the fair access protocol.

6. Written decisions and communications

Written decisions must state the outcome of the in-year application and be issued within 15 school days of receipt. Where the school manages its own in-year admissions, provide the outcome to [local authority name] for each application.