Secondary school admission guide

The closing date for on time applications is 31 October 2023.   

If your child is due to transfer from primary to secondary school in September 2024 and you miss the deadline, you still need to apply for a secondary school place online.

Planned admission timetable

Secondary transfer process for entry in September 2024
Stage of process Date
Application period starts 1 September 2023
Closing date for applications 31 October 2023
Outcome of applications 1 March 2024
Deadline for accepting the offer 15 March 2024
Appeal hearings May and June 2024
Induction day at secondary school 3 July 2024

Before you apply

You can apply for up to six secondary schools, listing them in order of preference.

Consider each school's admissions policies and previous years' application rates to see whether your child is likely to be offered a place.

For an indication of addresses offered by each school in the previous admission, check our secondary school offers map.

Your preference schools can be in Royal Greenwich or in other areas, but they can't be independent (fee paying) schools.

You don't have to list six schools, but the more schools you list, the better your chances of being offered a place at one of them.

View the secondary school admissions booklet 2024-25

Tips on using your preferences wisely

Your preferences are up to you, but do be realistic. There's no guarantee you'll be offered a place at a preference school but here are some of our recommendations:

  • don't 'waste' a preference by naming a school where your child is unlikely to be offered a place
  • don't name a school that you'd not wish your child to attend - any preference may be offered
  • don't list the same school more than once as duplicates will be deleted
  • include schools nearest to your home address - otherwise, your child may end up being allocated to a school much further away.

How to apply

You can apply for schools in any area. If you live in Royal Greenwich you need to apply through us. If you live in another borough, you need to apply through your home authority even if you wish to apply for a place in a Royal Greenwich school.

If you have an older child or children already attending the school, you must make this clear on your application.

Apply online

The easiest way to apply is through the eAdmissions portal - it's quick, easy and secure - and it's the fastest way to hear the results.

View guidance on how to make an online application (eAdmissions website)

Please make sure that you rank your preferences in the order you genuinely want them to be considered. Any changes you wish to make to your preferences after the closing date will only be considered when all applications, including those submitted late, have been processed.

If you would rather complete a paper form and live in Royal Greenwich, you must use the Royal Borough of Greenwich's common application form.  To request a PDF of this form from the School Admissions Service to print off and complete, please email school-admissions@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. We cannot provide receipts for paper forms.

Supplementary information forms

You'll also need to complete a supplementary information form if you're applying for a place at a voluntary aided school as a faith entrant.

This must be returned to the school by the same date as the deadline for the main application form. 

The following secondary schools use a supplementary information form. This can be downloaded from the school's website:

The following secondary schools have their own fair banding test registration forms. These can be downloaded from the school's website: 

You will need to complete a supplementary information form to register your child, and return it to the school as soon as possible after 1 September 2023, but by 31 October 2023. Please contact each school for further information.

Medical or social reasons for preferences

In most cases, medical or social needs can be met in any mainstream school.

However, if you feel that there's a chronic medical or social care reason why your child should be offered a particular school, you need to state this in your application.

Where the need relates to another family member, that family member must live at the same address as the child.

We don't consider moderate learning difficulties such as delayed speech and language or dyslexia as being a chronic medical or social care need. Work commitments and childcare arrangements are not considered as being a social care needs and so will not be considered by the panel. Contact the Families Information Service for help with childcare arrangements.

We can only consider a request for a place in a school's Designated Specialist Provision (DSP) if it's supported by our Special Educational Needs Service.

In your application you'll need to:

  1. Give evidence of chronic medical or social care need, such as a professional medical diagnosis or a statement.
  2. Give reasons why your child should attend a particular school, stating the consequences if they have to attend an alternative school.
  3. Provide documentation from the relevant professional, such as a health or social care professional which supports your application to a named school on the grounds of a chronic medical or social care need.

Get help with your application

Royal Greenwich holds school admission information sessions to help parents and carers with applying for a school place.

The Families Information Service offers support to parents and carers who may need support with the school admissions process.

The service is available to everyone and provides:

  • a wide range of information on local secondary schools
  • support in making informed and realistic preferences
  • help in completing the relevant forms
  • information about the appeals process.

If you have questions about which schools will best meet your child's academic and developmental needs, or you require support in making your application, please contact the Families Information Service.