- Overview
- Step 1: Check if you can apply for in-year admission
- Step 2: What you need to know before applying
- Step 3: Choose the schools to apply for
- Step 4: Complete the application form
- Step 5: Complete any supplementary forms
- Step 6: Outcome of your application
- Step 7: Accept or decline a place
- Step 8: Adding or keeping your child on a waiting list
Summary of this step
We or the school will process your application and will contact you with the outcome.
Who processes your application
Once you have submitted your application, it will be processed either by us or by the admission authority for the school(s) that you have applied to.
For all community and voluntary controlled schools
We will consider if the school has vacancies and if so, whether they are able to offer a place. We will write to let you know the outcome.
For academies and foundation, free, trust and voluntary aided schools
You can find out who will process your application by checking our primary schools list or secondary schools list.
If we are responsible for processing the application, we will consider if the school has vacancies and if so, whether they are able to offer a place. We will write to let you know the outcome.
If the school is responsible for processing the application, they will consider whether they have any vacancies and if so, assess whether they are able to offer a place. The school will write to let you know the outcome.
When will I receive the outcome of my application?
Applications are processed as quickly as possible, usually within 15 school days of receiving your fully completed application form.
Applications received towards the end of the summer term or during the summer holidays may not receive an outcome until the start of the autumn term, due to the unavailability of schools during the summer break and the reforming of waiting lists.
If you receive more than one offer of a place
If you have applied for more than one school, your child may receive more than one offer of a place.
We monitor multiple offers to ensure that no parent holds on to more than one school place for any longer than it reasonably takes to make a decision.
If you are not offered a place at your preferred school
We have a duty to ensure that there is a school place available for every Surrey child who wants one. As such, if your child lives in Surrey and is not already in school and if it is not possible to offer you a place at any of the schools that you have applied for, we will identify an alternative school place for your child which will normally be the nearest suitable available school with a vacancy. If the nearest suitable available school is outside Surrey, we will direct you to that local authority or the school to find out how to apply for a place at that school.
