Primary school admissions

In-year transfers

When a child enters primary school or transfers at 11 to secondary school, it is normally expected that they will continue at their school throughout their school career. We recognise however, that there may be specific limited circumstances where a parent or guardian considers a transfer request to be appropriate. As a parent, please think carefully before making an in-year transfer request. A change of school may not be the solution and if undertaken hastily may worsen the situation. There is clear evidence that the attainment levels of children who move schools are significantly lower than those who remain at the same school throughout their primary education. If you wish your child to transfer schools within Coventry please contact the school your child currently attends to discuss your request with them. This will give an opportunity to resolve any difficulties with the school. Parents considering a transfer should also take into account that if you choose to move your child transport assistance will not be available.

How to apply

All primary schools in Coventry except  St Mary’s & St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School are part of the Coventry co-ordinated admissions scheme. This however, does not include Independent fee-paying schools (please contact these schools directly) and Special Educational Needs Schools which are for children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (details of how to apply)

For anyone making an application, please view the individual schools' admissions policies. This will show you how each school will prioritise your application. Schools will often give applications for those living in the catchment area, or who have a sibling at the school a higher priority, and the details are available in the school policy or the primary admissions booklet.

Applying for a Coventry school (except St Mary and St Benedict Primary)

Please complete the primary in-year application form.

If you are currently living overseas, and intend to move to Coventry, please note that foreign nationals who do not normally reside in the UK but who wish to apply for a state-funded school place, must check that their children have an immigration status which permits them to enter the UK to access a state-funded school before applying. Further details.

Applicants for Leigh C of E Primary School and Seva School may also need to complete a supplementary information form to enable school governors to fully consider their application against faith-based oversubscription criteria. The supplementary forms can either be obtained directly from the schools or by following the links below.

• Leigh CE Primary
• Seva School

Please return completed supplementary forms directly to the school.

How decisions are made

All applications received between the dates shown in the table below will be assessed and decisions will be sent out via letter/email as listed. Please note that admissions decisions are made during term time only.

Half term 27 October 2025 - 31 October 2025

Christmas holidays 22 December 2025 - 2 January 2026

Half term 16 February 2026 - 20 February 2026

Easter holidays 30 March 2026 - 10 April 2026

Half term 25 May 2026 - 29 May 2026

Where an application is unsuccessful letters/emails will set out the reason for refusal and information about the right to appeal. Your child will be placed on the waiting list for the school requested and you will have the right to appeal to an independent appeals panel. Applications are prioritised according to the admissions policy of each school and the position your child is at on the waiting list is as of the day you enquire. Please note: Applicants can move up or down on any waiting list as each is re-ordered based on the individual oversubscription criteria for each school every time a new application is received.

Having a place on the waiting list is no guarantee that a place will become available. 

For information on a school's waiting list and appeal process, please view the school's admissions policies.

Further general information about the appeals process.

Please note: If we are unable to offer you any of the schools you requested and your child lives in Coventry and does not have a school place, they will be allocated a place at the nearest school with a space available. If all schools are full we will allocate a place through fair access arrangements within 4 weeks.

Applying for St Mary & St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School

If you wish to apply for in-year admission at St Mary & St Benedict’s Primary School, you should contact the school directly (details below) for admission or apply for this and other schools on the online application form and we will pass your request to the listed school.

St Mary and St Benedict R.C. Primary School

Julie Anderton, Clerical Officer
E: admin@stmary-stben.coventry.sch.uk
T: 024 7622 9486
A: Leigh Street, Hillfields, Coventry, CV1 5HG
W: www.stmary-stben.coventry.sch.uk

Whatever year group your child is in, it’s important that if you are considering moving schools, you need to make sure that the school you choose is the right one for your child. The best way to find this out is to visit the school you are interested in - speak to the headteacher (with an appointment) if you can.

Further information about each school can be found on the school contact pages.

Application for places outside the normal age group

Where a parent/carer seeks a place for their child outside their normal age group, they must state which year group they are requesting and why they want this year group on the application form. Parents/carers will then be contacted to discuss the matter further as requests will be considered on the circumstances of each case and in the child’s best interests. Each school governing body will need to make an individual decision. There are no guarantees that such applications will be agreed. However, where the application is not agreed a letter setting out the decision and reasons for it will be provided along with any rights to appeal.

Further information for parents and schools to consider in dealing with applications outside the normal age group.

Fair Access Protocol

All Coventry schools are required to sign up to an in-year fair access protocol. The aim of this protocol is to reduce the time that vulnerable children spend out of school and to ensure that vulnerable children are admitted to Coventry schools on a fair basis, making sure that no school is asked to take a disproportionate number of pupils presenting with challenging behaviour or who have been excluded. This process can also be used if there are no places available for children without school places. Any children that are considered to require a school place through this protocol will be given priority over those on waiting lists and can be admitted to schools even when the school is full.

Further details of the protocol are available from the Attendance and Children Missing Education webpages.

Transport

If you decide to move your child, the Local Authority will not provide free transport even if you live outside the travel limits for the school (two miles for key stage 1 and three miles for key stage 2). Remember the journey to a new school may involve additional buses, extra costs and travelling time.