Secondary school admissions

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.

Before you apply – things to think about

Admission criteria

For anyone making an application, please view the schools admissions policy. As 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 secondary admissions booklet.

Further information about each school can be found on the individual schools website. Arrangements can be made to visit individual schools by contacting the headteacher.

How to apply

All secondary schools in Coventry are part of the Coventry co-ordinated admissions scheme. This, however, does not include Independent fee-paying schools (please contact these schools direct) and Special Educational Needs Schools which are for children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (details of how to apply)

Applicants for Blue Coat and Seva School may 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.

• Blue Coat CE School
• Seva School

Please return completed supplementary forms directly to the school.

Transferring between Coventry Secondary schools

If you are looking to transfer from a Coventry school to another Coventry school please complete the in-year transfer form, which is available from the main reception of your child’s current school. Once you have completed Part 1 and Part 2 of the form, you will need to return it to your child’s current school for Part 3 to be completed. The Headteacher will arrange to discuss the reasons for the transfer with you.

All other applications

If you would like to apply for a place at a Coventry school, please complete the Secondary 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 information about school applications for foreign national children and children resident outside England from GOV.UK.

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 to 31 October 2025)

Christmas (22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026)

Half term (16 February 2026 to 20 February 2026)

Easter (30 March 2026 to 10 April 2026)

Half term (25 May 2026 to 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. 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.

Remember - until a transfer has been agreed upon and a start date confirmed, it is the parent/carer’s responsibility to ensure your child continues to attend school.

Applications 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.  Qualifying distances can be found in section 4 school travel and transport.  Remember the journey to a new school may involve additional buses, extra costs and travelling time.