In-year admissions

Most school admissions take place when children start reception class or when they transfer from primary to secondary school at the age of 11.

In-year admissions take place outside the normal admission period. For example, children who have recently moved to the area and do not have a school place.

Before you apply

Overseas nationals entering the UK who wish to apply for a state-funded school place must check to ensure they have either a right of abode or the conditions of their immigration status allow them to access a state-funded school.

For further information please visit GOV school applications from overseas children page.

Previous school information

If you are applying as an in-year admission Part B of the application form will need to be completed by a senior member of school staff at your child’s current or most recent school attended. This is required if the previous school is in the UK (not including nursery applications).

Please ensure you do this before you submit your in-year common application form.

Please read the Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets and Ready for Secondary School in Tower Hamlets booklets for useful information on the in-year admission process and read the In-Year Admissions Guidance leaflet.

How to apply

Applications for in-year transfers and admissions must be made through the Admissions Service, who coordinate this process.

To make an in-year application, please complete the relevant in-year common application form for nursery, primary and secondary schools.

If you are applying to an academy, free school or voluntary-aided school, you may also need to complete a supplementary information form (SIF), which can be obtained from the school and must be returned to them. Some schools may also require a baptism certificate or priest's reference.

Further information on the school's admissions policy should be obtained directly from the school. See a list of schools requiring SIFs.

You can also ask for a form to be posted to you by calling the admissions service on 020 7364 5006.

Timescales

Children out of school (COOS)

If your child is not on roll at a school in Tower Hamlets, in most cases we can update you on the outcome of your application within 10 to 15 school days after receipt but in exceptional circumstances this may take up to 20 school days.

If your child has previously attended another school but you do not submit a completed Part B with your application this will delay the processing of your application.

Please do not email or call us about the status of your application until this time has passed. This should be enough time for us to give you an outcome.

In-year transfers

If you are applying for a transfer between schools within the borough you will receive an outcome in accordance with the timetable found in the In-year Admissions guidance leaflet.

Timescales
Entry point	Closing date	Parent sent notification
Spring term Jan 2023 start	4 November 2022	25 November 2022
Summer term April 2023 start	10 February 2023	10 March 2023
Autumn term September 2023 start	9 June 2023	30 June 2023

If you are applying for a school transfer, you must arrange for Part B of the In-Year application to be completed by your child’s current or most recent school.

Download a copy of Part B for primary and secondary schools.

Most answers to questions relating to in-year applications can be found in our frequently asked questions sheet.

Appeals

If you are not offered a place at a school of your choice you can appeal that decision. The appeals panel is independent of the council and schools in the borough.

You must complete and submit your appeal online. This is a simple and safe way to appeal and you will receive confirmation it has been submitted.

This form is only for appeals and should not be used to submit any other type of information or to apply for a school place or a school transfer.

Please include any evidence or supporting material with your online appeal and you must give the reasons for your appeal at the time the appeal is submitted. You may appeal for more than one school.

For information there have been 44 requests for appeal submitted this year and two have been successful.

Appeals for Canary Wharf College Schools should be made via the schools website

Contact the Admissions Service

By email

You can contact the admissions service by email at School.Admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

We will normally respond to emails within 10 working days. It may take longer during busy periods and we will respond to you as soon as possible.

Please do not email us about the status of your application until the relevant time has passed.

We can only make changes to an existing application if you email your request - this includes change of address and preference(s).

By telephone

In-Year Primary and Secondary queries

Halima Khatun – 020 7364 1601
Sadie Kidman – 020 7364 0730

In-Year Nursery queries

Syeda Anisha Akhtar – 0207 364 0732
Nahima Begum – 020 7364 4606
Lily Begum – 020 7364 4606