Information regarding the admission arrangements

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Admission authorities must set (‘determine’) admission arrangements annually. Where changes are proposed to admission arrangements, the admission authority must first publicly consult on those arrangements. If no changes are made to admission arrangements, they must be consulted on at least every seven years. Consultation must be for a minimum of eight weeks and must take place between 1st November and 1st March of the year before those arrangements are to apply. This consultation period allows parents, other schools, religious authorities and the local community to raise any concerns about proposed admission arrangements.

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Many schools will have more applicants than places, and it is essential that the criteria used to allocate places when a school is oversubscribed are fair, clear, and objective. They must also comply fully with all statutory requirements including the mandatory requirements of the School Admissions Code.

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The School Admissions Code provides guidelines on achieving good practice in setting oversubscription criteria for admission authorities to help them ensure that their admission arrangements are fair to all children and their families, and promote social equity rather than working against it. It also identifies oversubscription criteria that are unfair and must not be used.