Applying for a school place
Completing the in-year application form
Applications must be made via the Slough Citizen Portal and completed by the parent or carer with parental responsibility for the child.
You can name up to three schools, listed in order of preference. We recommend that you express more than one preference to increase your chances of being offered one of your preferred schools.
When completing the application form, you will be required to provide evidence to support your application. The evidence must be in an electronic format. Our Admissions team may contact you if there is information missing from your application
Important: only one application should be made per child.
The child’s current permanent residential address must be used on the application. You cannot use:
- the address of a relative or childminder
- where your child stays or sleeps because of special domestic arrangements or personal circumstances
- a future address until you are permanently living there and can prove you are no longer linked to your previous address.
If you submit revised preferences, these will replace your earlier application. If a new preference is offered, any previous offer will be withdrawn.
Providing the correct proof of address
All applications must be submitted with proof of address as well as proof of the child’s birth before they can be processed.
Every application must include:
- proof of where you (parent/carer) live
- proof that the child lives with you (parent/carer)
- proof of the child’s date of birth.
If there is any doubt about parental responsibility, we may also ask you to provide proof of parental responsibility.
Please note: applications without the required proof may lead to a delay in processing your application.
What happens next?
If you have submitted a complete application, it will be processed within 15 school days. You will then receive a notification of the outcome of your application from the School Admissions team.
If a place can be offered:
- the Admissions team will contact you
- your child’s details will be passed to the school.
If no preferred school has a place:
- an offer will be made at the nearest school to your home with a vacancy
- your child will be added to the waiting list for your preferred school(s).
We will also set out the reason for refusal of your school preference and provide you with information about your right to appeal if your application is refused.
Once a place is offered:
- your child is expected to start within 10 school days of the offer letter
- if the start date is delayed, you must inform the Admissions team
- places cannot be held open if you do not respond; a new application may be required.
The law on school attendance
Your child must continue to attend their present school or be educated otherwise than at school until they start at another school.
Waiting lists
If your application is unsuccessful, your child will remain on the waiting list for your preferred schools until the end of that school year.
You will only be contacted again if we can offer you a place. Waiting lists will be maintained in line with the admissions criteria for the relevant admissions authority and places will be offered in strict accordance with this.
We automatically create a new waiting list at the beginning of each school year. If you want your child’s name to be placed on the new waiting list you must submit a new application through the Slough Citizen Portal for the new academic year.
Appeals
If you are refused a place at a preferred school, you have the right to appeal to an independent panel.
Please note that this is only applied if:
- you named the school in your application, and
- you were refused a place there.
We recommend accepting the place you are offered, even if you plan to appeal, as this will have no effect on the outcome of your appeal and will prevent your child from missing out on a school altogether.
The appeal panel’s decision is final and binding on both the council and parents/carers.
Academies, voluntary aided, trust and free schools are all responsible for their own appeals. You should contact these schools directly to discuss the process.