In-year school admissions

You may need to apply for a school place if you're new to the area or new or returning to the UK.

Or, your child may be at a school in the area and you want them to change schools.

Changing schools

It is extremely important that your child has continuity in their education. For this reason, we strongly discourage unnecessary transfers between schools.

If your child is already attending a school, but you feel that a move would be in their best interests, you should discuss your reasons for this with your child’s current school. It is important that you try to resolve any difficulties by working with the school, rather than requesting a transfer.

You will need to provide your reasons for requesting a change of school and set out what you have done to try to resolve the issues with the current school.

If your child is already attending a local school, you should not withdraw your child from that school until we confirm a place can be offered elsewhere.

Disruption during GCSE years

Changing schools is particularly disruptive for children in GCSE years, because other schools may either:

• not offer the same options as their current school
• have a different syllabus or exam board

Changing schools at this time can affect the subject options available to your child and may negatively affect their final grade, as previous coursework marks may be lost.

We would encourage you to discuss this with your child's current school before making an application to change schools.

Please also be aware that limited vacancies are available in these year groups throughout Hounslow.

Fair access

We have a protocol to ensure that, outside the normal admissions round, unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at a suitable education provision as quickly as possible.

See: Fair access

Children outside their normal age group

You may wish your child to attend school in a different year to their normal age group. There is no statutory barrier to doing this, but the admission authority of the school decides whether or not to accept your request.

See: Children outside their normal age group

New or returning to the UK

If your child is new to or returning to the United Kingdom, you should ensure your child has either:

• a right of abode (GOV.UK)
• a visa whose conditions permit them to access a state-funded school in the UK

Children of UK service personnel and crown servants

A school place will be allocated in advance (as long as one is available) for families of:

• service personnel with a confirmed posting
• crown servants returning from overseas a place

You need to support your application with an official letter that declares a relocation date and some evidence of the intended address.

You can request a unit or quartering address as the child’s home address.