School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service

Overview

From September 2013 you can apply online for a school place for September 2014 in Reception Class, Year 3 at a Junior School, Year 7 in Secondary School and Year 10 at a 14-19 Academy.

Applying for a school place online:

means you will receive an email confirming your child’s offer by 3.30 pm on the offer date, one day ahead of postal notification;
is quick, easy and secure;
is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the final closing date; and
means you will receive an immediate confirmation by email that the application has been received.

The following information describes how the school admissions processes work in Birmingham, and what steps parents / carers need to take to arrange a school place for their child.

Admission to school is governed by policy determined by national government. Information about this is available from the Education and Learning section of the GOV.UK website.

You can view the 2014 co-ordinated admission arrangements for all Birmingham primary and secondary schools from this website.

Birmingham City Council Traded Services for schools, academies and education settings

The School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service (See contact detail in the essential information section) is traded with independent and local authority educational establishments across Birmingham and beyond. The economies of scale achieved and the expertise derived from using these services are very advantageous for all those involved in education.

Visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/tradingforeducation for the details of this and other traded services.

Essential Information

The deadline for applications for a Reception Class place in a Birmingham primary school, starting in September 2014 is Tuesday 15 January 2014.

October 2013	If you live in Birmingham and your child attends a community or private nursery in the city, you should receive information from your local authority (Birmingham City Council, Directorate of Children, Young People and Families) via post about how to start your child at school in the reception year for September 2014. Information can also be obtained from primary schools and libraries in Birmingham. If you live outside Birmingham you are welcome to apply for a place in one of the City’s schools. You must apply to the local authority in which you live (i.e. the Council to which you pay your Council Tax) for their Preference Form. You can include Birmingham schools on that form and return it to them. If your child has a statement of special educational needs or will have a completed statement by autumn half term, please refer to SEN Statements page.
02 December 2013	You should apply online or return your completed preference form to School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service (See contact detail in the Essential Information section) by Monday 02 December 2013.
15 January 2014	This is the final date for acceptance of applications or change of preference through moving address etc. If you have not received an acknowledgement of your preference form before this date you should call the Children’s Information and Advice Service on 303 1888 (option 4).
16 April 2014	An email will be sent to those applicants who have applied online for their child’s reception year place ahead of postal notifications.
16 April 2014	You will be sent a letter on this date to let you know the reception year place we are offering your child. Letters will be sent by first class post and should arrive at your home address by Thursday 17 April 2014.
02 May 2014	You must complete and return the reply slip at the bottom of your offer letter by Friday 02 May 2014, indicating whether or not you are accepting the place offered. Failure to reply by this date means you are at risk of losing the offer made.
02 June 2014	You must complete any appeal forms for community and voluntary controlled schools and return them by this date to School Admissions and Pupil Placement Service. (See contact detail in the essential information section) Please visit the School Appeals Enquiry page for more information on how to appeal. If you wish to appeal for schools or academies in other local authorities you should contact the relevant authority to establish their appeal arrangements. Contact details on this page provides some useful information for nearby local authorities.
21 July 2014	Date by which all appeals received on time (by 02 June 2014) will be heard.
September 2014	School starts. The school your child is offered will inform you about arrangements for starting in the reception class

Parents / carers of children who attend an infant school must apply for their child’s place in Year 3 at the linked junior school.

NB Children in Year 2 at a primary school will transfer automatically into Year 3 without an application being made.

How to apply
Parents / carers with children in Year 2 at an infant school will be sent a letter advising them how to apply online for a Year 3 place at the linked junior school or any other primary or junior school.
For those who cannot apply online, paper preference forms are available.

When	What Happens?
October 2013	If you live in Birmingham and your child attends Year 2 in an infant school you will be sent a letter advising how to apply for a Year 3 place at a linked junior or primary school in Birmingham for September 2014. Information can also be obtained from infant and junior schools in Birmingham. If you live outside Birmingham you are welcome to apply for a place in council to which you pay your Council Tax) for their Preference Form. You can include Birmingham schools on that form and return it to them. If your child has a statement of special educational needs or will have a completed statement by autumn half term, please refer to SEN Statements page.
02 December 2013	Parents / carers should apply online at www.birmingham.gov.uk/online-admissions or return a completed preference form to the School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service by this date.
15 January 2014	This is the final date for acceptance of applications or changes of preference through moving address etc. If you have not received an acknowledgement of your preference form before this date you should call the Children’s Information and Advice Service on 303 1888(option 4).
16 April 2014	An email will be sent to those applicants who have applied online for their child’s Year 3 place ahead of postal notifications. You will be sent a letter on this date to let you know the Year 3 place we are offering your child. Letters will be sent by first class post and should arrive at your home address by 17 April 2014.
02 May 2014	You must complete and return the reply slip at the bottom of your offer letter by 02 May 2014, indicating whether or not you are accepting the place offered. Failure to reply by this date means you are at risk of losing the offer made.
02 June 2014	You must complete any appeal forms for community and voluntary controlled schools and return them by this date to School Admissions and Pupil Placements. Please visit the Appeals page for more information on how to appeal. If you wish to appeal for schools or academies in other local authorities you should contact the relevant authority to establish their appeal arrangements.
21 July 2014	Date by which all appeals (administered by the local authority) which were received on time (02 June 2014) will be heard.
September 2014	School starts. The school your child has been offered will inform you about arrangements for starting Year 3.

The deadline for applications for a Year 7 place in a Birmingham secondary school, starting in September 2014 is Thursday 31 October 2013

July 2013	If you live in Birmingham, you will receive information on the secondary transfer process from us through your child’s Birmingham primary school or via post if your child attends a primary school outside Birmingham. If you have not received any literature please contact the Children’s Information and Advice Service on 0121 303 1888 (option 4). If you live outside Birmingham but wish to apply for a Birmingham School or Academy, you must apply to your own Local Authority (ie: the Council to which you pay your Council Tax).
September 2013	Schools hold open session events.
01 October 2013	You are strongly advised to apply online or to have returned your Birmingham Local Authority Preference Form by this date. If you wish to view schools that are outside of Birmingham and whose open evenings fall after 01 October 2013 you may apply online by Thursday 31 October 2013. This will not disadvantage your application.
31 October 2013	Thursday 31 October 2013 is the final date for acceptance of late preferences or change of preference through moving home etc. If you have not received an acknowledgement of your preference form before this date you should contact Children’s Information and Advice Service on 0121 303 1888 (option 4).
03 March 2014	Emails are sent to those applicants who have applied online for their child’s secondary school place and an email will be sent ahead of postal notifications. Letters are sent on Monday 03 March 2014 to let you know the secondary school place we are offering your child. Letters are sent by first class post and should arrive at your home address by Tuesday 04 March 2014 .
17 March 2014	You must tell the school by Monday 17 March 2014 whether or not you are accepting the place offered.
31 March 2014	You must complete any appeal forms for Birmingham schools and return them by Monday 31 March 2014. Please visit the School Appeals Enquiry page for more information on how to appeal. If you wish to appeal for schools or academies in other local authorities you should contact the relevant authority to establish their appeal arrangements.
17 June 2014	Date by which all appeals that have been submitted on time for secondary schools will be heard.
02 July 2014	Year 6 Induction Day - Primary children visit future secondary school.
September 2014	Start school in Year 7

The Date of Birth for Admission in September 2014:

Reception:
- starting reception in 2014 must be between 01 September 2009 and 31 August 2010
Year 2 – 3 transfer:
- transferring from infant to junior school in 2014 must be between 01 September 2006 and 31 August 2007
Primary to secondary school:
- transferring from primary to secondary school in 2014 must be between 01 September 2002 and 31 August 2003
There are four academies in Birmingham that will admit pupils aged from 14 to 19 years.

Each academy will recruit students at age 14 for admission into Year 10 and again at age 16 into Year 12. Admission will be based on their interest and aptitude in specialist curriculum areas.

Who are they?

The Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) specialises in creative, digital and performing arts. The sponsors are Ormiston Trust and Birmingham City University. The Academy has a range of partners including the BRIT School in Croydon, who will help support them and develop the curriculum.

The Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA) specialises in engineering and science. The sponsor is Aston University.

Kajan’s Hospitality and Catering Studio College will offer students a new and inspiring approach to learning, which includes teaching through enterprise projects and work.

Waverley Studio College will prepare students for careers in Health & Social Care, Enterprise and Crafts.

How to apply

If you wish to apply for a place at any of the 14 - 19 academies or an academy in another local authority for September 2014, you should apply when your child is in Year 9 to the local authority in which you live. If you live in Birmingham you should apply online or complete the Local Authority Preference Form (14 - 19).

In the case of Birmingham Ormiston Academy you will also need to complete the supplementary information form.

You can view further information on the application process for each Academy in Section 4 of the parents' information booklet.

Things to consider:

Before you apply online or complete the Local Authority Preference Form (14-19) it is very important that you contact the academy and attend information events to understand their admission criteria, and discuss the implications of a move for your child with the Principal and academy staff.
- How will your child cope with learning new rules and having to do things differently?
- The child’s place at their current school will be offered to another child on the school’s waiting list and he / she may not be able to return.
- Would your child be confident travelling across the city each day?
Coventry City Council
www.coventry.gov.uk
Telephone: 02476 832499 / 02476 831577

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
www.dudley.gov.uk
Telephone: 01384 814223

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
www.sandwell.gov.uk
Telephone: 0121 569 8138 / 8212

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
www.solihull.gov.uk
Telephone: 0121 704 6693

Staffordshire
www.staffordshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01785 278593

Walsall Council
www.walsall.gov.uk
Telephone: 01922 686355 / 01922 686357

Warwickshire County Council
www.warwickshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01926 742037 (Secondary Team)

Wolverhampton City Council
www.wolverhampton.gov.uk
Telephone: 01902 551459

Worcestershire County Council
www.worcestershire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01905 822700
Children’s Information and Advice Service

Telephone:
0121 303 1888 (option 4)

Post:
School Admission and Pupil Placement Service
PO Box 16513
Birmingham B2 2FF

Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 8.45 am to 5.15 pm
Friday: 8.45 am to 4.15 pm
Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: Closed

Frequently Asked Questions

- This will depend on your child’s date of birth, but children start Reception Class in the September after they turn four and parents apply in the Autumn of the year before.
- For Reception, Year 2-3 and 14-19, you can express up to three preferences. For Secondary Transfer, you can list up to 6 preferences.
- Yes. Parents/carers should apply in the same way. It is important that they clearly write the full name and date of birth of any older siblings the child has in attendance at their preferred school.
- You should apply to your home local authority (the local authority to which you pay council tax) and list the Birmingham schools you are interested in on your application. They will then pass your child’s details to us to consider along with all the other applicants.
- You should apply to Birmingham as normal but list the other schools on your application. We will then pass your child’s details to the relevant local authority for them to consider along with all their other applicants.
- If this happens, it will not be possible to offer any of your preferences. Your child will be offered a place at one of the nearest schools with available places at the time we offer places. Your child will be added to the waiting list of your preferred schools and you will have the right of appeal.
- Yes, Any child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs is required to be admitted to the school that is named in their statement. This gives children overall priority for admission to the named school.