Apply for an in-year school place

You can apply online for a school place for other year groups outside of Reception and Year 7 starters in September.  This is called an in-year application.

To apply fo an in-year school place complete apply for an in-year school place online form below. The form will take around 10 minutes to complete.

Use the form to apply for Cheshire East community and voluntary controlled schools, academies, free schools, voluntary-aided and foundation schools

Apply for an in-year school place   

To find out how we use your information see our privacy notice (opens in a new window).

If you are applying for a place at a voluntary (church) aided school, you may also need to send extra information direct to the school

Do not use this for

  • sixth forms, Crewe Engineering and Design UTC, Cheshire Studio, fee-paying schools - contact the school
  • schools outside Cheshire East - check with the school's local authority

When to make your in-year application 

For admissions at times other than the start of the school year in September, you can apply up to 6 school weeks before the day you want your child to start.

For September admissions, you can apply up to 8 school weeks before.

Before you apply for an in-year place

Make sure you understand what's involved:

School vacancies

For the most up-do-date information about vacancies, contact the school direct. Our school vacancy spreadsheet will give you an idea of where there may be places. Primary and secondary vacancies are on separate tabs.

Sharing information about your child

When you make an in-year application, the form asks you to give information about your child's school attendance, behaviour and any medical or other support needs.  

Only information about challenging behaviour affects what the school decides.

If you apply online, the application and the information you give is shared automatically with the current school and the new school. Staff from the schools may talk to each other.

If you do not want the current school to know you are applying to a different school or to give the extra information to the new school, do not apply online. Instead, call us on 0300 123 5012.

After you apply

In-year applications are normally processed within 10 school days. It can take longer in school holidays. We will send you an offer of a place at the highest-ranked of your preferred schools that has space. 

A school named as a preference must normally offer a place if has not reached its published admissions number for the year group.

If you find it hard to get a place

We can offer extra support to find an in-year school place to some groups of children. Schools can refer applications to us and parents of eligible children can also contact us direct. See Fair Access Protocol.

You can make a school admissions appeal if you do not get a place at the school you prefer.

If you do not have access to the internet or need support to apply online you can call us on 0300 123 5012.


Page last reviewed: 25 January 2024