In year applications
What is an in-year application?
An in-year application is a request for the admission of a child to a relevant age group if it is submitted on or after the first day of the first term of the admission year, or for admission to a higher year group within a school or academy (DfE Admissions Code 2021).
The majority of in-year applications for school places in Rotherham will be dealt with through normal in-year arrangements. However, some children in vulnerable groups may find it difficult to secure a school place. In these cases, applications may be referred for placement under the Fair Access Protocol. Rotherham’s Fair Access Protocol (FAP) works in partnership with schools to ensure that children and young people in vulnerable circumstances, including those at risk of exclusion, or those excluded from school, are allocated a school place as quickly as possible. The operation of the FAP is triggered when a parent/carer of an eligible child has not secured a school place via the usual in-year admission and appeals procedures.
Rotherham’s arrangements for in-year applications to Rotherham schools.
Own admission authority schools and academies work closely with the Local Authority to manage and process applications in-year.
The School Admissions Code 2021 requires that the Local Authority and Schools who are their own admissions authority must, on receipt of an in-year application, work in partnership to ensure all parties are notified of the outcome, so that figures on the availability of places in the area can be kept up to date. The admission authority must also inform parents of their right to appeal against the refusal of a place.
In-year applications for school places outside of Rotherham should be submitted to the local authority in which the preferred school is situated. In-year applications for a Rotherham school should be made direct to Rotherham Authority. Contact details for neighbouring local authorities can be found in the Admissions to Primary/Secondary school booklets for parents available at:
Admission authorities are responsible for setting and applying a school’s admission arrangements:
- For Local Authority maintained schools the LA's is the Admissions Authority
- For Academies the Governing Body/Academy Trust is the Admissions Authority
- For Church of England and Catholic Schools the Admissions Authority is the relevant Diocese/Academy Trust where the school has converted to Academy status.
All admission authorities must comply with the requirements of the School Admissions Code and admissions legislation.
Admission authorities should ensure that their processes for admitting children who have been allocated a place under in-year arrangements or through the Fair Access Protocol do not lead to unreasonable delay, particularly where a child is otherwise without a place.
Governing bodies can refer applications to the local authority for consideration under the provisions of the Fair Access Protocol in certain circumstances, as per the Admissions Code 2021.
The Local Authority may also share information, by secure electronic means, with neighbouring authorities where an application is received for a pupil who lives in that local authority area and who applies for a place in one of the schools participating in the scheme.
Our neighbouring authorities are Barnsley, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Nottinghamshire and Sheffield.
Applying for an in-year transfer to a Rotherham school
Parents can make applications up to one term before the date when they would like their child to start at the preferred school. Parents can apply from the 1 May onwards for Admission in the following September.
An online application is available on the Authority website or a paper copy is available by contacting the Admissions Team. Parents can state up to three preferences on an application form for Rotherham schools. We recommend that parents use all three preferences, thereby maximising their chances of securing a place at a school of their choice. Details of applications will be sent to your preferred schools.
Applications for Looked After Children must be submitted by the child’s social worker or virtual school in the Authority in whose care the child is placed.
Parents applying for academy, foundation, voluntary aided or voluntary controlled schools should check whether any additional supporting information is required. This may be written evidence from a minister to demonstrate commitment to religion. This information enables the admission authority to apply admission oversubscription criteria correctly.
Details of oversubscription criteria for Rotherham schools is available:
Applying for a place in year 10 or year 11
Performance and level of achievement/attainment are adversely affected each time a child experiences a transfer to a new school. Avoidable and unnecessary changes should be carefully considered and parents need to be aware of the consequence of moving schools in key groups such as year 10 and year 11.
It may be difficult to find schools that can offer courses compatible with the previous school. However, schools are not able to refuse to admit children because they followed a different curriculum at their previous school.
How in-year applications are considered
Applications for school places are considered in accordance with the requirements and timescales set out in the Admissions Code 2021 to ensure that every child of school age accesses an appropriate school place.
Upon receipt, applications are forwarded to the preferred schools for consideration. Notification of the outcome of the application will be sent to parents by post or email by the Admissions Team.
If an application is refused at any school applied for, parents are notified of their right to an independent appeal.
Following communication with preferred schools, Rotherham Local Authority will identify all preferences that can be met. When a place potentially can be offered at more than one of the schools listed on an application, the Authority will usually offer a place at the highest preferred school where a place is available. Rotherham Authority will write to parents detailing the outcome of the application.
Infant classes only
The School Admissions (Infant Class Sizes) (England) Regulations 2012 permit children to be admitted as exceptions to the infant class size limit. Section 1 of the SSFA 1998 limits the size of an infant class (i.e. a class in which the majority of children will reach the age of five, six or seven during the school year) to 30 pupils per school teacher. The School Admissions Code 2021 (2.16) states that additional children may be admitted under limited exceptional circumstances. These children will remain an ‘excepted pupil’ for the time they are in an infant class or until the class numbers fall back to the current infant class size limit. A child who falls into any of these categories will not automatically be admitted as an excepted child.