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How to set your admission arrangements

Learn how admissions authorities set admissions criteria, how the consultation process works and the deadline for consulting on changes.

Last reviewed on 30 January 2024
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 44028
Contents
  1. Setting the arrangements
  2. Deadlines and who to notify
  3. Consulting on changes
  4. How to consult on admission arrangements
  5. Sixth form admission arrangements

Guidance in this article is taken from the School Admissions Code 2021.

Setting the arrangements

If 1 of your schools is undersubscribed, every child that requests a place will get one. 

If 1 of your schools is oversubscribed, admissions criteria are used to help allocate places. 

You can set the oversubscription criteria as you see fit, but there are certain requirements you must follow. 

For example:

  • Any child with special educational needs (SEN) whose education, health and care (EHC) plan names the school must be admitted before any oversubscription criteria are applied
  • Looked after children (LAC), and post-LAC, must be given highest priority

The rules for setting oversubscription criteria are on pages 10 to 18 of the admissions code, linked above. Make sure you're clear on these.

The admissions code allows you to name children coming from a feeder school as part of your oversubscription