School Admissions - Wakefield MBC

Are you wanting a school place in a Wakefield school?
The Wakefield School Admissions Team arrange the admission of pupils into schools in the Wakefield District area. They can advise you on how to make an application and let you know what your catchment area school is.

How can you contact us?
The School Admissions Team is based at County Hall, Wakefield, WF1 2QL and can be contacted on the following telephone numbers: (01924) 305616, 17, 19, 20 or 305789 or 306766 or by e-mail at admissions@wakefield.gov.uk

How do I choose a school?
The best way to find out about schools is to visit them by contacting them direct to arrange a visit. To help you decide on the school you would prefer your child to attend you can obtain further information about schools from our Primary and Secondary Guide for Parents booklets, which can be obtained from the School Admissions Team or by visiting our website at www.wakefield.gov.uk/admissiontoschool. Each school also publishes a prospectus and some of our schools have a website which can be accessed via the Wakefield website. The Department for Education and Skills website, www.dfes.gov.uk, also offers further advice for parents, including links to performance tables and Ofsted reports.

Starting school for the first time?
All children are required by law to start school at the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday. However, children in Wakefield are normally admitted to school (full time) at the beginning of the term in which they become five years old. This gives the following pattern of admission:

You should apply for a school place in the autumn of the year prior to admission.

Admission to Junior School?
At the end of one stage of schooling, children normally transfer to the next school suitable for their age. If your child currently attends a Primary or Junior/Infant school they will remain at the school and automatically transfer from the infant phase of education to the junior at age of 7. However, if your child is currently attending an Infant school in Wakefield you will automatically receive information about how to apply for a place at a Junior school. If your child attends a school outside the Wakefield district you will need to contact the School Admissions Team should you wish them to transfer to a Wakefield Junior school.

Making arrangements to transfer to a secondary school?
Children transfer from Primary school or Junior school to Secondary school at the age of 11. If you are resident in Wakefield District (and attend a Primary school), you should automatically receive information about how to apply for a Secondary school place. However, if you do not live within the Wakefield District, your local Education Department should contact you and you will need to apply to them even if you wish to apply for a Wakefield school.

Moving house?
Schools normally only admit children at the beginning of a school term except in special circumstances such as a change of home address. If you have recently moved or are planning to move, either into Wakefield District or from one part of the District to another, you should contact the School Admissions Team at the address shown above.

Do you wish to transfer schools?
Mid year transfers between schools can be disruptive to a child’s education and are not recommended except where absolutely necessary. Should you be considering such a move you should first discuss the matter with the Headteacher of your child’s existing school who will be able to offer advice on his/her educational needs. If you then wish to transfer your child to an alternative school your request should be made to the School Admissions Team.