Parents and carers of Warwickshire children starting Year 6 this week are being reminded to apply for a secondary school place for September 2027.
Applications are now open and must be submitted by 31 October 2026 to be considered on National Offer Day (1 March 2027).
Last year, 6,938 Warwickshire children applied for a secondary school place by the deadline, with 83% given their first-choice school and a further 13% given one of their top three choices.
Warwickshire County Council is encouraging parents and carers to make full use of the six preferences available on the application form and to include their priority (catchment) area school as one of those choices. Listing only one school, or leaving out the priority area school, can reduce the chances of being given a preferred place and may mean a child is allocated a school further from home. It’s also important to submit the form before 31 October, as applications received after the deadline will only be considered after National Offer Day next year, when many schools are likely to be already full.
Warwickshire County Council’s website includes a range of resources to help families make informed choices, including a priority area map, information about local schools and a short video guide on choosing schools and completing an application. Parents and carers can also use the Department for Education's school search tool - https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/ - to find information about schools in their area.
Cllr Wayne Briggs, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for Children & Families, Education and SEND, said: “Starting secondary school is an exciting milestone, and now is the time for families to consider the options available to them.
"My advice would be to do your research, visit schools where possible and think carefully about the choices you include on your application. You can list up to six schools, and we strongly encourage families to do that, and to include their priority area school in their application. Taking a little extra time now can help ensure you make informed choices and give your child the best possible start to the next stage of their education."
For full guidance on applying for a secondary school place, including admissions policies, school information and application support, visit Warwickshire County Council's secondary school admissions webpages: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/secondaryplace.