Secondary school admissions

The following information is for children starting in Year 7 of a new school in 2021.

• Applying
• Appeals
• Contact and FAQs

See also:

• In-year admissions
• Sixth Form
• Visiting the schools
• Waldegrave catchment areas

Applying

Children born between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010 are due to start year seven at secondary school in September 2021.

Use the eAdmissions website from 1 September to apply online for your child’s secondary school place.

You can name up to six schools in your application including academy or free schools and schools in other council areas.

If you do not live in the borough, you need to apply through your own council and you can include Richmond schools in your application.

The closing date for applying for a year 7 place is 31 October 2020.

Before you apply

Please read the following information before you complete your application:

• Personal Information Policy and validity of information given
• Secondary Admission brochure (pdf, 2.53 MB)
• Frequently asked questions about starting school (pdf, 252 KB)

When making your application in eAdmissions you should:

• Complete a separate application for each child if you are applying for twins or triplets
• Tell us in your application if your child will have a brother or sister (sibling) attending your preferred school(s) in September 2021.

For how places were allocated at all Richmond Secondary Schools in the past three years, please visit each school's website.

Certain schools need additional information to apply their admissions criteria and may require you to also complete a Supplementary Information Form. For example, schools that prioritise applications by faith. If you are applying for this type of school, please check the school's website for further information and to download a Supplementary Information Form.

If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or a Statement of Special Education Needs, you don’t need to complete the application.

Apply online

Applying for an in-year place

If you are not applying for a Secondary place in September 2020 you should read our in-year admissions information.

Online

If you have applied online:

• You will be sent an email during the evening of 1 March 2021 to tell you the outcome of your application. You will also be able to view this information by logging in to the eAdmissions website
• If you applied online and your child did not qualify for a place at your first preference school, your outcome email will provide you with more information about the process and what to do next
• If you applied online, use the eAdmissions website to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. The deadline to do this is 15 March 2021. Submitting your response online, guarantees that the school knows your decision.

Paper

If you applied on a paper form:

• If you applied on a paper form, you will be sent an email on 1 March 2021 with the outcome of your application
• Please respond to the email by the deadline of 15 March 2021 to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. Returning your reply by the deadline guarantees the school knows your decision

Your right to appeal

You have a legal right to appeal against a decision not to offer your child a place at any or all of the schools that you've applied to. You can appeal for a place at your preferred school even though your child may have a place somewhere else.

The process

The admissions authority for the school you're applying to must explain why your child hasn't been offered a place at that school. They must also explain how you can appeal against this decision.

Your appeal will be heard by a panel which is independent of the school and the admissions authority whose decision you're appealing against. You've the right to attend the hearing to explain your case to the independent appeal panel.

There are strict rules around the appointment of the appeal panel members to ensure their impartiality and independence. The panel's decision has to be accepted by the admissions authority and the school.

You may find it helpful to read the guidelines on the appeal process on the admission appeals page.

Appeals timetable - Transfer to secondary school in September 2021

For the appeals timetable for any academy, free, or voluntary aided school, please contact the school directly.

Contact School Admissions

Ensure you have read all of the content on this page, as well as the relevant FAQs, before contacting the team.

The School Admissions Team

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Education and Children's Services

Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1EU

Telephone: 020 8547 5569
Email: richmond.admissions@achievingforchildren.org.uk

The School Admissions Team can be contacted by telephone between the hours of 9am and 2pm Monday to Friday.