Apply for a place during the school year

Please do not call chasing applications unless it has been 10 school days. This will delay our ability to respond to applications.

• email admissions@eastsussex.gov.uk with your child's details and evidence of your move
• submit an application online

How in-year applications are decided

Own admissions schools are responsible for offering and refusing applications directly to applicants.

For schools we are the admissions authority we will often need confirmation from the school before we can offer or refuse a  place.

Even if you’ve been told your preferred school is full you should name them in your application. Not doing so may affect your child’s transport eligibility. In some circumstances we can ask schools to admit over numbers. This is usually when there are no other schools within a reasonable distance.

If a place is available for your child, the admission authority for the school will write to you to offer the place and explain how to accept it.

If the school does not have a place you have a right to appeal or join a waiting list. The admission authority for the school will write to you and explain how to do this.

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan

We cannot place children with an EHCP through the usual admissions process. 

See the East Sussex Local Offer website for admissions for children with special educational needs.

Children from outside East Sussex

Parents or carers of children moving to the county should make applications for their child when they arrive in East Sussex. We aim to provide a decision within 10 school days.

We cannot guarantee that a place will be available at the preferred school. If your preferred schools have no places, we will offer a place at the closest school with available space.

If you have moved from overseas, please see School applications for foreign national children and children resident outside England (GOV.UK) for further information.

Parents/carers who are UK service personnel with a confirmed posting, or crown servants returning from overseas should supply an official letter declaring a relocation date if you would like your application to be processed in advance of your relocation.  

Switching schools

You may be thinking of changing schools because your child is experiencing problems at their current school.

Before you apply, we strongly recommend that you discuss the matter with the headteacher and staff to try and improve things. Changing school can have a negative impact on learning and friendship groups.

You can ask to change schools at any time. However changing schools in Years 9, 10 and 11 should be a last resort and we advise against it if you can avoid it. The new school may not be able to match your child’s subject options.

 Changing schools in year application form

Moving house

We will only use a new address for the purpose of allocating a school place when either:

• contracts have been exchanged
• when a tenancy agreement has been signed.

Without this evidence, we will process your application based on your existing address. We may also ask for additional evidence to confirm a move has taken place, for example:

• a copy of a council tax or utility bill for your new address
• evidence that you will not be returning to your previous address.

Apply for a school place

The easiest way to apply for a school is online.

If you are new to the system, you will need to create an account to get started. You can save your progress and sign in to your school account at any time.

See How do I create an account?

When you submit your application, we will email you to confirm receipt.

If you can’t apply online

Please contact the Admissions and Transport team for a paper application or download a copy below. Complete your form and send it to:

Admissions and Transport Team
County Hall
St Anne’s Crescent
Lewes BN7 1UE

Phone: 0300 33 09 472 between 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday
Email: admissions@eastsussex.gov.uk

If we receive more than one application for the same child before the closing date, we will use the latest application.

East Sussex schools application form [95.0 KB] [docx]