Join a waiting list

School waiting lists

You can add your child to a waiting list for any of the schools in your original application. 

If a space becomes free, the school uses its admissions policy to decide who they can take. 

That means: 

  • it won’t decide on a first-come-first-served basis
  • your child’s position may change as other children join or leave the list
  • new applications will be considered as well as those on the waiting list

For most academies, trust, free, or church-aided schools, you will need to contact them directly to ask to join their waiting list. We do operate a waiting list for some; they are listed at the bottom of this page.

For Reception or Year 7 in September 2027

Your child will automatically added to the waiting list for a community-controlled school (or academies we hold the waiting list for) if they have not been offered a higher preference.

Your child will remain on this list until December 2027. 

Waiting list offers

If a place becomes available for your child, you will be notified in writing to the email used on your application. If we do not receive a response withing five working days the offer will be withdrawn and your child will be removed from the waiting list. The place will then be offered to the next child on the list.

This is because children can have only one school place at a time. This applies until children start school. After that, you will have 10 school days to accept the offer.

Removing your child from the waiting lists

Pleas notify us if you decide that you no longer want your child’s name on a waiting list. This will help prevent unnecessary delays in reallocating spaces should they become available and stop the possibility of you losing a place at an allocated school. Please do so so in writing to the Admissions and Transport team.

Schools outside of East Sussex

If you were not given your preferred place at a school outside of East Sussex you will need to contact the relevant local authority for information on their waiting lists.

Waiting list for in-year applications

For all other year groups 

To join (or renew) a waiting list for a community-controlled school or an academy we hold the waiting list for, please email your child’s:

  • name
  • date of birth
  • address
  • relevant siblings and
  • the name(s) of the schools whose waiting list you wish to join

Please email: wlinyear@eastsussex.gov.uk

Waiting lists need to be renewed over the Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays. If you don't email us to renew this, your child will be removed from the list.

Academies we manage the waiting list for

  • We manage the waiting list for the following academies: Primary:
    • All Saints Junior Academy
    • Breakwater Academy
    • Chantry Community Primary School
    • Dudley Infant Academy
    • Glenleigh Park Academy
    • Hawkes Farm Academy
    • High Cliff Academy
    • King Offa Academy
    • Little Common School
    • Mulberry Baird Primary (previously The Baird Primary Academy)
    • Mulberry Silverdale Primary (previously Silverdale Primary Academy)
    • Mulberry West St Leonards Primary (previously West St Leonards Primary Academy)
    • Ocklynge Junior School 
    • Parkland Infant School
    • Peacehaven Heights Academy
    • St Andrew's CE Infants
    • St John's Meads CE Primary School
    • Telscombe Cliffs Academy
    • Thornton Grove
    • Tollgate Community Junior School 
    • White House Academy
    Secondary:
    • Robertsbridge Community College
    • Mulberry Academy Hastings (previously The Hastings Academy)
    • Mulberry Academy St Leonards (previously The St Leonards Academy)
    • The Turing School.