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Last reviewed: April 2023
The schools’ admissions process can be pretty daunting, especially if you are applying for the first time. You want to make sure that you have fully researched all the options and are making an informed decision, as well as being realistic about which schools you have a chance of getting in to. Following the steps below will ensure you have all the information you need at your fingertips.
Understand The Process
The first place to look is the Southend City Council website. Here you will find a wealth of information about Southend's primary and secondary schools, how to apply and how places are allocated. You will also find all the key dates and deadlines for primary and secondary school applications. Nursery applications are not handled by Southend Council and you must apply directly to each Nursery individually.
Take time to understand the Southend Council admissions criteria and the criteria for any voluntary-aided schools or academies as they do not need to follow the Southend Council criteria and may apply rules based on other factors such as religious affiliation, quotas for specific geographical areas or offer "lottery" places. Fully understanding where you fit in the criteria will give you a better idea of your likelihood of getting a place.
Do Your Research
As well as information about the primary and secondary schools’ admissions and appeals process, you can also access links to school Ofsted reports and performance statistics from the Department of Education website. This can be an invaluable source of information when choosing which schools to put on your application.
Your best bet is always going to be your nearest school so it is wise to include this as one of your options and be realistic about your chances of getting into schools that are far away from you as distance is the main criteria for most schools. Voluntary-Aided schools and Academies can set their own admission rules and may choose prioritise other criteria, such as church attendance so do check the exact criteria for the schools you are interested in. You can check the local catchment areas here.
Parent View on the Ofsted website lets you see what other parents think of any school in England - a useful source of information to make an informed choice about the best school for your child.
Visit The Schools
Decide which schools you are interested in and arrange to visit them. This will give you the best idea of what each school is like. You can find details of the open days being held by local schools on our open days page. Some schools do not arrange formal open days but are happy to show interested parents around the school by appointment.
Make Your Application
Once you have done all your research, you can access the Southend City Council's online schools admissions application system. You are encouraged to apply for up to three schools, putting your preferences from highest to lowest. You can use the help manuals available on the website to guide you through the online admissions process. Most importantly make sure you get your application in on time. Also make sure you complete any additional forms required by voluntary-aided schools or academies and check the submission date for these, as it may not be the same as the deadline for the Southend City Council form.
You will need to complete a Supplementary Information form (SIF) in addition to the Council’s Common Application Form if you are applying for a place at any of the following schools in the city:
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary.
• Sacred Heart Catholic Primary.
• St George’s Catholic Primary.
• St Helen’s Catholic Primary.
• St Mary's Prittlewell CofE Primary.
These are forms used to give additional information in support of your application.
Allocations Day and Beyond
If your child does not get offered a place at one of your preferred schools straight away don't panic! A lot can change before September. The advice from the Local Authority is that you should accept the place you have been given to ensure your child has a place at a school. Not accepting the place risks ending up with a school you may find less desirable, or worse, no school place at all. You can see on the City Council website a listing of schools that still have places available after the allocations have been made. However, if after the Continued Interest process has concluded you are still not happy with your allocation, and you feel have sufficient grounds, you may choose to appeal to the Independent Appeals Panel. Information on how to complete this process can again be found on the Southend City Council website.
You can contact the school admissions team by email here
National Infant, Junior & Primary Offer Day
The offer day for 2023 is 17th April 2023. You can appeal any decisions by 15th May 2023.
