This selector enables you to choose and enter the name of the school you wish to enter as a preference. A school name must be entered before proceeding.
Before the admissions group closing date and time this page can be displayed as follows:
• If preference schools have not yet been recorded for an application it will be opened directly from the Select an Admissions Application Form page by selecting Select Schools, or from Your Child's Details when Next is selected.
• If preference school(s) have already been recorded for an application it can be opened from the Preference List when the option to Add a New School is selected.
If your Local Authority has made different search types available then you will be able to choose the type of search you wish to perform. You will see a maximum of four options on the left hand side of the page - All Schools, Catchment Schools, Home Local Authority Schools (the Authority whose system you are using to make the application) or Other Local Authority Schools.
If your Authority has not made the additional searches available then you will not see the Catchment Schools search.
Select the search type (if available) by selecting the relevant button, then select the Search button. A list of school names found by the search is displayed as follows:
All Schools: Displays a list of all schools recorded on the system that have been chosen by the Local Authority to accept children within this Admissions Group.
Catchment Schools: Displays a list of all schools within whose catchment area (as defined by the Local Authority) the child's home address is situated.
Home Local Authority Schools: The name of the Home Local Authority will be entered here. This displays a list of all schools that are within this Local Authority and have been chosen by them to accept children within this Admissions Group.
Other Local Authority Schools: Displays a list of any schools recorded on the system that are not within the Home Local Authority but have been chosen by them to accept children within this Admissions Group.
• If the Local Authority is in England, Wales or Northern Ireland the selection will include all relevant English schools in 1 of the 3 categories Open, Open, proposed to close and Proposed to open, plus all Welsh schools, regardless of the open status.
• If the Local Authority is in Scotland, the selection will include all relevant Scottish schools, regardless of the open status.
Early Years settings (e.g nurseries) are not included.
To reduce the list, if you know which school name you are looking for, enter part of the school name or the school number and select Search. A list of school names containing those characters will be displayed. Select the Select button for the correct name to enter it.
If you select a school that specialises in the education of children with special needs or you have selected a school with a single-sex intake that does not match the gender of the child you will be asked to confirm your selection before proceeding.
If you have searched on All Schools or Other Local Authority Schools and the school name you require is not included in the list or no schools are found by the search, select the “Can’t find the school…” button above the list to open the Preferred School Extended Search.