Find deadlines and how to start your secondary school application.
If you want to transfer your child from one secondary school to another, visit our
moving schools page.
Who can apply
Children born between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013 are due to start secondary school in September 2024.
Applying for a school outside your council area
If you live in Leeds you should submit your application to us even if you want to apply for a school outside of Leeds. You live in Leeds if you pay council tax to us and we empty your bins.
If you live outside Leeds and want to apply for a Leeds school, you should submit your application to your council.
Children at an all through school
If your child is attending an all through school, they will automatically transfer from year 6 to year 7. You do not need to apply for a place unless you want them to move to another school.
In Leeds, the all through schools are:
- Carr Manor Community School
- Dixons Trinity Chapeltown
- Roundhay School
- Temple Learning Academy
Children who have an EHCP
If your child has a current
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), your child’s EHCP will be amended to name the secondary school they will go to in September.
You do not need to apply for a year 7 place on our online portal.
Children taught out of year group (summer born)
If your child is summer born (between 1 April and 31 August) and you were given permission for them to start primary school a year later, you will need to apply again for an out of year group place.
Applying for permission
You should make this request at the same time as a year 7 application for a school place, when your child’s chronological year group are applying for a year 7 school place.
The chronological year group is the one your child would be in based on their date of birth. Sometimes children can be educated a year above or below this.
Example A summer born child that started in Reception one year later than their year group, would apply for a secondary school place and request permission for an out of year group place when the child is in year 5 (rather than year 6).
You will need to send a letter to each school you apply for asking for permission to apply for an out of year group place. Your letter should explain:
- why you want your child to start school late
- the impact on your child if they are moved to their chronological year group
- the year group you would like your child to start school in
You can also choose to attach evidence that supports your request, if you have any.
You must also apply for a year 7 place in your child's chronological year group, in case you do not get permission.
Decision making
Schools must consider these requests in the same way as the original summer born request but must also take into account the fact the child has been educated in a different year group up until this point.
Decisions must follow the
DfE guidance 'Summer-born children: school admission' on the GOV.UK website external link.
It is possible that different schools may come to different conclusions and do so for good reasons. A secondary school may decide that it is in your child’s best interests to return to their chronological year group and so your child would miss a school year.
If your request is agreed by all schools, your year 7 application would be withdrawn and you must make a new application for a school place during the next admissions round the following year.
Find more information about summer born children
starting school later or part time.
How to apply
You can apply from 1 September 2023. The deadline is 31 October 2023.
Applications submitted after the deadline
If you submit your application after the deadline it could be treated with a lower priority than applications submitted on time.
If you submit your application:
- by 28 November 2023, most Leeds schools will treat the application as on time (check if this date applies on each school's admissions policy)
- by 31 December 2023, your application will receive a lower priority than those submitted on time (unless we agree you had exceptional reasons for missing this date)
- on or after 1 January 2024, you will not receive a school offer until April, after all other school places have been given out
If you have exceptional reasons why you could not submit your application by 28 November 2023, tell us by email. Not receiving a reminder to apply is not an exceptional reason.
We send out letters reminding parents to apply in September. You can still apply if you do not get a letter.
We recommend choosing 5 schools to give your child the best chance of getting a place at a school you prefer.
Apply for a secondary school External link
After 28 November 2023, you will not be able to use the online portal to apply. If you are applying:
- after 28 November but before offer day, you’ll need to contact us for a paper application form
- for the first time after 1 March 2024 (offer day), you will need to
join a waiting list
When you’ll find out
We offer secondary school places on 1 March 2024 (offer day). If you applied through our online application portal, we'll email you with your child's offer. We'll send this email during the working day.
If you applied in any other way, you'll receive an offer letter to your registered home address (a few days after offer day).
Get help with your application
For help with your application contact us on:
0113 222 4414
Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, except Wednesdays when we open at 10am.
Application timeline
Secondary school applications, important dates
1 September 2023
| Applications open
|
31 October 2023
| National deadline for applying |
28 November 2023
| Deadline for late applications and changes (for schools which follow our admissions policy)
|
1 March 2024
| National offer day
|
