Choosing a Secondary school

Believe it or not, once your child starts Year 6, it is time to start thinking about their next school. Every area in the country is different so you do need to talk to your Head teacher and the child’s class teachers to get advice. In some areas the transfer from junior education to secondary is completely straightforward. All the children automatically proceed to the secondary school in their area.

Secondary schools have different names

Community Colleges
Some are called Community Colleges which means exactly that. Children and in some areas adults in the local community will receive education provided by the Local Education Authority which employs the school staff and is responsible for admissions. Pupils from 11+ to 16+ will be prepared for GCSE, sometimes AS levels and A2 levels. They also may have the opportunity to have vocational training (NVQs) and gain qualifications in this way.

Community Special Colleges
The special school equivalent of mainstream Community schools, which cater wholly or mainly for children with statutory statements of special educational needs (SEN).

Technology colleges
These are comprehensive state maintained schools provided by the LA who employ the staff and are normally responsible for admissions.

They offer a broad education with a technological bias for girls and boys of all abilities. Some of these schools operate their own admission procedures so that they have a completely balanced intake of pupils.

All-ability schools
This terminology is used in some areas for schools which are non-selective and will admit children according to their own specific criteria. All-ability schools are run by the Local Authority who pay the staff. As with other schools, some of these schools may specialise in areas such as Performing Arts, Technology or Arts. These schools used to be known as High schools, Secondary modern Schools or comprehensive schools.

Grammar schools
These are selective schools which will admit children by ability after the children have undertaken a ‘Test’. Most of these schools are single sex but some are becoming co-educational especially in the Sixth Form. For more details see our page on Selection to grammar schools.

Voluntary aided/Church Schools
A foundation or trust provides education at these schools. Most voluntary schools have a religious character and are known as faith schools. Voluntary aided schools are responsible for their own admissions criteria. These schools are comprehensive which means that they cater for a range of abilities and admit without assessment.

Three tier system of Education
There are middle schools in some areas. This means that the children stay at their middle school until 13 and then may enter a grammar school at 13 if they pass the entrance requirements and in other areas the children transfer to non-selective schools at 13 without testing.

Voluntary controlled schools
You will see the term voluntary controlled in the description of some schools. The Local Authority is the admission authority for community and other voluntary controlled schools, organising the secondary transfer process and other admissions procedures.

Foundation schools
Schools with this terminology used to be called grant maintained schools. They control their own admissions but co-ordinate the transfer from Junior schools with the local Authority.

Academies
Academies are a new type of all-ability school.  Academies are schools established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups working in highly innovative partnerships with central Government and local education partners. All Academies are located in areas of disadvantage.

Parents with children in Year 5 now need to see as many of the secondary schools in their area as soon as possible. It is advisable to visit as many different types of school as possible (and both selective and non-selective if available) so that you can make a judgement on facts, not on hearsay.

Making a decision

After seeing the schools parents should make a short list of the schools that they like and the reasons for this. Whatever schools you are choosing please read their prospectus and check with your Local Authority and Head teacher. If available, read the Booklet available to every parent with a child in Year Six and check your local County Council web site for available information.

Local Authority Booklet

This book has a full set of instructions:

This book is usually ready during the summer holidays…make sure that you get one.

This gives you definitive information about the schools such as:

Children who are applying for a place at some schools need to fill out the school’s own entry form as well as the LA form. This will apply to the church schools so always check with the school and ask your Local authority if you are unsure. Please check that ‘the school of your choice’ has admitted children in previous years from your area ….sometimes different parts of a county have differing rules!

All schools have certain criteria for entry (the order of priority can vary). The main ones are:

In some counties, reallocation forms will be sent to every parent where their child has not given their first choice school. This is a separate process to the process of ‘Appealing’ so you may do both together.

Appeals
Every parent has the right to appeal against a Local Authority’s decision and discover if there are any solutions to your objections. If your child has not been allocated your first choice school you will receive by post the name of their allocated school and a form to complete if you want to appeal against the decision. Your child may in some cases already be on the county’s reallocation list BUT this does not prevent you from following both procedures. If your child is reallocated before the appeal, you can withdraw the appeal. In some areas this process of entering secondary school is a very straightforward and a natural progression. The problem comes, as in everything in life, where there is more than one choice so it can be more difficult to make a decision.

Detailed guidance on appealing can be found through the following link: School Admission Appeals

Please ensure that you have the latest information for the current year. Check: