School admission arrangements
Consultation for admission arrangements
We are now consulting on admission arrangements for students starting in September 2026. To see which schools are involved and share your thoughts, click here.
We are also asking for your feedback on term dates for community and voluntary controlled schools in West Northants for the 2026 to 2027 school year. To view the proposed dates and have your say, please click here.
Each school must have a set of admission arrangements to explain how places will be allocated at the school for a particular year’s intake. These are determined annually by the school’s admission authority.
We are the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in the area. Other types of schools have their own admission authority:
- The governing body is the admission authority for foundation and voluntary aided schools
- The academy trust is the admission authority for academies, free schools and UTCs
Admission authorities of schools wishing to make changes to their admission arrangements must publicly consult on the changes before determination.
Consultation on 2026-2027 admission arrangements
We are now consulting on our school admission arrangements for 2026 intakes.
To find out which other schools are consulting and send us your views, please visit the consultation page.
Determined admission arrangements
In-year admissions for the 2024-2025 academic year
September 2025 intakes
The admission arrangements for own admission authority (OAA) schools (foundation and voluntary aided schools, academies, free schools and UTCs) are displayed on the individual school websites. You can find a school here.
Objections to the Schools Adjudicator
Objections to the Schools Adjudicator regarding the admission arrangements determined by admission authorities for the 2025-2026 academic year must be made by 15 May 2024.
The contact details are:
Office of the Schools Adjudicator
Bishopsgate House
Feethams
Darlington
DL1 5QE
Email: [email protected]
To find out more about how to make an objection to school's admission arrangements see Gov.UK.
Co-ordinated admission schemes
Each year we publish a scheme to co-ordinate admission arrangements for the normal admissions rounds and late applications for all publicly funded schools within the local authority area.
- Primary co-ordinated admissions scheme for September 2025 intakes
- Secondary co-ordinated admissions scheme for September 2025 intakes
- Primary co-ordinated admissions scheme for September 2026 intakes
- Secondary co-ordinated admissions scheme for September 2026 intakes
Composite prospectuses
Admission arrangements for all schools in the council area, and information on how to apply for a school place, can be found in the composite prospectuses.
September 2025 intakes
- Applying for a Primary school place for September 2025
- Applying for a Secondary school place for September 2025
Consultation and determination timetable for 2026 admissions
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Email from the local authority to schools and trusts asking if any changes are proposed for admissions in September 2026 | October 2024 |
| Consultation period for 2026 admission arrangements | 8 November 2024 to 31 December 2024 |
| Admission authorities to determine (formally agree) their schools' admission arrangements for 2026 | By 28 February 2025 |
| Own admission authority (OAA) schools to send determined admission arrangements for 2026 to the local authority | By 15 March 2025 |
| Objections to determined admission arrangements for 2026 to the Schools Adjudicator | By 15 May 2025 |
| Schools to provide the local authority with up-to-date information for inclusion in composite prospectuses for 2026 intakes | By 8 August 2025 |
| Local authority to publish composite prospectuses (primary and secondary) for 2026 intakes | By 12 September 2025 |
Annual Reports to the Schools Adjudicator
All local authorities are required to produce an annual report for the Schools Adjudicator on admissions for all schools in their area.
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator then publishes an annual report including a summary of LA reports which they send to the Secretary of State.
Last updated 10 December 2024