Secondary school admissions

Page contents:

Secondary school admissions

If your child is in year 6 and was born between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2013 (inclusive), they must attend a secondary school in September 2024 unless you decide to educate your child at home.  This is a very important decision and you are strongly advised to read the South Gloucestershire Secondary school admissions guide before making any decisions and completing your application. Applications for secondary school admission must be submitted by the 31 October 2023.

South Gloucestershire Council provide impartial advice, support and information about choosing a secondary school.  Remember there is no substitute for visiting any school that you are considering. We suggest that you visit potential schools before making your preferences as there are many things to consider such as travel arrangements.

You can find your nearest secondary school on our schools directory. Please note, the distance shown is only intended as a guide and the actual distance used to process your application is measured in a direct line between the address point of the child’s home and a central point within the main school buildings using the Local Authority’s computerised mapping system.

Once you have read the relevant information in the admissions guide, you can either apply online or download and print an application form.

Applications received after the closing date of 31 October 2023 will be dealt with as late applications and will be considered after the 1 March 2024.  This means that you are less likely to receive an offer at one of your preferred schools.

Offers of secondary school places are made to parents/carers resident in South Gloucestershire on 1 March 2024.  You must reply to offers made no later than 15 March 2024.

New secondary school provision in Lyde Green

A new secondary school is being built in Lyde Green for children aged 11 to 16. The school is being developed in a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, the Department for Education and The Olympus Academy Trust. 

Unfortunately the new secondary school has been delayed. For information about the new school please visit the Olympus Academy Trust website: www.olympustrust.co.uk. Additional information about the school can also be found on the New primary and secondary school places for Lyde Green page of the council website.

Note for parents who are considering applying for a place in a selective school in another local authority area where an 11 plus selection test is part of the admission arrangements.

Details of the selective test and admission procedures for the grammar schools in Gloucestershire are available from the schools.

Applications for secondary school places must be made to your home local authority regardless of the location of your preferred school(s). Parents are advised to consider including a local non selective school in their preferences so as to increase the opportunity of being allocated a place at a preferred school, if the child does not achieve a high enough selective test score for admission to grammar school.

Parents considering applying to selective schools in any other areas will need to obtain details of the procedures from the appropriate school(s). The 31 October 2023 deadline for preferences will apply.

Information following National Offer Day

Accepting the offered place

If you applied online, you should visit the admissions portal and update your application to accept either:

  • your highest rank preference, if you have been offered it
  • a lower rank preference or alternative offer if you were refused a place at your highest rank preference

If you applied by email or by post, you should receive a letter in the post with a response form. You may send your response to AdmissionsAndTransport@southglos.gov.uk 

Preferred school not offered

If you have not been offered your preferred school(s), you can either:

  • accept the offer you have been given
  • remain on a waiting list for any vacancies which may occur at your preferred school(s) until end December 2024
  • change your preference(s) or indicate a change of circumstances
  • appeal for your preferred school(s) – please check the paperwork being posted to you for details of this process 

Allocation statements are available to show how school places were allocated where the school was oversubscribed and why it was not possible to offer places to all children who applied. Statements and appeal forms for schools located in South Gloucestershire are shown in the link below.

If you have been refused a place at a school in another local authority, you will need to contact that local authority directly. 

Abbeywood School allocation statement and appeal form.

Bradley Stoke Community School allocation statement and appeal form.

Chipping Sodbury School allocation statement and appeal form.

Downend School allocation statement and appeal form.

Hanham Woods Academy allocation statement and appeal form

Digitech Studio School allocation statement and appeal form.

Mangotsfield School allocation statement and appeal form.

Sir Bernard Lovell allocation statement and appeal form.

Yate Academy allocation statement and appeal form.

Winterbourne Academy allocation statement and appeal form.

Studio schools

Studio schools have employer involvement in the curriculum.  They focus on developing the skills needed for employment, which involve personal coaching and work experience, alongside a similar curriculum to a typical secondary school for 11-18 aged pupils.

There is one studio school, Digitech in South Gloucestershire with first admission at Year 10.  Digitech specialises in digital, high technology and creative sectors.

If you decide that you would like to apply for a place at the Studio School, you can complete an on-line application form or alternatively you may complete a paper application form.   

Please refer to the section above for information following National Offer Day results for Digitech Studio School.

University technical college (UTC)

UTCs are set up by universities and businesses and specialise in one or two technical subjects.  At GCSE they offer a similar curriculum to a typical secondary school for 11-18 aged pupils, including english and maths, as well as specialist subjects. There is no longer a UTC in South Gloucestershire.

On 1 September 2022 Abbeywood Community School opened an Engineering Centre, following the closure of Bristol Technology Engineering Academy (BTEA). For more information about the engineering courses on offer please see the school website. To apply for Year 10 and Year 12 engineering courses please contact lisa.stevens@olympustrust.co.uk for more information.

Further information

You can contact the Admissions and Transport Team, South Gloucestershire Council for further information on any of the above.

Email: admissionsandtransport@southglos.gov.uk  or telephone 01454 868008.