This application should only be completed if your child does not have a current school place or requires a change of schools during the school year.
• If your child is due to start nursery, reception class or Year 7 in September please apply at eadmissions. If you have already done so and would still like to make an in-year application, please refer to your offer letter for advice on what to do next.
• If you are applying to an academy, free school or voluntary aided school (Church of England or Roman Catholic), you may also need to complete and return a supplementary information form (SIF) direct to the school.
• If you are requesting priority admission under medical/social grounds, please upload relevant supporting information with your application.
• If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you should contact the Special Educational Needs team. Do not complete this application.
• If you are applying for schools outside Tower Hamlets, please contact the relevant Local Authority.
• We do not accept applications to independent schools.
Once you have submitted your in-year admission application correctly you will receive a confirmation email. You do not need to seek further confirmation from the School Admissions Service.
School History Form (SHF)
Changing school may not always be in your child’s best interests. Where possible, please discuss your transfer application with your child’s current school, to see if any issues can be resolved without disrupting your child’s education.
If you still wish to apply for a transfer, please ensure the School History Form has been completed by your child’s current or most recent school and is ready to upload with your application.
Failure to submit this form may lead to delays in processing your application.
Fair Access protocol (FAP)
A fair access protocol exists to ensure that children without a school place, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at an appropriate school as quickly as possible.
If your child is on roll at a school, and you think your application should be considered under FAP, you must discuss this with your current school.
Processing your application
Applications will be processed as below:
Application type | Decision |
If child is not on roll at a school in Tower Hamlets | Within 10 to 15 school days of application being received (delays in exceptional circumstances). |
Applying for a transfer between Tower Hamlets
| Start Date | Closing Date | Parents Notified | Spring Term (January 2024 start) | 3 November 2023 | 24 November 2023 | Summer Term (April 2024 start) | 2 February 2024 | 1 March 2024 | Autumn Term (September 2024 start) | 7 June 2024 | 28 June 2024 |
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