TRANSFER TO SECONDARY SCHOOL
A guide for parents
Introduction
Transferring from primary to secondary school is an important step and the local authority wants to help parents by giving them clear information about the transfer process and about Barnet schools. All secondary schools in Barnet have open evenings and we encourage parents to visit as many schools as possible to take a closer look at the school, meet the staff and ask questions in order to help them make up their minds about which schools they prefer. Each secondary school produces its own prospectus which contains detailed information about the school, how it is run and what subjects are taught. These will be available at the school and can also be downloaded from the school’s website. It is very important that you read the admissions criteria for each school so that you have a good idea of your chances of being offered a place.
You will receive further information from your child’s primary school in September when the online application system opens and the secondary transfer booklet can be downloaded.
How do I apply for a school place?
- All London boroughs work together to co-ordinate the secondary transfer process. This means that you will complete ONE online application at www.eadmissions.org.uk which will then be forwarded to the council in which you live.
- You will also be asked to provide proof of your address.
- As well as completing an online application, all voluntary aided (faith) schools and some foundation schools, free schools and academies will also ask you to fill in a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) and/or a Certificate of Religious Practice (CRP) to provide additional information such as a priest’s reference or information needed in order to arrange aptitude tests. These forms, including applications to take tests at selective schools, will be available at the schools.
- You can apply for up to six schools and rank them in order of preference.
- The closing date for applications is 31st October 2021.
- You will be given the results of selection tests before 31st October 2021.
What happens next?
- We will let other local authorities know about any applications you have made for schools in their area.
- We will process applications for Friern Barnet School and send voluntary aided, foundation schools, free schools and academies in Barnet details about any applications you have made.
- All your preferences will be processed individually using each school’s admissions criteria to decide who should be offered a place.
- Your ranking order is not passed to the schools
- The results of each of your preferences will be passed back to your home local authority.
- If more than one offer can be made, we will refer to your rankings and offer the highest rank possible.
- Preferences ranked lower than the school offered will be automatically withdrawn at this stage.
- The lower preferences that could have been offered will be released and offered to other applicants, so it is very important that you rank schools in the order that you want them.
- If you don’t live in Barnet, your home local authority will do all of the above on your behalf.
When will I get the result of my application?
- National Offer Day is 1st March 2022.
- You will be sent an email with the result of your online application in the evening of 1st March
- You can then login into your eadmissions account for further information
- If you are offered a school that is not your first preference, you can stay on the waiting list(s) for a higher ranked school(s) and a place could be offered later in the process should this become possible.
What happens if I’m not offered a place at any of the schools I applied to?
- Your child will be allocated a place at the nearest school with a vacancy.
- Your child will automatically be placed on the waiting lists for your schools of preference.
- You have the right of appeal.
- You can add your child’s name to the waiting lists for other schools.
Please note
If your child has special educational needs and has an education, health and care plan (EHC), you will follow a different process and any queries you have about your child’s transfer to secondary school should be addressed to the SEN Team. For more information visit www.barnet.gov.uk/SEN
If you have any queries about the process that your child’s primary school is unable to answer, please contact your home local authority. If you live in Barnet, call the Admissions Team Customer Contact Centre on 020 8359 7651 or send an e-mail to school.admissions@barnet.gov.uk