Applications open to secure secondary school places for 2021

Councillor Kieran Heakin, cabinet member for children's services

Parents of children across the borough who are due to start secondary school in September 2021 can apply for their child’s school place from now until 2 November.

The council's online system means applications can be made using PCs, smartphones or tablets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Changes to applications can be made until the deadline and progress tracked. Updates and notifications are sent automatically – ending the wait for letters to arrive.

Councillor Kieran Heakin, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “The key to applying is not the speed you get your application in, as they are not processed on a first come first served basis, but to carefully consider and include all four preferences. 

“It is well known that we have lots of secondary schools that are oversubscribed and you are not guaranteed to get the school of your first preference if you only make one choice so please select other options that you believe would be suitable for your child, otherwise the council will need to nominate a place for them.”

The deadline for applications is 2 November 2020, after this a late application must be made and the chances of getting one of your preferred schools are greatly reduced.

Primary school admission applications open later this month.

You can apply for a secondary school place via the council web site:

• rochdale.gov.uk/schooladmissions