Transferring to Secondary School September 2025
The online school admissions round to enable you to apply for a secondary school for September 2025 opens on Monday 16 September 2024 and closes at midnight on Thursday 31 October 2024.
Before completing and submitting your application read our Educating your Child booklet. This will provide further information on the admissions process.
We strongly recommend that you consider using all the preferences available to you when making your application.
- Educating your child (PDF, 1MB)
If you are unsuccessful in gaining a place at your preferred school(s), you will be allocated a place at the nearest school with space. Please note the school could be some distance away. It is important that you choose your preferences wisely. Naming the same school more than once will not increase your chances of being offered a place at that school.
Online application process
Once you have set up an account online you can start and submit your application. Your online account will allow you to log in and view or amend your application at any time up until the closing date. Once you have submitted your application online you will receive an email. Check that you receive the confirmation email. If you do not receive the confirmation email within 24 hours contact school admissions
Email: school.admissions@iow.gov.uk
Leading up to the closing date emails will be sent out to remind parents/guardians to submit the online application that has been started. You will also receive this email if you review your application and click un-submit without realising.
If you receive a reminder email to submit your application prior to the closing date, do not ignore this, you may have double clicked and inadvertently unsubmitted the application. If you do receive the reminder to submit your application email
- you can either log in to your online account and check or
- contact School Admissions to check for you
Postal application process
Download and print an application form.
Once completed return the form to: School Admissions and Transport, County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD.
If you cannot download the application form you can request a paper application form from the School Admissions and Transport service.
Christ the King College or The Island Free School applications
If you would like your child to attend Christ the King College or The Island Free School you must also complete their supplementary information form. Ensure you have completed and submitted both the Local Authority Application Form and the School Supplementary Information Form. If you do not complete and submit both forms your application will not be processed until after those who have.
The supplementary information form for Christ the King College and the Island Free School is available on their websites which are listed below.
Note: all supplementary information forms received after the closing date are considered as 'Late'. They will be processed after those that were received by the time and date stated in their Admissions Policy
Application closing date
The closing date for secondary school applications is midnight on Thursday 31 October 2024.
Note: all applications and changes received after the closing date will be considered as 'Late'. They will be processed after the applications that were received by the published closing date.
What do I need to do if I do not require a school place for my Child?
For September 2025 if your child will be home educated, attending an Independent School (for example Priory School, Ryde School) or you will be moving abroad email school.admissions@iow.gov.uk with your child’s full name and date of birth and the education your child will be receiving for Year 7 in September 2025.
National Offer Day
National Offer Day is the day parents will be notified by the School Admissions and Transport team with an offer of a place at a secondary school. National Offer Day for Secondary school places is Monday 3 March 2025.
Parents/guardians who applied online by the closing date will receive an email from the local authority on the 3 March 2025 notifying them of the school where a place has been allocated for their child. Letters will also be sent 2nd class on this day to those parents/guardians who did not apply online and those who will be receiving additional information.
School Admissions are not able to confirm the child's allocated secondary school by telephone.
Waiting list
Waiting Lists will be established for the first time on Monday 17 March 2025.
Further information
Following the admissions consultation, it was approved on 8 April 2014 that priority areas were removed and that parents are able to apply for a place at the nearest secondary school to their home address.
If you are unsure of your child’s nearest secondary school, you can search for the secondary school nearest to your home address by viewing the map.
- SchoolsMap
- View the Home to School Transport Policy (PDF, 364KB)
The last date that applications or changes to existing applications can be made prior to National Offer Day Friday 7 February 2025. The system will then close down to enable the process for the allocation of secondary school places to take place.
The system will reopen on Monday 10 March 2025.
All new applications or changes to details on original applications will be processed from this date. Any changes to existing applications must be received in writing. Send your changes to school.admissions@iow.gov.uk, stating your child’s full name, date of birth, home address and your preferred schools in order of preference (you can name up to 3.)
September 2025 admissions policies
All Through School Years 0 - 11
The Bay CE School Admissions and Bay CE School Supplementary Information Form
Voluntary Aided
Christ the King College Admissions Policy and Christ the King College Supplementary Information Form (complete online)
Carisbrooke College Admissions Policy
Medina College Admissions Policy
Academies
Free School
The Island Free School Admissions Policy and Island Free School Supplementary Information form (complete online)