If you are applying for a school place at a school in another local authority you will need to contact that local authority to find out the process of applying for schools in that area. You cannot use the Salford Family Portal to apply to move school place to another area.
Before you fill in your application you should read the information on this page carefully as it explains the admissions procedure in full.
How are places allocated?
In year applications are processed in date order and all applications received on a given date will be considered together. If more than one application is received for a particular school and there is only one place available in the year group then the oversubscription criteria will be applied to those applications.
In this situation lodged appeals count as applications from the date that they are lodged. If a place becomes available the appeal will be considered as an application alongside all other applications receive for that day and the oversubscription criteria will be applied to the applications and the lodged appeal.
For community and controlled schools where only one application is received for a school on any given date the application will be forwarded to the school where places are available.
For admission to voluntary aided schools and academies, the admissions team will send details of your application to the school’s governing body for their decision.
Where your child can be offered a school place at one of your preferred schools the school will contact you directly to arrange admission.
If the local authority is unable to offer your child a place at any of your preferred schools and your child does not have an allocated school place which is less than two miles to their home address then your child will be offered a place at the nearest school to your home address that has places available – this is referred to as a alternative offer.
Where your child has been refused a place at one of your preferred schools, you will be informed of your right of appeal. If you are moving further than two miles from your child's current school, or your child's current school is more than two miles from your current address, the school admissions team will make an alternative offer of a place at a school within two miles of your current or proposed address as applicable. You will need to inform the local authority if you do not require the alternative school offered.
How will I know when my child has been offered a school place?
You will receive an email from the school admissions team within ten to 15 school days. This will ask you to log in to the Family Portal. In the Family Portal you will be able to view the decision against each of your preferred schools. Where you have been refused a school place you will be offered the right of appeal.
Once the local authority has informed you that you have been offered a school place, you can contact that school directly to arrange a start date.
What can I do if my child is refused a place? Can I appeal?
If you are not offered a place at your preferred school you will have the right to appeal against the decision (please note: there is no right of appeal for nursery places).
However the law on infant class sizes states that from 1 September 2000 no five, six or seven year olds should be in a class of more than 30 pupils. Therefore the circumstances where an appeal committee can uphold an appeal for these year groups are limited.
Can my child's name be placed on a waiting list for a school?
The local authority does not hold waiting lists for in-year admissions. If your child is refused a place at your preferred school and the alternative offered is not suitable, you will need to re-apply for a place at your preferred school if you still require a place.
How does the fair access protocol apply to my child's application?
The fair access protocol provides a flexible approach to admissions for children who may face challenges in obtaining school places. The protocol lists the categories of children who may be given assistance in finding school places. As these applications can be a little more complex, it may be up to 20 school days before your decision is sent to you via the Family Portal.