Making your application
Before you make your application, you should read the information provided by the Department for Education on school admissions.
If your child is due to start primary, junior or secondary education and you live in Derbyshire you should apply to us even if the school you want is located in the area of another council.
If you live outside Derbyshire (or in Derby) you should apply through your home council, even if you want to apply for a place at a Derbyshire school. Find your home council.
We have parents' guide to secondary admissions and parents' guide to primary admissions to help you.
Apply for primary, infant and junior school places
If your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 you should have applied for their infant or primary school place by 15 January 2025.
If your child was born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 and is in their last year at infant school, you should have applied for their junior place by 15 January 2025. The closing date has now passed but you can still make a late application.
The application process is quick and easy. You can find information about how to choose a school and apply for a primary, infant or junior school place in our parents guide to primary admissions.
From midnight on 16 April 2025, you can log into your account to see your allocated school place. If you applied online, we'll also email you on 16 April 2025 with the decision. If you didn't apply online a decision letter will be posted to you.
If your child has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) your allocated school place is part of your EHCP plan. You'll not receive details on 16 April 2025.
If you're unhappy with the decision you can make a school admission appeal.
Apply for a secondary school place
If you applied online for your child to start secondary school in September 2025, decisions will be emailed on 3 March 2025. From midnight, you can also log into your account to see your allocated school place.
At peak times on 3 March 2025 it may take some time to open the decision email, and we're working hard to rectify this.
If your child was born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 and is in their last year of primary school, you should have applied for their secondary school place by 31 October 2024. The closing date has now passed but you can still apply for their secondary school place.
If your child attends a school outside of Derbyshire which operates a different pattern of education and they're due to transfer to secondary school phase in September 2025, for example, transfer from middle school, you should also have made an application by 31 October 2024, and this information applies to you.
The application process is quick and easy and you can find information about how to choose a school and apply for a place in our parents' guide to secondary admissions.
You'll get your offer on 3 March 2025. If you're unhappy with the decision you can make a school admission appeal.
If your child has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) your allocated school place is part of your EHCP plan. You'll not receive details on 3 March 2025.
Changing schools in-year
You may want to apply for your child to change schools other than when they're due to start primary, junior or secondary education. This could be because of a change of address.
If you want to apply for a place at a school in Derbyshire, view the guidance about changing schools during the school year.
If you want to apply for a place at a school in another council area, you should contact the council where the school is located.
School preference
You have a legal right to express a preference for which school you want your child to go to. This isn't the same as being able to choose.
Where you have told us of a preference for a particular school and there are places, we'll try to offer you a place at that school.
However, there is no automatic right to a place at a particular school and it may not always be possible to offer a place at your preference.
You have the right to make a school admission appeal if you're unhappy with the offer made.