Transfer to Secondary School or from Middle to High School, September 2026

The online application facility is now closed.

All applications submitted now will be classed as late. To submit a late application, you can download a late application form in the related documents column and return this to us. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the below template into an email and send to us at school.admissions@gloucestershire.gov.uk 

Child's forename:

Child’s surname:

Female/male:

Child's date of birth:

Child's permanent home address:

School preferences (in the order you wish for them to be considered - you are allowed up to five preferences):

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Additional information - for example, name & date of birth of any siblings that are currently at the school or if you are moving: 

Applicant’s full name, including title (e.g. Mr/Mrs/Miss):

Applicant’s relationship to the child:

A contact phone number: 

Applicant’s address: 

Confirm that you give consent for us to share this information with schools and other relevant bodies:  Yes / No

 

Important notes –

Late applications are not processed until after all on time applications have been processed. In some cases, a school place may not be allocated until after the second round of allocations which means that you may not be notified of your child’s school place until early April 2026.

Before starting your application, we strongly advise you read our Secondary School Information & Guidance Booklet for more information.

Key Dates

From noon 19 May 2025 to noon 27 June 2025 Online registration period for Grammar Entrance Test

3 September 2025

Online application facility opens

13 September 2025

Grammar School Entrance Test Day
Prior 31 October 2025 Grammar School Test results sent out

Midnight, 31 October 2025

Closing date for applications

TBC

Late Grammar School Entrance Test Day
2 March 2026 Allocation Day & parents/carers will receive the results of the late grammar school entrance test from the grammar schools directly
Midnight, 16 March 2026 Closing date for acceptances/declines and waiting list requests

By 6 April 2026

Outcome of waiting list requests sent out

10 April 2026

Closing date for waiting list round responses

May to July 2026

Appeals

For Information and guidance regarding Middle to High School transfer, please visit the relevant authority's website.

 

Grammar School Entrance Test Information for September 2026 Intake

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test registration window for 2026 intake opened noon, 19 May 2025 and closed noon, 27 June 2025. The schools are planning for the Entrance Test to take place on Saturday 13 September 2025. 

Please be advised that the registration for and administration of the Admissions Entrance Test is all carried out by the Gloucestershire grammar schools themselves and therefore any queries in reference to the Entrance Test should be directed to the grammar schools. After the test, every grammar school you have opted to share your child's score with will send you confirmation of whether your child has achieved a qualifying score for that school or not. Again, this is carried out by the Gloucestershire grammar schools and the Co-ordinated Admissions Team does not have access to this information.

It is important to note that obtaining a qualifying rank on the Entrance Test is not an automatic offer of a place in the grammar school(s). Parents/carers must also list the grammar school(s) on their secondary school application form to their home local authority between September 2025 and the closing date of 31 October 2025.

Please note - your child will not be offered a place in a grammar school if it has not been listed on your secondary school application form.

An application must be made to the county council for every child starting at secondary school in September.

Applications can be made online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from September until midnight, 31 October or a paper form which can be downloaded from this webpage and returned to the team.

Full information on the admissions process and information about individual schools is available in Information and Guidance booklet available online. It is important to read this information before applying for a school place.

Parents/carers are encouraged to list five preferred schools on their form as school places cannot be guaranteed - failing to include second, third, fourth and fifth preferences could lead to students being allocated a school that their parent/carer would not have listed.

Parents/carers will find out which school they have been allocated on 2 March and will need to return the reply form by 16 March. Parents/carers who have requested to go on a waiting list, requested an alternative placement or have made a late application will receive the result by 6 April.

An application must be made to the county council for every child starting at secondary school in September.

Applications can be made online 24 hours a day, seven days a week from September until midnight, 31 October or a paper form which can be downloaded from this webpage and returned to the team.

Full information on the admissions process and information about individual schools is available in Information and Guidance booklet available online. It is important to read this information before applying for a school place.

Parents/carers are encouraged to list five preferred schools on their form as school places cannot be guaranteed - failing to include second, third, fourth and fifth preferences could lead to students being allocated a school that their parent/carer would not have listed.

Parents/carers will find out which school they have been allocated on 2 March and will need to return the reply form by 16 March. Parents/carers who have requested to go on a waiting list, requested an alternative placement or have made a late application will receive the result by 6 April.

In certain circumstances your child may get help with the cost of transport to school. We need to know how many students need transport several months before they start school in September. You therefore need to apply as soon as you know which school your child will be going to and ensure the transport application is submitted no later later 30 April 2026, to allow time to assess eligibility and arrange transport for September 2026.

You can find out how to apply on our school transport pages.

In certain circumstances your child may get help with the cost of transport to school. We need to know how many students need transport several months before they start school in September. You therefore need to apply as soon as you know which school your child will be going to and ensure the transport application is submitted no later later 30 April 2026, to allow time to assess eligibility and arrange transport for September 2026.

You can find out how to apply on our school transport pages.

If you only put one preference, you will be allocated that school.

No, you could disadvantage yourself by not using all your preferences. If you only name one, you will only be considered for that school and if you don't get a place, you could be allocated a school far away.

If you name the same school in all five preferences, you are considered five times for that school.

No, this is the same as only naming one school.

Schools will only look at those students who have named them as first preference.

No, schools do not know in which order they have been named. An equal ranking system is used to allocate places.

If I think my preferred school will be oversubscribed, there is no point applying.

You should list your preferences in your preferred order (the order you which you want them considered) as demand for places changes every year.

I am guaranteed a place at my local school even if I don't name it as a preference.

No, you must name your local school if you want to be considered for a place there. If we cannot offer any of your preferences and you have not applied for your local school, it is unlikely you will be offered a place there.

I do not need to apply as I have an older child already attending the school.

No, you do still need to make an application for your younger child to join the school. If you do not, the school’s spaces may be filled with parents who did apply and your child may not be allocated a place.

If you apply late, you will still be allocated one of your choices.

No, if your application is late (or you do not apply) you will be offered a place at the nearest school to your home address that has space available. This may not be your nearest school, or a school of your choice, and you will be responsible for transport costs.

If you only put one preference, you will be allocated that school.

No, you could disadvantage yourself by not using all your preferences. If you only name one, you will only be considered for that school and if you don't get a place, you could be allocated a school far away.

If you name the same school in all five preferences, you are considered five times for that school.

No, this is the same as only naming one school.

Schools will only look at those students who have named them as first preference.

No, schools do not know in which order they have been named. An equal ranking system is used to allocate places.

If I think my preferred school will be oversubscribed, there is no point applying.

You should list your preferences in your preferred order (the order you which you want them considered) as demand for places changes every year.

I am guaranteed a place at my local school even if I don't name it as a preference.

No, you must name your local school if you want to be considered for a place there. If we cannot offer any of your preferences and you have not applied for your local school, it is unlikely you will be offered a place there.

I do not need to apply as I have an older child already attending the school.

No, you do still need to make an application for your younger child to join the school. If you do not, the school’s spaces may be filled with parents who did apply and your child may not be allocated a place.

If you apply late, you will still be allocated one of your choices.

No, if your application is late (or you do not apply) you will be offered a place at the nearest school to your home address that has space available. This may not be your nearest school, or a school of your choice, and you will be responsible for transport costs.

For information and to apply for a place at SGS Berkeley Green UTC please visit their website www.berkeleygreenutc.org.uk.

For information regarding UTC's outside Gloucestershire please visit the websites for these establishments and follow the procedures outlined in their policies.

For information and to apply for a place at SGS Berkeley Green UTC please visit their website www.berkeleygreenutc.org.uk.

For information regarding UTC's outside Gloucestershire please visit the websites for these establishments and follow the procedures outlined in their policies.

To apply for a school place if you move to the area during the school year or your child needs to move school for other reasons go to our in-year admissions page.

To apply for a school place if you move to the area during the school year or your child needs to move school for other reasons go to our in-year admissions page.

Contact us

If you have not managed to find an answer to your question in the information above or in the booklets, contact us on 01452 425407 or school.admissions@gloucestershire.gov.uk