You will need to complete an application form if you want your child to move to a different school in Sutton.
You can make an application up to 4 weeks before you need the school place using your current address.
If you are applying for your child to move at the start of the new school year (September 2024), you can apply from 5 June 2024.
If no place is available at one of your preferred schools, you will be given the right of appeal and advised about waiting list procedures. The London Borough of Sutton has an obligation to provide education to every child living in Sutton. If there is no school with a vacancy for your child, the Sutton School Admissions Team will look to provide alternative education arrangements.
There is free bus travel for children in London and Sutton has good transport links, which we take into account if we have to offer an alternative school.
If you wish to make an in-year application for a school outside the borough, even if you will be a Sutton resident, you must make an application to the borough where the school is located.
If you're moving to Sutton from outside England, read about applying for a school place from abroad before you make an application.
The application process can take up to 20 academic days to complete.
Before you apply
If you are thinking about changing schools for reasons other than a house move, we strongly advise that you discuss the proposed transfer with your current school first.
The transfer process is not quick. It's important that your child remains at their current school until an alternative place has been found at another school.
Depending on the new school, a transfer can be delayed until the start of the next full school term.
Before making your application, we recommend that you:
- speak to your current school about moving your child
- if you decide to apply, the headteacher of your current school may need to complete part of the application form
- find out the distance from your home to local schools in Sutton or neighbouring boroughs
- check on the school’s website whether they will require any supplementary forms with your application
- look at our vacancy checker (updated monthly in term time) to see which schools have possible vacancies
- if you're applying from abroad, check your child is eligible for free education
How to apply
You’ll need to complete the form for each child that you want to move.
You must use the address where your child is living at the time of application - you cannot use a future address. We will require evidence of the address where your family are living. You can let us know your new address once you move.
If you are applying from an address abroad, you will also need to provide evidence of arrival (such as a boarding pass) once you arrive in the UK.
Complete and return the form to suttonadmissions@cognus.org.uk.
You can also post it back to
Cognus School Admissions Team
London Borough of Sutton
Cantium House
Station Approach
Wallington
SM6 0DZ
We will not be able to update you on the status of your application for at least 20 school days whilst the above processing takes place.
How to use your preferences
You should name your preferred Sutton schools in the order in which you prefer them.
If your favourite schools do not have a vacancy on the vacancy checker, you should still put them in the highest positions on your list.
Then, if you are offered a lower preference school, you can stay on the waiting list of the higher preference schools until the end of the academic year.
You do not need to put a school with a vacancy as your highest preference. However, you should consider including one to secure a place for your child.
All lower preferences will be withdrawn once a school offers your child a place.
Applying for schools in other boroughs
You can apply for a school place in other local authorities at the same time.
You can find out more about schools in other boroughs and apply for a place on their Council website:
What happens next
The school admissions team coordinate the in-year application process for all Sutton schools. We will continue to monitor applications for Sutton children who are without a school place until an offer has been made.
Our school admissions team can look at your application and send it to the school. The school will tell you about waiting list positions and whether they can give you a place.
If you do not live in Sutton, you should contact your home local authority for assistance if you remain without a school place for your child.
If you are not offered a preference school
It is not always possible to offer a place at a preference school. If no place is available at one of your preferred schools, you will be given a right of appeal and advised about waiting list procedures. Find out more about admission appeals.
Sutton has an obligation to provide education to every child living in the borough. The School Admissions team will provide further advice if it is not possible to offer a place at one of your preferred schools and we are not able to confirm a vacancy anywhere else.
This usually means we will identify a school and ask them to admit an additional child. This may mean a delay in your child being offered a school place.
We will do our best to offer a place quickly, and take into account location and parental preference. However, it is possible you will be offered a place at a school you have not chosen to apply for.
If your child is in Year 11 age, we will usually ask a local provider to arrange tuition.
You can challenge a decision not to offer a place at your preferred school by appealing an admission decision. You will be provided with information on how to do this in your outcome letter or email.
Grammar Schools
Sutton grammar schools are generally full, but you can apply to be added to a waiting list.
Your child needs to sit a test for these schools. The school will only contact you to arrange a test once there is a vacancy.
Contact us
If you need any more help or information about school applications, you can email us suttonadmissions@cognus.org.uk.