Timetable for admissions for schools

You can express a preference for as many schools as you like. The application can include schools outside Flintshire and we will notify the relevant Council of your application. (However Cheshire West and Chester Council ask that you use their application form for schools in their area).

If you include a denominational (Church) or foundation school on your application, it will be forwarded to the relevant school as Flintshire is not the admitting authority for these schools.

It will always be our intention to allocate to your 1st preference but if there are more applications than the number of places available, the oversubscription criteria will be applied and, if you do not meet the criteria, we can consider your 2nd preference and so on until we are able to offer your child a place. If only one school is specified we will only be able to consider that school. Please note that listing the same school multiple times will not result in a better chance of being offered a place at that school.

Only apply online to Flintshire if you are resident in Flintshire or your child attends a Flintshire school. Otherwise please apply to your own Council – for example, if you live in Denbighshire, please apply to Denbighshire County Council unless your child attends a Flintshire school.

All preferences are processed and you will get an offer of a place at the highest ranked preference at the school where a place is available.

Therefore, if your 1st preference is unsuccessful, your 2nd preference is treated as your 1st preference equally with other 1st preferences for that school and so on until we are able to offer your child a place at a school.

Your child’s name can be put on a waiting list, you accept a place at an alternative school with available places and you do have right of appeal.

Your application must be received by the closing date otherwise it will be considered after those received on time.

All on-line applications are dated and timed on receipt.

It can be found in our Guide to Education Services and is also listed below.

All pupils will be admitted if the Admission Number has not been reached. However, if the Admission Number has been reached, applications will be considered against the oversubscription criteria, which are listed in priority order.

Oversubscription Criteria

Criteria to be applied in order of priority by the Local Authority for admission to Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools:

• Looked after children (children in care) and previously looked after children;
• pupils for whom the preferred school is the nearest appropriate school to the pupil’s home address;
• pupils who will have a sister or brother attending the preferred school on the expected admission date. The ‘sibling rule’ will only be applied for the statutory period of education i.e. up to Year 11;
• pupils for whom the preferred school is not the nearest to their home address. Pupils will be admitted in order of proximity to that alternative school and up to its Admission Number.

Tie-breaker

If there are more applicants than places in any of the above categories, priority will be given to applicants living nearest the school, measured from the child’s home address to the recognised main entrance of the school.

If the authority is unable to comply with the parental preference(s) expressed then the parent will be asked to consider available places at alternative schools.

Where a school is named in a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the local authority has a duty to admit the child to that school.

A sibling is defined as a full, half, step, foster or adopted brother or sister living together as one household at the same address and where the elder sibling is of statutory school age i.e. Reception to Year 11, and will still be registered at the preferred school when the younger child is eligible to attend.

Siblings entering Yr 12/13 when the younger sibling is starting in Yr 7 will not be considered under the sibling rule.

All applications are considered after the closing date not by the date received.

The time given to parents for applications is approximately 8 weeks, this is intended to allow for careful consideration of your preferences.

NURSERY: You will be notified on the offer date which is 6 May 2025 and no details will be given before that date.

RECEPTION: You will be notified by email on the offer date which is 16 April 2025 and no details will be given before that date.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS: You will be notified by email on the offer date which is 3 March 2025 and no details will be given before that date.

The transport policy can be found here. Please read through the Eligibility criteria before applying.

If you have a school transport related question please email school.transport@flintshire.gov.uk

As long as details of any changes to your preferences are provided by the end of the allocation period (Please see timetable for admissions to schools in Guide to Education Services) we will make the changes for you. However please note if the change is submitted before the closing date, the changes will be actioned and marked as on time.

If they are submitted after the closing date but before the end of the allocation period, the changes will be actioned but marked as late.

These changes must be submitted via our eform.

As long as proof of your house move is provided by the end of the allocation period (Please see timetable for admissions to schools in Guide to Education Services) we will make the change for you. 

These changes must be submitted via our eform.