The information below tells you how to apply for a school place if you are moving into Milton Keynes or are moving to another area of Milton Keynes and would like to change your child's current school. If your application has been declined, find out how to appeal or join the waiting list below.

Please note - there is no guarantee that a place will be available at your preferred school or your catchment school.  All school places are allocated in line with the School Admissions Code 2021 and, in line with this code, independent appeal panels are the only legal authority to overturn the outcome of your application if it is unsuccessful.  You can make an in-year application at any time. 

Please read the parents guide for primary schools or the parents guide for secondary schools.

You can make a school application online via the Citizen Portal here.

Some schools process their in-year applications and you can apply to these schools direct.  Here is a list of these schools.

Applications for September 2024

Waiting lists - Please note waiting lists for all community and voluntary controlled schools for 2023/24 will finish on 31 August 2024. 

If your child is in Year R, and currently on a waiting list for an alternative school, and you wish for them to be considered for a place at that school next year, you will need to submit a new application in line with the timeline set out below.

If your child is currently in Years 1 to 5, and you wish for them to remain on the waiting list for a different school, you must email primaryadmissions@milton-keynes.gov.uk by no later than 30 June 2024, requesting that your child’s name is transferred to the waiting list for September 2024. There is no need to make a new in year application.

If you wish to appeal during the new academic year, you will need to submit a new application. An outcome letter will confirm the place has been declined, and details of how to appeal: School admission appeals | Milton Keynes City Council (milton-keynes.gov.uk)

Processing of applications

Timeline for processing in-year applications for September 2024 (changing school):

If you wish to make an in-year application for a school place starting in September 2024, it is important to note that this is a very busy period and completed* applications will be processed in accordance with the timetable below:

Application received between	Processing guideline
1 June 2024 to 14 June 2024	We will aim to process before the end of the academic year.
15 June 2024 to 31 August 2024	We will aim to process applications during this period but responses may not be possible, in particular during August when schools are closed and own admissions authority schools may not be available to progress the application.

Please do not chase for an outcome over the summer break – we will respond once we receive a response from the school.

*Incomplete applications will not be processed, and it is important that the section from your current school is completed before schools close for the summer holidays.

It is strongly advised that parents wanting to change school in September 2024 apply as soon as possible.

At all other times of the year, we aim to process your application within 15 school days (excluding weekends and school holidays).  Milton Keynes City Council is responsible for admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools.  Other schools are responsible for their own admissions.  In these cases, we forward your application onto the relevant school(s) and await their decision.  This may delay the decision being made within 15 school days.

Moving into Milton Keynes

If you are moving into Milton Keynes and want to apply for a school place you will need to complete an online application on the Citizen Portal here.  You can provide up to four preference schools.  Should you need further assistance please contact 01908 253338.

Proof of address

We require proof of your Milton Keynes address. You must include with your application either:

• a solicitor’s letter to confirm exchange of contracts
• or a copy of your signed tenancy agreement is required to support your application
• or Milton Keynes council tax reference number

If there is any doubt about the legality of the move, we may request further proof.

Please note incomplete application forms will not be processed.

Moving in from overseas

If you are moving from overseas and wish to apply for a state school place you should visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office for further information. We recommend you obtain advice from an immigration professional or the UK Home Office to establish if your child(ren) have a right, under their visa entry conditions, to study at a state funded school. Please note it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that visa entry conditions are checked.

Moving within Milton Keynes

If you are changing your address within Milton Keynes and want to apply for a different school place you will need to complete an online application on the Citizen Portal here.  You can provide up to four preference schools.  Should you need further assistance please contact 01908 253338. 

We require proof of your Milton Keynes address. You must include with your application either:

• a solicitor’s letter to confirm exchange of contracts
• or a copy of your signed tenancy agreement is required to support your application
• or Milton Keynes council tax reference number

If there is any doubt about the legality of the move, we may request further proof.

Supporting information

If your child already attends a Milton Keynes school, you will need to ask the Headteacher to complete the School Information Form.  This will need to be submitted with your application.  Failure to upload the completed form will mean your application will not be progressed.

When completing the online application, ensure that all information has been completed correctly and no information missed. Any mistakes could affect your application. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

For in-year applications, an offer is based on what is available at the time of application. Often the most popular schools are full and it is advisable to include your catchment school.

Parents can state up to four preferences on the application form.  If it is not possible to offer a place at any of your preferred schools, we will approach the school nearest to your home address with a vacancy to request a place.

If one of your preference schools are one of the schools listed below, you will need to contact them directly:

• New Chapter Primary School
• The Premier Academy

Applying for a place outside of Milton Keynes if you are a Milton Keynes resident (relevant to Little Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill, Hanslope, Castlethorpe and Stony Stratford)

Unlike coordinated admissions for the normal points of entry, for in year admissions you must apply for schools outside of Milton Keynes via the relevant local authority’s in year application process. All schools use their oversubscription criteria to determine eligibility and rank each application; you should check this information carefully before completing your application. In-year applications are reliant on spaces being available in your preference school(s) at the time of application, so there is no guarantee a place will be offered if your preference school is full.  If a place is offered at a school outside of Milton Keynes, you will be responsible for any transport that is required.

Milton Keynes City Council does not provide any transport to these schools and you should discuss transport options with the relevant local authority before making your application.  You are advised to also apply for schools in Milton Keynes via Milton Keynes school admissions portal Citizen Portal.

If your application is unsuccessful as many schools will already be full at this point, you will be allocated a place at a school with vacancy.

Brooklands Farm Primary School - campus transfer requests 

Brooklands Farm Primary School is one school with two campuses: Fen Street and Countess Way. The school serves the settlements of Brooklands and Broughton Gate.

The campus allocation policy outlines how children are allocated to each campus and explains the process for parents to request a transfer to the alternative campus.

If for any reason, you are unhappy with the campus allocated and would like to request a different campus, a transfer request can be made.  The deadline for submitting a transfer request form for September 2024 has now passed.  The next opportunity to request a campus transfer is from 16 April 2025 for campus transfers in September 2025.  A campus transfer request form will be available here from 16 April 2025.  

Moving outside of Milton Keynes

If you are moving out of Milton Keynes you will need to apply to the local authority where you are moving to for a school place.

Admission outside of chronological year group

Most children are usually educated in their chronological year group, although sometimes parents wish to consider admission outside of their child’s chronological year group. If this is something you are considering please read the information here before completing a request form.

Fair Access Protocol

When applying for a school place during the year, some children who are eligible will be allocated a place under a Fair Access Protocol.  For more information, please read the Secondary Fair Access Protocol or the Primary Fair Access Protocol.

What happens next?

Once you receive an offer you must contact the school within 10 school days to accept the place or you must contact the school admissions team to decline the offer.  

If your application has been declined, find out how to appeal or join the waiting list. 

Information relating to attending schools

Home to school transport

Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring their children attend school regularly and for arranging their safe arrival at school and journey home at the end of the day. See if your child is eligible for assistance in getting to and from school and how to apply.

Free school meals

Parents and carers who receive certain benefits may be eligible for either pupil premium funding or free school meals.  Find out the eligibility criteria and how to apply.

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Find out what support is available for a child with special education needs.  If you have any queries about your child’s special needs or wish to request a leaflet explaining the transfer process, please contact the SEN casework team.