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Secondary school admissions

Please note that due to the many different external sources that documents on this page originate from, some of the PDFs are not fully accessible and may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. See: Accessible documents.

Find a secondary school

If you live in Bury and your child is currently in Year 6, you can apply online for your child's secondary school place. The application will allow you to state your preferred schools and you can also apply for schools that are outside of the Bury area.

Secondary school applications will open on the the 1 September 2026. For children starting secondary school in 2027, the deadline to apply is the 31 October 2026.

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Secondary schools in Bury

Apply for a secondary school place

You must still apply for a secondary school place for your child, even if you have an older child who already attends the same school.

Before applying online, we recommend you read the transfer to secondary school information guide. 

When you're ready to apply for a secondary school place for your child, you can do this online. You'll be able to create an account, so that you can track the progress of your application. 

How to apply

You can apply online for a school place for September 2027, between 1 September 2026 and 31 October 2026. If you apply after this date it can severely reduce your chances of obtaining a place at your preferred school.

Completing the online application takes around 15 minutes

To complete this application you will need;

  • A valid email address
  • Your child(s) name and date of birth
  • Your address
  • The names of your first, second and third school preferences.
  • Details of any brothers or sisters who are attending the same school
Apply Online

Alternatively, you can print and return a paper application to admissions@bury.gov.uk or to your child's current school if it's located in Bury.

School supplementary information forms

Some secondary schools may require additional information as part of their admissions criteria, which may mean you need to complete a supplementary information form available on this page or from the school's website.

Secondary school admissions process

For children transferring to secondary school in September 2027, the admissions schedule of important dates are:

  • 1 September 2026: applications open
  • September to October 2026: secondary school open evenings
  • 31 October 2026: applications deadline
  • 1 March 2027: 
    • allocation emails are sent from 9am to parents/carers who applied online
    • allocation letters are posted to parents/carers who applied by paper form
  • 31 March 2027: appeal deadline
  • May to July 2027: appeal hearings are held.

Applications submitted after 31 October 2026 will not be considered until on-time applications have been offered places first. 

School admissions policies and procedures

As the local authority for school admissions, the following information offers a guide to the policies and procedures we abide by:

Appeal

You can appeal against your secondary school allocation by completing the appeal form Appeal - Transfer to Secondary School

Please complete and return the form to schoolappeals@bury.gov.uk along with any supplementary information by 31 March 2027.

Please complete one appeal form per school and one per child.

For more information about school appeals visit: School admission appeals - Bury Council