The information on this page is for parents and carers with children due to transfer to secondary school from September 2024. If your child already attends secondary school and you need to know how to submit an application, please see in-year school admissions and transfers.
Before completing your secondary school application there are a few things to consider:
Merton Council co-ordinates applications for secondary schools across academies, community, voluntary aided, out-borough and free schools. If you are applying for any of the voluntary aided (Church affiliated) schools, academies, or wish to apply for any schools outside Merton, you must include them in your application or they will be unable to consider your child for admission.
You may also need to complete supplementary forms for some schools that require additional information. The information contained in the Admissions Criteria section will tell you which Merton schools need these. If you apply online, the system will automatically inform you if a supplementary form is required.
Decide which schools you would like for your child in your preferred order. Each applicant in London is limited to a maximum of six preferences on their main Transfer to Secondary School application. It is recommended that you name at least one school for which your application is likely to be successful, for example, your local community.
How places are allocated
Merton Local Authority will always try to offer a place at the school you have named as the highest preference.
Our admission process operates an equal preference scheme, which means that each admissions authority will consider applications without referring to the order of preference on your application. This means that, if your child is unsuccessful at your first preference school, they will not get overlooked by schools lower down your order of preference.
If the school is oversubscribed and has more applicants than places available, all applications will be ranked in the order described in the admissions criteria. This will show if a child's name is high enough on the ranking list to be offered a place.
If a place at more than one school can be offered your child's place will be made for the highest preference school.
How places were allocated for September 2023
To see how places were allocated in 2023 and other previous years, please see our webpage: How school places were allocated in recent years
The way places are allocated at each school will vary each year according to the number of applications the school receives and where those applicants live. Living within a shown allocated distance for a school will not guarantee a place in this or future years. Please be realistic in your preferences and use as many as you can. Consider schools both in and outside of Merton if these are local to you.
Late applications or changes made to applications after the closing date
If your application is made after the closing date of 31 October 2023 or you change your existing preferences after this date, your application will be treated as late. A late application will not be considered until after all those that were received on time and may jeopardise the possibility of your child being offered a place at one of your preferred schools.
If the application is late, or preferences are changed for 'good reason', such as a change of address, these will be considered as 'on time' providing the evidence the change has taken place is received by 12 December 2023. Any applications or changes from this date will not be considered until after 1 March 2024.
To help us decide whether cases are late for 'good reason', parents must submit written evidence giving details of their case. A copy of their new Council Tax bill together with a solicitor's letter regarding contract completion or a copy of their new tenancy agreement, must accompany changes of address. If you are unsure whether your circumstances would be regarded as 'good reason', please contact the School Admissions Team for advice at admissions@merton.gov.uk.
Please note that forms that go missing in the postal system can only be reconsidered if there is proof of postage. Lost forms, where there is no proof of postage, are the responsibility of the applicant. For this reason we advise applying online wherever possible.
Children currently educated out of year group
If your child is currently in Year 5 or Year 6 and you delayed entry to Reception or are being educated in a lower year group please read carefully.
A few years ago a decision was made to look favourably on requests to delay entry to Reception for children born in the summer months and who were therefore among the youngest in the year group. These children are now reaching Years 5 and 6 and need to consider their application to transfer to Secondary School.
There is no coordinated procedure for processing these applications with different schools and authorities handling them in different ways. Some authorities and schools require an application in Year 5 when a child could start Year 6 if they hadn’t delayed entry whilst others are happy to accept an application when the child is in Year 6. Some schools have dedicated supplementary forms to complete; some schools and authorities will accept all requests, others are taken on a case by case basis and discussed by a panel.
School Admissions will process applications for all Merton residents even if the preference school is in another borough.
Merton residents currently in Year 5
If your child is currently attending Year 5 but is of Year 6 age please make an online Transfer to Secondary application via eAdmissions. Please attach a statement explaining that your child is currently attending Year 5 and you would like a Year 7 place when your child has completed Year 6. If you are applying for Raynes Park, Ricards Lodge or Rutlish, please simply name the school in your application and include your statement. If you wish to apply for any other schools either in Merton or in another borough, please approach the school direct for further guidance. Some schools have an additional form you must complete, some have entrance exams and some will refer you to their Local Authority for further guidance. We will continue to process the application and will defer your entry or withdraw the application in line with the procedures of the schools you are applying for. Please retain any correspondence from schools or authorities and make a further application when your child is in Year 6.
Merton residents currently in Year 6
Please make an online application via eAdmissions. Please register for an account – the online application system will not allow you to make an application because the date of birth is out of range. Once you have created an account and entered your child’s details, please email admissions@merton.gov.uk to request an authorisation to make an out of age range application. Once we have authorised your account you can make an application.
If you made an application in Y5 and have copies of agreements from schools or authorities confirming they will consider your application, please attach them to your application.
If you did not make an application in Y5, and are applying for any school other than Raynes Park, Ricards Lodge or Rutlish, please approach the school direct for further guidance. Some schools have an additional form you must complete, some have entrance exams and some will refer you to their Local Authority for further guidance. Merton will accept your application for Raynes Park, Ricards Lodge or Rutlish if you include an explanation why your child is educated out of expected age range.
Non-Merton residents
If you do not live in Merton and wish to apply for Merton schools, please follow guidance from your home authority.
Merton will accept your application for Raynes Park, Ricards Lodge or Rutlish if you include an explanation why your child is educated out of expected age range.
If you wish to apply for any other Merton school, please speak to the school direct and follow the advice of the school and your home authority.
Children with special educational, health or care needs
If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan and you live in Merton, you will need to call the SEN Team on 020 8545 4811 as your application process is different from that described here.
Please do not submit an application if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan.
If you have applied for an Education, Health and Care Plan but have not been advised of the outcome you should submit a Transfer to Secondary application in the normal way and by the closing date of 31 October 2023.
Contact us
School Admissions Team
Civic Centre
Morden
SM4 5DX
Email: admissions@merton.gov.uk