How to apply online

Online school admission applications are quick and easy to do. Follow the steps below to start your child’s online application on the eAdmissions webpage. 

Step 1: Getting started                                                         

Apply online for school admissions

  • When you first use the eAdmissions website, you also have the option to download it as an app to your device by following the instructions.

Step 2: What to do if:

This is the first time you're applying online using eAdmissions or you have not used your eAdmissions account within the last three years.

  • If you have used your eAdmissions account within the last three years to apply for a school place for any of your children you do not need to register again. Please go to Step 3.
  • If this is the first time you are applying for a school place on the eAdmissions website, you must register to apply online. Additionally, if you have not used your eAdmissions account within the last three years, you must register again as your account will have been deleted. The person registering must have parental responsibility for the child and they must both live at the same address that has been stated on the online application.
  • You will need an email address to register but don’t worry if you do not have one. You can sign up for a free email account by reading our leaflet ‘Registering for an email account’ which can be requested from the school admissions team by emailing schools.admissions@southwark.gov.uk.
  • We recommend that applicants use GoogleMail if possible. However, if you already have an email address, you should set your spam/junk mail filter to ‘Standard’ so that emails from eAdmissions go straight to your inbox. You should also occasionally check your spam/junk email folder to make sure that messages from eAdmissions are not sent there by mistake.
  • You can also sign up to get notifications by text message or downloading the ‘ParentComms’ mobile app.
  • You must click on the ‘First time visitors‘ box. Once registered, you will be asked to create your password. Once your password has been entered, review the privacy policies before ticking the box and click ‘Create‘.
  • You will then be sent an email with your user name and instructions to validate your email address.
  • You can then choose whether to log in to the eAdmissions website to start your application or set up security questions for your account. We strongly recommend that you set security questions as this helps to confirm your identity should you forget your password and can be used to recover access to your eAdmissions account.
  • Please keep your user name and password safe. You will need these same details to log in to make any future online applications and to see the outcome of your application.
  • Please go to Step 4 for guidance on how to complete your child’s online application.

Step 3: What to do if you have applied for a school place using your eAdmissions account within the last three years 

  • On the home page, click on the ‘Returning visitors’ box and enter your user name and password.
  • If you have forgotten your user name or password click on the ‘Forgotten your user name or password?’ link and follow the instructions. Your password can be re-sent to you by text message or to the email address you used when you first registered (please check your spam/junk folder as it may have been sent there). There is also a video that you can watch, look out for the ‘i’ icon.
  • Once you log in to your account, check if any of your details, for example, your address, email or phone numbers have changed and update them. You can do this by clicking on the ‘My Account’ box. Once any necessary changes have been made, click ‘Save‘ to confirm that your details are correct.

Step 4: Completing the application

  • If you can see your child's name on your home page, click on ‘Start new application’ below the child's name. This will only be available for children whose date of birth falls within a relevant age range. You should check your child’s existing details and click ‘Save and continue’ to proceed with your application.
  • If your child’s name is not displayed, click on the ‘Start application’ button. You will then be directed to the ‘Child details’ page where you must enter the child’s details for whom you are making the application.
  • You must select your child’s current school/nursery from the drop down list. If your child’s school/nursery is not listed on the drop down list, you must manually type it into the text box provided. Click on ‘Save and continue’ to proceed with the application.
  • Each page on your screen will explain what you need to do and you can click on the ‘i’ icon for further information.
  • You must select the school you want for your first preference from the drop down list. You can apply for up to six schools which you must select and list in the order you prefer. Please ensure that the correct school is selected, especially when other schools with a similar name are in the borough.
  • Click ‘Add school’ to add further schools to your application. When you have finished adding schools click on ‘Confirm selection’.
  • You are responsible for checking that your online application is fully completed and that all details are entered correctly. Failure to tick certain boxes, e.g. the sibling box, the looked after children box, or the social/medical box, will mean that your application will not be considered under these criteria.
  • If you have ticked the 'social/medical' box or the 'looked after/previously looked after/internationally adopted previously looked after child' box, you must upload additional supporting documents as attachments with your online application. Please see pages 10 and 11 of the ‘Starting primary 2025/26' brochure and pages 11 and 12 of the 'Starting secondary school 2025/26’ brochure for further information on the types of evidence required.
  • If you are providing additional supporting documentation you must upload this as an attachment with your online application before 11.59pm on the closing date (Secondary and UTC – 31 October 2024/Transfer to Junior and Primary - 15 January 2025). Please do not post or email supporting documentation as we cannot accept these. If you do not provide sufficient supporting documentation, your child may not be considered under the relevant criteria.

Step 5: Submitting the application

  • When you have completed your application you must submit it by 11.59pm on the closing date (Secondary and UTC - 31 October 2024/Transfer to Junior and Primary - 15 January 2025). The online application will not be deemed as on time if it is received after this time and date.
  • Use the ‘Submit Application’ button to submit your application.
  • After you have submitted your online application you will receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted successfully and will also include a unique application reference number similar to this: 210-2025-09-E-123456. If you do not receive this email and an application reference number it means your application was not submitted successfully and you must log in and click on the ‘Submit application’ button again.
  • You can make changes to your online application up until the closing date. If you make further changes, you must resubmit it by clicking on ‘Submit application’ before the closing date. Please also check your home page and click 'Resubmit application' for your most recent changes to be recorded.
  • After the closing date, Southwark Council’s school admissions team will accept the last submitted version of your application and you will not be able to make any further changes to it (except for those applicants who have received their ability/aptitude admission test results after the secondary closing date).

Southwark Council cannot accept responsibility for applications and supporting documents that are not received by the closing date.

What communications will I be sent?

The eAdmissions website will send you various emails including:

  • an email with your user name asking you to validate your email address
  • an email with your application reference number and the summary of your submitted application
  • an email reminder to submit any un-submitted applications about 1 week before as well as 24 hours before the closing date; if you register less than 24 hours before the deadline you will not be sent this email
  • an email with the outcome of your online application will be sent during the evening of the actual offer day

If you've registered your mobile phone number to be part of the text messaging service, eAdmissions will send you various text messages including:

  • a text with your validation code
  • a text confirming your user name
  • a text reminder to submit any un-submitted applications about 24 hours before the closing date; if you register less than 24 hours before the deadline you will not be sent this text
  • a text with the application reference number of your submitted application
  • a text to inform you that the outcome of your application is available to view online; you will not be sent the outcome of your online application by text message

Important information

  • If the online application system does not recognise your postcode or address you must contact the Southwark school admissions team by emailing schools.admissions@southwark.gov.uk and our school admissions officer will be able to assist you.
  • You must complete a supplementary information form (SIF) if the school you have listed as a preference requires this; please view the individual school’s page within Southwark’s Starting primary school 2025-26 brochure (PDF, 2.5mb) and Southwark’s Starting secondary school 2025-26 brochure (PDF, 1.6mb) to check if a SIF is required.
  • The SIF will be available from the school and must be completed and returned directly to the school; please check each school's individual deadline date for returning the SIF.

Page last updated: 30 August 2024

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