Swindon says you apply for a school place online through the school places and admissions service. For primary places, you should apply a year before your child starts school; for secondary places, the main application is for children starting Year 7 the following September.
| School place type | How to apply | When to apply | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary school place | Make your application | Applications open in September and close on 15 January each year | Apply to your local authority as normal, and read the primary school admissions guide first. |
| Secondary school place | Make your application | For September 2026 starters, on-time applications opened on Monday, 1 September 2025 and closed on Friday, 31 October 2025 | Read the secondary school admissions guide first. Late applications are still possible after the deadline. |
| Change school preferences | Make a change to school preferences | After the application deadline, but before allocations are final | Changing preferences makes the application late. |
If you’re applying for a child who may need to start outside their normal age group, Swindon asks you to submit the normal application and the relevant extra form at the same time. For summer-born children, there’s also a delayed admission form you can use with the main application.