Starting school or moving up to junior school in September

If your child is starting school for the first time or moving up to junior school in September and was not offered a place at a higher preference school:

• Their name will automatically be added to the waiting list for that school.
• All schools must keep waiting lists until 31 December of the year of admission.
• Milton Keynes Council maintains waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools and some academies for the entire academic year. Please refer to the list of schools.
• Some academies, foundation schools, and voluntary aided schools may continue to hold waiting lists after 31 December. Parents and carers are advised to contact these schools directly for the most up-to-date information.

Moving up to secondary school in September

If your child is moving up to secondary school in September and was not offered a place at a higher preference school:

• Their name will automatically be added to the waiting list for that school.
• All schools must keep waiting lists until 31 December of the same year.
• After that date, you should contact the school directly to check whether they are still maintaining a waiting list.
• Milton Keynes Council maintains waiting lists on behalf of Glebe Farm School and Stantonbury School for the entire academic year.

In-Year Applications – Changing school at any time

If your child is not offered a place at a higher preference school, it may be possible to join a waiting list.

For community and voluntary controlled schools and some academies, please refer to the list of schools. List

📧 Email:

• Primary Admissions: primaryadmissions@milton-keynes.gov.uk
• Secondary Admissions: secondaryadmissions@milton-keynes.gov.uk 

Include your child’s:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Name(s) of the school(s)

For voluntary aided, foundation, and academy schools, contact the schools directly to request to be added to their waiting lists or to check your child’s status.

You can find more details about in-year transfers on the Milton Keynes Council website

Waiting lists must be maintained in line with the school’s published oversubscription criteria, not by the date the application was received. This means your child’s position on the list may move up or down.

What happens if I move house?

If you move, you must inform the Education Access Team and provide proof of your new address.

Your child’s position on the waiting list will be updated based on your new address, which may result in them moving up or down the list.

Email: primaryadmissions@milton-keynes.gov.uk

When a place becomes available at your preferred school, it will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list, in line with the school’s oversubscription criteria.

• You will be contacted by phone or email.
• You will have two working days to accept the offer.
• If you do not respond, the place may be offered to the next child on the waiting list.

There is no set timescale for when a place might become available. It depends on when other families decline places or move away.

How long are waiting lists held for?

Reception (Year R)

• If your child is in Reception and currently on a waiting list, their name will remain on the list for the rest of the academic year.
• If you still want your child to be considered for a place at a preferred school when they move up to Year 1 in September, you must submit a new application from June.

Years 1 to 5

If your child is in Year 1 to Year 5 and you want them to remain on the waiting list for the next academic year starting in September:

 Email: primaryadmissions@milton-keynes.gov.uk 

 Deadline: Submit your request between 1 May and 30 June

You do not need to submit a new in-year application.

Appealing for a school place in the next academic year

If you wish to appeal the refusal of a place at your preferred school for the next academic year starting in September:

• Submit a new application from June.
• Once you receive a decline letter, you can begin the appeal process.

You can find more details about how to appeal on the Milton Keynes Council website or by contacting the relevant admissions team. Appeal webpage