Moving or changing to a school in Swindon

Moving to Swindon 

If you are moving to Swindon, or have recently moved, it’s not always possible to offer your child a place at their preferred school during the school year. This is because many schools in Swindon are full and have waiting lists. 

If you want to apply for a school outside Swindon, you will need to contact the local council where that school is located for information on how to apply.


Changing schools in Swindon 

If you want to change your child’s school, only apply if you are planning to move within the next six weeks. While your application is being processed, your child should continue at their current school. 

If a place becomes available at one of your preferred schools, your child should start there as soon as possible. The start date for your child is to be agreed with the school you have been allocated.

We have noticed that some parents request to change schools due to problems that may not be resolved by moving. If you are considering changing schools, we recommend you talk to your child’s current school first. They may be able to help. Changing schools might not fix all issues and can sometimes cause new problems.

We highly recommend that you explore all available options with the current school before deciding to move your child permanently.


How to apply for a school place in Swindon 

If you want to apply for a school place in Swindon, you must apply directly to Swindon Borough Council. This applies if: 

  • you live in Swindon and don’t have a school place
  • you have recently moved to Swindon, or are in the process of moving and need a school place
  • your child already has a school place but you want to transfer them to a different school in Swindon
Process period for the 2025/26 school year
Process period Open date (when you can apply) Closing date (online applications must be submitted by 12 noon) Parents notified (the day offers are emailed)
1 23 July 2025 04 September 2025 12 September 2025
2 05 September 2025 12 September 2025 19 September 2025
3 13 September 2025 22 September 2025 01 October 2025
4 23 September 2025 02 October 2025 10 October 2025
5 03 October 2025 16 October 2025 04 November 2025
6 17 October 2025 06 November 2025 17 November 2025
7 07 November 2025 18 November 2025 27 November 2025
8 19 November 2025 02 December 2025 10 December 2025
9 03 December 2025 15 December 2025 07 January 2026
10 16 December 2025 12 January 2026 20 January 2026
11 13 January 2026 22 January 2026 02 February 2026
12 23 January 2026 04 February 2026 13 February 2026
13 05 February 2026 23 February 2026 02 March 2026
14 24 February 2026 09 March 2026 17 March 2026
15 10 March 2026 19 March 2026 14 April 2026
16 20 March 2026 17 April 2026 24 April 2026
17 18 April 2026 27 April 2026 08 May 2026
18 28 April 2026 11 May 2026 21 May 2026
19 12 May 2026 01 June 2026 09 June 2026
20 02 June 2026 15 June 2026 23 June 2026
21 16 June 2026 24 June 2026 03 July 2026
22 25 June 2026 06 July 2026 13 July 2026
23 07 July 2026 14 July 2026 22 July 2026

How the application process works 

As the local authority, we coordinate all in-year applications for all year groups and schools in Swindon, including those schools that we do not directly manage.

  • You can submit your in-year application online
  • You can select up to three schools in order of preference. We will work with the relevant school admission authority to try and offer your child a place at one of the schools you have listed.

All preferences are treated equally and we will offer the highest preference possible.

In-year transfers are allocated every 15 school days. We process in-year applications according to set periods during the school term. Applications received within a process period are not prioritised by their submission date. The timetable for process periods is outlined above.

Each process period has a specific offer date. On this date, we will notify you by email whether we have been able to offer your child a place or if the application was unsuccessful.

Once you receive your offer letter, you must contact the school to accept the place and agree on a start date. You must accept the place within 28 school days from the date of the offer.

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