Secondary Transfer September 2025
Dear Administrator
I am writing to you to confirm that for the next normal admissions round for children applying for reception, junior and secondary schools, parents will no longer receive an
individual Unique Identifier (UID) letter.
In common with an increasing number of LAs across the country, Devon will focus its communication strategy on social media, through our website and through collaboration with Early Years settings and schools. In addition to all of this we have also introduced a new form that enables parent or carers to register an interest in applying that will send them an automated text and/or email on the day that the application window opens.
UIDs are not necessary to apply online and will no longer be issued. The LA has also asked schools and Early Years settings to prompt parents to apply for school places and should be aware of this change in process and are asked to promote. The responsibility for parents to make an application for their child rests with parents and carers.
Late applications can lead to children being refused admission to the school parents wanted. Each case can be challenging for parents. The number of late applications is exceptionally low in Devon. The Admissions Team will continue to work to identify vulnerable, hard to reach families to reduce the number of late applications further.
Parents of children who will be eligible for secondary normal round admission in the coming year will be able to register their contact details online now so that we can send a text or email to them on the 1 September 2024 informing them of the need to apply.
Parents and carers will not be invited to name any schools in this expression of interest. They will be able to give their contact details only so that the team can text and/or email them reminders about the process once the application window opens. Information will be deleted at the end of the relevant normal round process for GDPR reasons.
The LA will continue to ask for the support of schools and settings in prompting parents in the same way, conscious that settings know the parents who are most likely to forget to apply or miss information that they need to apply.
Over the coming weeks, the Admissions Team will be promoting this through our social media channels, and we ask in your help in sharing this information with your current year 5 cohort who will be applying for secondary school transfer from the 1 of September 2024. At the bottom of this letter is some suggested text you could use if you wished to include information to your families or publish information on your website or any newsletters going out before the end of term.
We have created and published the form that enables parent or carers to provide us with an email or phone number which we will then use to signpost them to the admissions system once it goes live.
The link to the form for any parent or carer wishing to register an interest in the secondary school 2025 admission round is available here.
Please note that there will be a separate form made available for those families wishing to express an interest in applying for a primary school in September 2025. This form will be shared with you closer to the online system opening ahead of applications being made in November 2024.
Suggested text for your current year 5 cohort.
Please note that the admissions team will no longer write to you to invite you to apply for your child’s secondary school place.
You will be able to apply for your child’s school place between the 1 September 2024 and the 31 October 2024.
You can do this by visiting admissions online between the above dates. If you wish to be sent an email or text message reminder when the online system goes live, then you can register your details with the admissions team now by completing this form.
You may also wish to consider following the school admissions team Facebook page as they offer important advice and guidance throughout the whole admissions process. You can find them on Facebook by visiting DCC School Admissions or you can head over to their website for further information on the process apply for a secondary place.
Yours sincerely
Neil Keen
Admissions Manager
Published
18 June 2024Purposes
For Information / GuidanceLink(s)
Of interest to
Contact name
"Weeks run from Monday to Sunday. Please note that weeks without communications to schools are ignored and the links will go to the last week where a communication was made in this category."