The Council operates the Primary Co-ordinated Admissions system. This system has meant:
- Parents apply for all maintained schools in Lewisham on one Common Application Form (CAF) issued by Lewisham.
- Applications to schools outside Lewisham will need to be made on a CAF issued by that borough.
- Applications to independent schools are made direct to the school.
- More parents and carers will be offered a place at one of their preferred schools.
- Fewer parents will receive no offer from a preferred school.
- All initial offers will be posted to parents on the same day.
How the system works
- Parents or carers will be asked to complete a single CAF listing the schools (up to a maximum of four) they are applying for in the order they prefer them. See the how to apply page for further guidance. Please note that independent schools are not included in the Co-ordinated Admissions System, applications must be made direct to those schools.
- The completed Common Application Forms for a place at a school in Lewisham must be returned to Lewisham by February. This can be a paper copy or applications can be made online.
- The admissions authority for each school will consider all applications for their school at the same time, and will apply their published admissions criteria if it is not possible to offer every applicant a place. Lewisham will identify the highest possible offer for each child, from the parent’s order of preference on the Common Application Form.
- If applying for a place at a faith school based on church membership or worship, parents must complete the school’s supplementary form.
- All offers will be posted by first class mail or made available online at the beginning of May.
See the key dates for details of the the specific dates and deadlines for this year's admissions process.
Admission to schools in other boroughs
If you wish your child to attend a school outside the borough, you should obtain information about the admission arrangements in that area from that borough’s admissions section. (See the links on the right of this page).
Applications for schools in another borough must be made on that borough’s Common Application Form and returned directly to them.