School admission arrangements

School admission arrangements set out how schools will admit pupils.

The arrangements include the published admission number (the maximum number of pupils intended to be admitted to the relevant year group), the oversubscription criteria and information on the waiting list for the school.

Admission arrangements must be determined 18 months before the September of the academic year for which they’re relevant.

All schools will determine their arrangements each year and will only formally consult every seven years unless there are proposed changes.

Consultation on admission arrangements 2025 to 2026 for community and voluntary controlled schools

The local authority is consulting on:

  • admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for which Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is the admissions authority
  • the coordinated arrangements for schools in Barnsley

Any comments should be emailed to schoolorg@barnsley.gov.uk or posted to:

Children’s Services
PO Box 634
Barnsley
S70 9GG

The closing date for the receipt of any comments is 22 December 2023.

Proposed admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools – 2025/26

Read the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools 2025-2026.

Co-ordinated scheme for admission to school 2025/26

There are no changes proposed to the co-ordinated admission arrangements. Consultation is being undertaken to fulfil the statutory obligation to consult every seven years.

Read the co-ordinated scheme for admission to school 2025-2026.

Relevant area For consultation on admission arrangements

The Education (Relevant Areas for Consultation on Admission Arrangements) Regulations 1999 requires all local authorities to biannually review the relevant area which identifies all schools that must be consulted on changes to admission arrangements.

We've determined the relevant area for admission to schools as the geographical area covered by the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. This will be reviewed for admissions in September 2027.

Determined admission arrangements for Barnsley schools

We're the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in the borough. This means that we set the over-subscription criteria and make decisions about which pupils are admitted to these schools.

Governing bodies are the admission authorities for voluntary aided schools and academy trusts are the admission authorities for academies. Details of their individual admission arrangements can be found on their individual websites or by contacting the school direct.

Admission to schools

Admission to schools 2023-24

Admission to schools 2024-25