It is important to plan and prepare before you start your application. Read our top tips to help you decide which schools to apply for.
Are your preferences realistic?
- Consider how likely it is that your child will be offered a place at your preferred schools.
- Read the admissions criteria for each school and look to see which criteria apply to your child.
- Visit the website of the school you are interested in to see their admissions criteria.
Do you meet the school's admissions criteria
- You can view the information about how places were offered in the previous admissions window to work out if your child is likely to qualify for a place.
- Remember that although this information can be used to give an idea of how likely it is that your child will be offered a place, the ‘last distance’ will change every year. We can never guarantee any child will be offered a place at any school.
Visit schools
Each school holds an open day for parents of children in Year 6. Please check the list of open evening dates. You can also contact the school at other times to see if they can offer a tour or information about the school.
Read Ofsted reports
Brent has many ‘Good’ and Outstanding schools. You can view reports on the Ofsted website.
How will your child travel to school?
Secondary aged children can access free transport on TfL buses and trams. A journey time of up to 75 minutes is considered reasonable, however a longer journey to school on public transport may not be the best choice for a child.
Consider what is best for your child
Remember that the right school for your friend’s child may not be the right school for your child. Don’t judge a school based on what others say – do your research, visit the school and see for yourself.
