If your child lives in England, we expect you to apply to their home local authority before the closing date, even if this is outside Surrey and you wish to name Surrey schools. If your child moves after you have applied to us or to another local authority, you must let us know immediately. You must tell us the date they moved and provide us with evidence of their new address.

We will not use your child's new address to allocate a school place until they are living there and you have given us evidence of this.

If you have not yet applied for a school place, do not delay your application, even if your child is due to move. You must use your child's current address on the application and submit it to the local authority where they live by the closing date. We will only consider late applications as on time if we agree that the application could not reasonably have been made to any local authority by the closing date.

If your child is offered a school place based on where they live, it is conditional on them living at that address on the application closing date (or a different date if specified by the school). An exception will only apply if we have accepted a change of address that has taken place after the closing date (see further information below). A new address can only be considered once a move has taken place and we reserve the right to seek further information from you.

If you do not tell us about a move, or about a declared move that has failed to take place, we may withdraw your application or any offer of a school place we have made.

We will investigate any applications where there is doubt about the address that has been given. Use of false information may lead us to withdraw an offer of a place. More information on how we will investigate applications is available in our Address of Convenience Assessment Protocol (PDF).

If your child moves on or before the closing date (31 October 2024) but after you have applied

Let us know the date your child moved and provide us with evidence of their new address by 12 December 2024, for example a copy of your tenancy agreement or the date of completion. As long as the move took place on or before 31 October 2024, your child's new address will be used to allocate school, but only if you provide us with the evidence by 12 December.

If your child moves after the closing date (31 October 2024)

We may be able to update the application address if your child moves after the closing date. This depends on when they move and when you provide us with evidence of their new address.

Moving within Surrey after the closing date

If you applied to us by the closing date and your child moves within Surrey after 31 October 2024, but on or before 12 December 2024, let us know the date they moved and provide us with evidence of their new address by 12 December 2024, for example a copy of your tenancy agreement or the date of completion. As long as the move took place on or before 12 December and you send us evidence by that date, your child's new address will be used in the initial allocation of school places on 3 March 2025 (the national offer day).

If your child moves within Surrey after 12 December 2024 or if you provide us with evidence of a prior move after this date, their previous address will be used for initial allocation purposes on 3 March 2025. Their new address will be used for waiting lists from 3 March 2025, or the date they move if a move has not yet taken place.

Moving out of Surrey after the closing date

If you applied to us by the closing date and your child moves out of Surrey after 31 October 2024, but on or before 12 December 2024, let us know the date they moved and provide us with evidence of their new address by 12 December 2024, for example a copy of your tenancy agreement or the date of completion. As long as the move took place on or before 12 December and you send us evidence by that date, we will forward your application to your child's new local authority. You may be asked to complete a new application and be able to change your named preferences. However, please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have checked the deadline for whichever local authority you are moving to, as it may not be the same as Surrey's. If the other local authority's deadline is earlier than 12 December 2024, we cannot guarantee that your child's new address will be used by your new home local authority for the initial allocation of places or that they will treat your application as on time.

If your child moves out of Surrey after 12 December 2024 or if you provide us with evidence of a prior move after this date, responsibility for your application remains with us and your child's previous address will be used for initial allocation purposes on 3 March 2025. Your application will become the responsibility of your child's new local authority and your child's new address will be used for waiting lists from 3 March or the date they move if the move has not yet taken place.

Moving into Surrey after the closing date

As long as you have already submitted an application to another local authority by the closing date, if your child moves into Surrey after 31 October 2024 but on or before 12 December 2024, let the original local authority know in writing and provide proof of your child's new address. Please also let our admissions team know. Once your original local authority is satisfied that your child has moved, we will liaise with them to take over your application. We may ask you to complete a Surrey application form and will require evidence of your child's new address on or by 12 December 2024 in order to take responsibility for your application and to consider your child's new address in the initial allocation of school places.

If your child moves into Surrey after 12 December 2024, or if you provide us with evidence of a prior move after this date, your application will remain the responsibility of your child's original home local authority and their previous address will be used for initial allocation purposes. Your application will become our responsibility and your child's new address will be used for waiting lists from 3 March 2025, or the date your child moves if their move has not yet taken place.

If your child's original home local authority uses a different date by which to accept a change of address, we agree with that local authority which of us should have responsibility for your application.

Before the closing date

You can change the order of your preferences, add new preferences or withdraw existing preferences up to the closing date of 31 October 2024. If you applied online, you can make these changes online.

Between 1 November and 12 December

Between 1 November and 12 December, we will accept a change to the order of your preferences or the addition of new preferences if you have good reason for making a change, such as a change of address, and only if the details and any supporting evidence are received by 12 December 2024. We will also allow you to withdraw an existing preference from your list, regardless of the reason, as long as written confirmation is received by 12 December.

After 12 December

After 12 December, we will not accept any further changes to the order of your preferences or for you to withdraw an existing preference from your list, unless it is to withdraw the whole application if it is no longer needed.

Adding new preferences after the closing date

Any new preferences that are added without a good reason after 31 October, or any new preferences that are added after 12 December will be treated as late and will not be considered until all on time preferences have been processed, which will usually be after 3 March 2025. This may affect the chances of your child being offered a place at one of your preferred schools.