Moving Up to SKS

Welcome to Our Year 6 Transition Area

At Samuel King’s School, we are committed to making the transition from primary school to Year 7 as smooth, positive, and comfortable as possible for every student.

Starting a new school is an exciting step, and we understand it can also feel a little daunting. This section of our website has been designed to provide you and your family with all the information you need to feel prepared, confident, and ready for the journey ahead. We encourage you to explore the resources available here, which will help you get to know our school, our staff, and what to expect in September.

If you have any questions or would like further support, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Wheatley at awheatley@alston.cumbria.sch.uk. She will be very happy to help.

We are really looking forward to welcoming you to Samuel King’s School and meeting you in September.

Year 6 Transition Day

Our Year 6 Transition Day will take place on Monday, 29th June 2026 for all pupils joining us in September 2026.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience a typical day at secondary school, meet their teachers, make new friends, and begin to feel part of our school community.

Enhanced Transition Support – September 2026 Intake

At Samuel King’s School, we understand that moving from primary to secondary school is a significant step for both pupils and their families. To help ensure a smooth and positive transition, we are offering an enhanced transition programme for selected pupils joining us in September 2026. This will be organised via your child’s primary school and is not open to all pupils.

As part of this support, pupils will be invited to attend an additional transition day on Friday 22nd June 2026, alongside the official transition day on Monday 29th June 2026.

This extra opportunity will allow pupils more time to:

Familiarise themselves with the school environment

Meet key staff and other students

Begin building confidence ahead of September

In addition, Mrs Wheatley, our KS3 Pastoral Lead, will visit your child in their primary school. This helps us get to know each pupil as an individual and ensures they feel recognised and supported from the very beginning of their journey with us.

We hope that this enhanced transition programme will help pupils feel more confident, less anxious, and better prepared for the changes associated with starting secondary school.

If you have any questions about the enhanced transition support, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Secondary School (Year 7) Admission Appeals – September 2026 Entry

1) National Offer Day

Monday 2 March 2026 – Offer letters sent to parents (statutory Secondary National Offer Day).

2) Deadline to Submit Appeals (on time)

Friday 1 May 2026 – 20 school days from offer date to lodge an appeal (allowing the statutory minimum period)
Appeals Form: Please contact the Clerk to the Governors for a copy: clerk@alston.cumbria.sch.uk

3) Hearing Notification & Documentation

At least 10 school days before each hearing – Parents must be sent hearing dates and arrangements (notice period).
Deadline for additional evidence from appellant – e.g., 5 working days before hearing (local authorities typically include this).
Clerk sends appeal papers – e.g., 7 working days before hearing.

4) Appeal Hearing Windows

Commencing Monday 18 May 2026 – hearings start once initial preparation windows complete.
By Tuesday 16 June 2026 – all timely appeals must be heard within 40 school days of the appeal deadline.
(40 school days from 1 May 2026 ends mid-June 2026).

5) Decision Letters Issued

Within 5 school days of each hearing – Panel decisions communicated to families.

Key Statutory Requirements (Admissions Appeals Code)

Deadline for appeals must allow at least 20 school days from offer date to lodge an appeal.
Appeals received by the deadline must be heard within 40 school days of that deadline.
Appellants must be given at least 10 school days’ notice of the hearing.
Decision letters should be sent within 5 school days of the hearing.

Additional Notes

Appeals lodged after 1 May 2026 can still be submitted up to 22 May 2026 (your cut-off) but will not count as “on-time” – they must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline (where possible) or within 30 school days of receiving the appeal if later.
The final on-time appeals hearing window (before the summer holidays) would be May–June 2026 for most local authorities.

In-Year Admissions Process – Samuel King’s School

1️⃣ Publication of In-Year Admissions Information (by 31 August each year)

By legal requirement, the school must publish on its website how in-year applications are handled for the upcoming academic year. This should include:

the in-year application form (Click Here for the Form)
details of any supplementary information required (e.g., proof of address)
contact details for submitting applications
how applications will be assessed and decided
arrangements for waiting lists and appeals.

The school must also notify the local authority (Council) whether it will process in-year applications itself or if the Local Authority will coordinate them.

2️⃣ Receiving In-Year Applications

Parents or carers can apply at any time during the school year for a place at Samuel King’s School. An in-year application is one made outside the normal admission rounds.

The school must:

Accept applications in writing (online form or paper)
Record the date the application is received (the 'received date’)
Acknowledge receipt promptly (ideally within 5 school days)

3️⃣ Check for Available Places

For the relevant year group applied for:

If there is a current vacancy, the school should offer a place immediately (subject to checking documentation).
If there is no space, the school must follow its oversubscription criteria to determine whether a place can be allocated. This must be the same criteria used for normal entry rounds and must comply with the School Admissions Code (no unlawful criteria).

4️⃣ Decision Timelines

Although the Code doesn’t set a fixed statutory deadline for in-year decisions, own admission authority schools are expected to consider and respond to applications promptly. Many local schemes aim to decide within 10 school days where possible.

After considering the application, the school must:

Offer a place (if space is available in the relevant year group), or
Refuse the application (if the year group is full) based on the school’s oversubscription criteria.

5️⃣ Communication of Outcome

The outcome must be communicated in writing (letter or email) and must clearly state:

the decision (offer or refusal)
the reasons for refusal, referencing the oversubscription criteria used
information about how to appeal and the deadline for lodging an appeal (parents have a right of appeal to an independent panel under the School Admissions Appeals Code)
details on waiting list procedures (if a waiting list is maintained).

Parents must be told they can apply for a waiting list and how long the school retains names on that list.

6️⃣ Waiting Lists

If a place cannot be offered:

The child’s name is placed on a waiting list (unless parents request otherwise)
Waiting lists must be ordered in accordance with the oversubscription criteria
Lists should close at the end of each term, and parents should be informed of this and invited to reapply if necessary.

7️⃣ Fair Access Protocol

If a vulnerable child (e.g., looked-after or previously looked-after) cannot be placed through the usual process, the school must comply with the local authority’s Fair Access Protocol to secure a place quickly.

8️⃣ Appeals

If an in-year application is refused, parents have the statutory right to appeal to an independent appeals panel.
The refusal letter must include:

how to lodge the appeal
the deadline for lodging (usually at least 20 school days from the refusal letter)
where additional evidence may be submitted
expected timescales for the hearing and decision.

Appeals must be handled in line with the School Admission Appeals Code (England).