Changing schools
Page updated on: 17/12/2024
There are a number of reasons why you might want to change your child’s school during the academic year, but it is important that you consider whether a transfer is really the best option.
Changing schools can have a negative impact on your child, such as:
• disrupting their education, which may affect academic progress,
• affecting their social environment, friendship groups and extra-curricular activities,
• the school you want might not have a place available for your child and if you are hoping to transfer siblings, they may not all be offered the same school,
• the number of qualifications your child can achieve in Year 10/11 may be affected if the new school does not have the same subject options available.
Unless absolutely necessary, for example, following a house move, you are strongly advised to work with your child’s current school rather than transfer.
Talking to your child and staff at your child’s current school may avoid the need for a transfer.
If your reason for transfer is covered below, you should take the steps indicated before making an application.
Remember, no school should advise you or your child to transfer. If this is happens, please email questionecs@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Common reasons for requesting transfer:
1. Bullying and Emotional Wellbeing
You should...ask to meet with school staff and discuss your concerns. Identify what needs to change and agree a plan to move things forward. Schools may have staff that could support your child e.g. form teachers, ELSAs, Pastoral Support Officers, Trauma Informed Practitioners, Wellbeing Officers.
All schools have a responsibility to address bullying and support emotional wellbeing.
If you feel policies have not been followed, you should speak with the school Head Teacher.
Our advice...We would recommend that you ask for support and work with the school where there are bullying or emotional wellbeing issues. All schools have a responsibility to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of their pupils. If this has not been the case for your family, it must be raised with the school which can:
• Work restoratively with your child and other children involved
• Involve other staff or professionals who can support your child and yourselves
• Move classes
• Mediate
• Arrange family meetings
2. Non attendance at school
It will be useful for you to talk with your child and find out why he or she is not attending school e.g. What’s the best and worst part of the school day? If you could change one aspect of your school, what would it be? What are your friends at school like? Talk to your child’s teachers. Are there any subjects that he/she is worried about?
Our advice...children must attend school. We often find that by talking to your child and the school, the issue can be identified and steps put into place. Schools can request the support of the School Safeguarding and Attendance Team if needed.
3. Your child could face exclusion
You should...Talk to your child’s teacher, head of year or headteacher. Check if your child has a pastoral support plan, positive behaviour plan or has been identified as having Additional Learning Needs. Ask for a review of the pastoral support plan or any other plans that are currently in place to support your child's behaviour. If they are not receiving any additional support, ask to speak to a staff member to discuss this.
Our advice...If there are behaviour concerns from the school about your child, we do not recommend moving them to another school. No school should be suggesting this to your child. A disruption could make the issue worse. If you require support with this, please email questionecs@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
4. Support with Additional Learning Needs
You should...Talk to the teacher in charge of Additional Learning Needs (ALNCo) at the school and request a meeting to discuss your concerns. Some children and young people who require additional support will be identified as having additional learning needs through a decision-making process.
Our advice...We recommend that parents engage with the school’s ALNCo in the first instance. If further support is required with the additional learning needs process, parents can contact our Parent Partnership Service who can help with further guidance.
5. Welsh Medium Education (Bilingual education)
Welsh Medium education offers children the incredible opportunity to become fully bilingual, opening doors to cognitive, social and career benefits. Even if you don’t speak Welsh at home, schools offer support to ensure that your child succeeds in both Welsh and English. In fact, research shows that bilingual children often excel in English. Children can start at a Welsh medium school at any age.
If you have concerns about your child’s progress in the language, speak to your child, and to the school to ask if they have any concerns or identify any support that needs to be put in place to help your child. You may find that the language is being used as an excuse to cover other issues that might need to be addressed. No school should suggest that a child should move because of language ability. Where a school has more than one language stream, the school will usually have a policy on the stream your child is admitted to. Changing schools can have an academic and emotional impact on children, and you should weigh these against any short-term challenges at your current school.
For more information on the benefits and support on bilingual education visit the Bilingual education pages.
6. Will Transport be provided to the school that I want to move to?
Transport will only be provided to the catchment area school or nearest school, if the home address is either; over 2 miles away for a Primary school or over 3 Miles for a secondary school along the shortest available walking route. If the school you chose is closer than these distances, or is not your nearest or catchment area school, you will be responsible for transporting your child to that school and the costs occurred.
7. Ongoing concerns about the school
You should… discuss your concerns with the school. If you’re considering moving schools because of a problem at the current school, it’s important to try to resolve it first. Trying to deal with the matters that concern you could help to avoid a potentially unsettling move. If the issue can’t be resolved by speaking to the class teacher, you can escalate it to the headteacher or governors, in line with the school’s complaints procedure.
Our advice… Schools and their governing bodies are responsible for dealing with concerns from parents/carers, pupils, and the wider community. Check the school’s website for a copy of the complaints procedure or request a copy from the school.
If after working with your child’s current school you still want to transfer to another school, you will need to make an application.
You should note that there are limited places in schools and your application may be refused, even if you live locally.
Please do not submit this application more than one school term in advance of your child’s required start date.
We only accept applications for Carmarthenshire schools, applications can only be completed online. You will need to provide the following information:
- Parent/guardians name* and address
- Parent/guardians email**
- Childs name, address and date of birth
- Choice of school – you can choose up to three schools in order of preference
- Preferred start date (may not be the actual start date, you will need to discuss this with the school)
- Contact details of the social worker and local authority if your child is or has ever been fostered or adopted
* Anyone with parental responsibility must agree to this application before you submit it.
** If you don’t have an e-mail address you can’t apply online, please go to your local school and they will assist you with your application.
You will receive an e-mail acknowledgement of your application where you can print a copy of the completed form for your records. All correspondence about your application will be sent via e-mail.
If you are offered a place, you must accept or decline the place you’ve been offered by the date noted in the e-mail. If you don’t your place may be withdrawn.
Once you’ve accepted your child’s place you MUST contact the school to agree a start date.
You have the right to appeal (except for 3 year old nursery places) however please note, we only refuse a child’s school place if the year you are applying for is full. You will also need to inform us in writing if you wish your child's name to be kept on a waiting list until 30th September and if a place becomes available, we’ll let you know.