Admission of children outside their normal age group
Usually children are educated in school year groups determined by their date of birth, however there is no statutory barrier to children being admitted outside their normal age group. Parents/carers do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular age group but may make a request for this to happen.
Department for Education guidance states that: ‘The government would agree that, in general, children should be educated in their normal age group, with the curriculum differentiated as appropriate and that they should only be educated out of their normal age group in very limited circumstances.’
Before making your request, you are encouraged to discuss this with the class teacher and the Headteacher of your current school. You must make a separate written request at the same time as making your online application for your child’s actual age group. You can upload supporting documentation if you wish to do so.
The admission authority for each school will decide based on the circumstances of your case and in the best interests of your child. Your request must set out the reasons why you are making the request and and any relevant evidence you want us to consider which may include;
- the parents’ views
- recent information about your child’s academic, social and emotional development
- recent medical history and the views of a medical professional
- whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group
The views of the Headteacher will be an important part of this consideration. We may also gather information from any professionals involved with your child to consider whether any of the following apply;
- whether your child shows significant delay in intellectual development/education skills, across all subject area, to an extent that curriculum differentiation (with appropriate SEN resources) is not reasonable
- whether your child’s physical maturity places them in a position of being developmentally different from their peer group
- whether your child shows an equivalent delay in emotional development and social skills, appropriate for a younger peer group
If your request is agreed, the Admission Authority will advise you of how to proceed with your application.
Contact us
Email the admissions team
Telephone: 020 8583 2721
School admissions
Children’s and Adults Services
Hounslow House
7 Bath Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
​​​​TW3 3EB
