The transition between primary and secondary school can be quite daunting for Year 7s. The Radclyffe School has a dedicated and experienced transition team who do their utmost to make this transition as smooth as possible for each and every new student.
Staff and students from The Radclyffe School visit feeder primary schools throughout the year to start this process and interaction with the children. Year 6 children that have a place at The Radclyffe School have extra visits and are guided through their preparation in joining us.
How to apply for a place at The Radclyffe School for September 2026
- All applications are made online via the Local Authority (LA) here from 1st August 2025.
- Parents should list three or more schools in order of preference. Contact the LA if the system does not allow you to add more than one.
- If your child attends an Oldham school but you live outside Oldham, you must obtain complete and submit an application from the LA where you live.
- The deadline for applications to reach Oldham Local Authority is on 31st October 2025 by 5pm.
- It is very important you complete your application by pressing the submit button at the end of the process. If you do not do this, the application will not be sent, and you will not have applied for a school place.
- Applications received after 31st October 2025 will be considered ‘late applications’ and will be allocated a school place after those received by the deadline.
What happens after I submit my application?
- You will receive a confirmation email as soon as you submit your online application. If you do not receive this, contact the LA and check your junk and spam mail.
- National Offer Day is 1st March 2026. You will receive notification by email only.
- Appeal information can be found on the LA website from 1st March 2026.
- Deadline for appeals is 14th April 2026. Appeal hearings will commence in May 2026 and are heard by an Independent Panel.
What happens after your child’s place at The Radclyffe School has been confirmed?
- Firstly, congratulations! We look forward to your child joining the Radclyffe School community and starting their secondary school journey with us.
- Students are required to attend an Induction Day that is carefully structured and supported to introduce each child to The Radclyffe School and how it works day-to-day. Each student will also be introduced to their Year Manager and Personal Learning Guide.
- Parents are also guided through the transition, are kept informed about every step of the process and invited to a New Parents’ Evening.
Additional advice and FAQs
- Additional support with making applications is available via Drop In Sessions at Oldham Library.
- When a school receives more requests than there are places available, oversubscription criteria are applied. Our policy is here and on the LA website.
- Please note that having a cousin at the school does not count as a sibling link.
- Please see our frequently asked questions page for some commonly asked questions.
