Admissions
Holyhead is a community secondary school set in the Holyhead Ward in the North West area of Birmingham. The school admits students in Year 7 and Sixth Form.
Our main principle of admission into the school is to provide for the educational needs of the young people who live in Handsworth and its surrounding area.
We are an inclusive school and welcome all applications. The School’s Published Admission Number (PAN) for 2025 for Year 7 will be 210. For a number of years, we have received more applications than we have school places and we work continually with the Local Authority to meet the needs of the community we serve.
If you would like to apply for a Year 7 place for your child, please visit the Local Authority’s School Admissions portal - https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions
If you would like to apply for a place for any other year group, please contact the school directly on 0121-523-1960.
Applications and Late Applications
All applications from Parents/Carers of Year 6 students must be submitted to the Local Authority in accordance with their outlined procedure and by the date specified. After that date, all applications should be submitted to the school.
Late Applications (Year 6 transfer to Year 7 for September 2024 entry)
Any applications for secondary schools received after 31st October 2023 (the final closing date) and before the 1st March 2024 (allocation of school places) will be treated as late applications by the Local Authority.
Any request to change the order of preference or to apply for any other school after the final closing date will be treated as a late application. Late applications will only be considered for places after other applications that were received by the final closing date. Therefore, late applicants may be less likely to be offered a place at one of their preferred schools.
Late applications for over-subscribed schools made up until 31 August 2024 are required to be submitted on a Birmingham Local Authority Preference Form and a Notice of Appeal against Admission Form. The circumstances relating to the late application must be given in writing and attached firmly to the preference form.
Late applications for over-subscribed schools received after the allocation of places (1st March 2024) may then be considered but only at the discretion of Holyhead School as the admission authority, which will use its discretion only in exceptional circumstances, for instance, where the child and the person with parental responsibility have moved home.
Late applications for over-subscribed schools made between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 will be required to be submitted on a Notice of Appeal against Admission Form which can be obtained from the Local Authority.
Late applications made on or after 1st January 2024 should be made direct to Holyhead School and do not need to be made on the Local Authority preference form.
All school places are offered on the basis that the information provided is correct. The school reserves the right to withdraw any offer on the basis of a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application.
Supporting Links & Documents
Birmingham City Council – Online School Admissions application website link:
Advice for parents and guardians on school admission appeals:
Determined Scheme for the co-ordinated admissions to schools and academies – September 2023/2024
Determined Scheme for the co-ordinated admissions to schools and academies - September 2025/2026
BCC Secondary Schools Admissions Arrangements 2023
Admissions and Appeals Policy 2023/2024