Moving up to Secondary School
Choosing a secondary school for your child is a big decision. When making your choice, there are a number of things parents and carers can do to help you.
Visit schools: All our local secondary schools hold open evenings, which we encourage parents, carers and children to attend. Most schools hold visits in the school day to allow people to see the school in action. In Year 6, children are permitted to take time out of the school day to attend these visits with their parent or carer.
Do some research: Look at secondary school websites to find out more about the school curriculum and school life. Some schools have entrance examinations or other entry requirements which you will need to know about in advance.
Talk to other parents and carers with children at a particular school: This is a great way to find out more about what a school is really like.
Talk to your child’s teacher: We have many staff who have a good knowledge of the local secondary school system, through school, their own family, or both. If your child’s teacher isn’t sure about a question, they will be able to recommend another member of staff to talk to.
Find out more from the Local Authority: Both the local authorities of Kingston and Merton provide helpful information about secondary school applications and appeals. You can find out more at the links below:
Royal Borough of Kingston's Admissions Information
Merton's Admissions Information
Secondary School Admissions - Additional Information
Parents and carers apply for secondary school using https://www.eadmissions.org.uk/
We hold a meeting in the summer term of Year 5 to talk parents and carers through the process of applying. Please view the slides from the most recent talk at the bottom of this page.
The closing date for applications to start secondary school is at the end of October in the school year before they are due to start Year 7 (you will apply when your child is in Year 6). For example, children starting secondary school in September 2026 will need to apply by the end of October 2025.
Preparing Our Pupils for Transition to Year 7
Our Year 6 teachers ensure that our pupils are able to learn about secondary school in a supportive environment and ask questions about life in Year 7. Our pupils will find out about the similarities and differences between Burlington and secondary schools, and we will support them in feeling prepared for their next step. Pupils are encouraged to share their experiences of open day visits and transition days with their classes. Where possible, school staff from local secondary schools may visit our pupils to answer questions about transition so that our pupils feel prepared for what's next.