Admissions
At Little Lever School we are committed to ensuring that our admissions process is fair, transparent, and easy to understand. All applications for places at our school are managed in line with Bolton Council’s coordinated admissions scheme.
September Admissions
Applications for children transferring from primary to secondary school (Year 7) are managed by Bolton Council [Admissions to schools – Bolton Council] through the coordinated admissions process. You can find all information in our Admissions Policy.
Parents and carers must submit an online application via the council’s admissions portal. You will be asked to list your preferred schools in order of priority.
Key Dates
Applications are now closed for a September 2026 start date.
The applications timeline:
- Applications open: 1 September 2025
- National closing date: 31 October 2025
- National Offer Day: 2 March 2026
Bolton Council will notify families of the outcome on the offer day. If you applied online, you will receive your offer via email. If you applied using a paper form, you will receive a letter in the post.
Admissions Criteria
Little Lever School must adhere to our published admissions number (PAN) which for Year 7 is 240. This reflects the schools’ building expansion plans and capacity.
All children whose education, health and care (EHC) plan names the school will be admitted before any other places are allocated.
If the school is not oversubscribed, all applicants will be offered a place.
In the event that the school receives more applications than the number of places it has available, places will be given to those children who meet any of the criteria set out below, in order, until all places are filled.
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming Little Lever School.
- Looked After Children and previously looked after children (including those adopted from state careoutside England).
- Children with a Child Protection Plan (current or within the last 12 months).
- Children of current staff employed by Little Lever School.
- Siblings of children currently in Years 7–10 at Little Lever School (includes full, step, half, foster, and adopted siblings living at the same address).
- Children with medical conditions or disabilities that make Little Lever School the most suitable option.
- Places will only be offered under this criterion if the child has a certified medical condition with strong professional supporting evidence confirming that existing exceptional problems with the child’s health would be seriously exacerbated if a place was not made at the preferred school. Medical evidence must be provided at the time of application. Parents applying under the criteria must provide a letter from the child’s GP/Consultant setting out the reasons why the school is the most suitable school and details of the child’s medical condition. Medical evidence must be submitted by 31st October 2026. Evidence received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
- Proximity to the school: Measured in a straight line from the home address to the school’s front gates using the local authority’s geographical information system.
In the case of twins or multiple births, the school may exceed PAN to accommodate all siblings.
In-Year Admissions
Parents/carers can apply for a place for their child at any time outside the normal admissions round.
Likewise, if there are spaces available in the year group you are applying for, your child will be offered a place.
If there are no spaces available at the time of your application, your child’s name will be added to the waiting list for the relevant year group. When a space becomes available, it will be filled by one of the pupils on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription Priority will not be given to children on the basis that they have been on the waiting list the longest.
Applications for in-year admissions can be made via Bolton Council [Moving school during the year – Bolton Council]
Admission Appeals
If your child is refused a place, you have the right to appeal to an independent appeals panel.
Please note, appeals cannot be heard during school holiday periods.
September Admissions – Appeals
Parents/carers will receive their offer date on 2 March 2026
Appeals must be submitted by 30 March 2026
Appeal hearings will be held in May and June.
Please submit all appeals via the Bolton Council [School admission appeals – Bolton Council] website. Please do not contact the school regarding your appeals, as we are only permitted to discuss formal appeal applications.
In-Year Admissions
For those moving school during the academic year and appealing regarding the school’s initial decision, this must be complete via the Bolton Council website. [School admission appeals – Bolton Council]
A notification of an appeal hearing will be sent at least 10 school days (two weeks) in advance.
All in-year admission appeals will be held with 30 days of cases being lodged.
Parents/carers will receive a decision letter within 5 school days of the hearing where possible.