Admissions Made Simple
Welcome to Holy Trinity
Starting secondary school is an exciting milestone in every child’s journey, but it can also feel overwhelming for both parents and pupils. At Holy Trinity, we are committed to making the transition from primary to secondary education as smooth and supportive as possible. As one of the leading schools in Crawley, we pride ourselves on creating a welcoming environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and personally.
Navigating the admissions process for secondary school can sometimes feel daunting. However, you don’t have to go through it alone. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your child’s future.
To make things easier, we’ve created a simple, step-by-step guide to secondary school admissions. This guide will help you understand key deadlines, application procedures, and what to expect throughout the process, so you can approach this important stage with confidence.
🗓️ Key Dates
The Admission Application Round takes place between 1 September and 31 October every year. If you miss this deadline, there is a possibility that you will not get your chosen school.
| Task | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Open Evening | 24 September |
| Apply to West Sussex Admissions | 31 October |
| Submit Holy Trinity Forms (SIF + Ref) | 31 October |
| School Place Offers Sent | 1 March |
| Appeals Deadline | 31 March |
| Appeal Hearings | June |
| Late Offers (if any) | April – August |
New Year 7 Step-by-Step Admissions Guide:
✔️ Step 1: Apply Online to West Sussex
- Go to West Sussex Admissions Application
- List 3 school choices in order of preference
- Put your top choice first
- You cannot appeal for a school ranked lower than your offer
- Check your catchment area: West Sussex Catchment Tool
- Note: Holy Trinity does not have a catchment area, as we use our own Oversubscription Criteria to rank students. If you have named Holy Trinity as one of your preferences, please read our Admission Arrangements (see below).
🚨 Important: If you don’t submit this online application, your child won’t be offered a place.
✔️ Step 2: Extra Forms for Holy Trinity
If you choose Holy Trinity as one of your preferences:
- Read our Admissions Arrangements and Oversubscription Criteria documents here:
- Complete the Supplementary Information Form (SIF):
- Electronic SIF (online)
- If you submit an electronic SIF, and need a reference, you will be asked to provide their email in the form, so we can send them an electronic form to complete on your behalf.
- Your chosen reference will be sent the electronic forms, if they have not received these this can be found at the following link. Click here for electronic forms
- Paper SIF (print & fill)
- If you submit a paper SIF and need a reference, you will need to print the relevant reference form (links below), get it completed, signed and returned to the school by the deadline.
- (For paper SIF) Choose and submit the correct reference form PDF Only.
- Submit all forms to Holy Trinity by 31 October.
🚫 Do NOT send baptism, communion, or catechism certificates. We only need the reference form.
✔️ Step 3: School Ranking & Offers
- Holy Trinity ranks applications in December.
- West Sussex sends offers on 1 March.
- If not offered your top choice, your child is added to waiting lists for higher preferences.
✔️ Step 4: Late Offers (April – August)
- West Sussex may offer places as other families withdraw.
✔️ Step 5: Registration Pack
- After offers are made on 1 March, HTS will send a Welcome email which incudes a Registration Form and other important information about upcoming events for their child.
- Make sure you can still access the email used for your application.
Appeal Information❗
If your child is not offered a place at Holy Trinity, please DO NOT contact the school directly.
What to do:
- Wait for your official offer letter from West Sussex County Council (sent on 1 March).
- The letter will tell you how to submit an appeal.
- You must complete the appeal on the West Sussex Appeal Application (online form) by 31 March.
Key Points:
- Holy Trinity cannot handle appeals directly — all appeals are managed by West Sussex Admissions.
- Appeals are heard by an independent appeals panel in June.
- You cannot appeal for a school you ranked lower than the school you were offered.
- The school holds Appeal Hearings in the first half of June each year.
To view the Admissions Appeals Timetable 2025 [Applies for appeals lodged between 01/03/2025 -28/02/2026]
To view the Admissions Appeals Timetable 2027[Applies for appeals lodged between 1/3/2027 – 28/2/2028]
Waiting List:
West Sussex manages this waiting list until September.
If you didn’t get a place, your child will automatically go onto the waiting list for Holy Trinity (if it was a higher preference).
Applications for current Year 7 to 11
1. Complete an In-Year Admission form on the West Sussex Admissions Website. West Sussex In Year Application
2. Read our Admissions Arrangements and Oversubscription Criteria and complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) if applicable and submit to the school. (links above)
3. West Sussex will inform you if a space is available and either make an offer or advise you to place your child on the waiting list if no spaces are currently available. You will need to provide the school with your contact details, along with your child’s name and date of birth.
4. Parents can Appeal the refusal of a place by completing an Appeal form on the West Sussex Website. (links above)
5. The school will email you an electronic registration form to help us prepare for your child’s arrival. Your child will also attend an Induction day before their start date which will include CATS testing and Lucid Exact Testing, which will help our teachers place them in the appropriate classes.
Applying for Free School Meals After Moving to West Sussex
Sixth Form Admissions
Please click this link to see our Sixth form admissions page.