Year 10 educational opportunities

A requirement was introduced in 2017 (under the School Information (Amendment) Regulations 2017) for local authorities to write to all parents of year 9 pupils about schools that have atypical admissions arrangements, within a reasonable travelling distance and to which their child might apply. Schools that recruit at year 9 are also in scope, with a letter needing to be sent to parents of year 8 pupils. 

The requirement is for the local authority to write to all prospective parents by no later than 12 September each year. 

Local authorities make their own judgement about whether there are schools with atypical age ranges in scope in their area that will require a letter, bearing in mind that schools such as University Technical Colleges (UTCs) have specialisms that attract pupils from further afield than other schools. In deciding whether a school is within reasonable travelling distance, local authorities take into account factors such as journey times and the availability and cost of public transport.