Admissions
Sarah Bonnell is a successful, oversubscribed comprehensive school providing a quality education for young women. Our traditions date back 253 years. We offer an inspiring, exciting and supportive environment where each student can achieve, lead and thrive.
Our school is part of Newham Community Learning, a local Trust of six schools. As the admissions authority, the Trust Board has adopted the Local Authority’s admissions arrangements, which means that all applications must be submitted via the borough’s process. If you live in Newham, you apply via LB Newham Pupil Services. If you live outside Newham and you want your child to attend this school, you need to apply via your home borough naming this school as a preference on your application.
The adopted Determined Admissions Arrangements for September 2025 entry are available here.
Consultation for Determined Admissions Arrangements in 2026/2027
We are currently consulting on our admissions arrangements for the academic year 2026/27.
The admissions arrangements and our proposed PAN for the 2026/27 academic year can be viewed here.
The consultation period is from Friday 29th November 2024 to Friday 24th January 2025.
We welcome your feedback on the proposal, so please send your views/comments to 2026admissionsconsultation@newham.gov.uk on or before the consultation deadline.
Moving to secondary school – September 2025 admissions
National Closing date – on time year 7 applications: Tuesday 31 October 2024 at 23:59
National offer date – on time year 7 applicants: Monday 3 March 2025
eAdmissions – parents and carers can apply for a year 7 place for September 2025 through the eAdmissions website from 01 September 2025. Guidance regarding setting up an account is available in this slide deck.
London coordinated admissions scheme (operated by all 33 London boroughs) – details available on this page of the borough’s website.
Parents and carers can visit our school during the open evening and morning events in the new academic year. Further information will be provided shortly. Students starting Year 7 in September 2025 will have the opportunity to visit Sarah Bonnell School during our induction programme which takes place in July 2025.
The links below will assist you with making your application:
- We are Going to Secondary School guide – information about in year admissions for 2024-25 and for entry in September 2025
- Information on the Year 7 application process
- Newham School Finder
- Listing of schools and open days
- Waiting lists
Open Days at Sarah Bonnell
During the admissions process, we encourage parents, carers and students to visit our school in order to see what we have on offer. Late September and early October each year we hold an Open Evening/Morning for prospective parents, when displays and exhibitions by staff and students can be viewed. There is also the opportunity to speak to staff and students at these events. This is followed by Open Days when tours of the school are available during normal school hours. A visit to school outside of these days can be arranged by appointment – please use the Contact Us Page to get in touch.
In year admissions into secondary school
(also known as a mid-term or mid-phase admissions)
Information regarding making an application for your child to join any Newham school outside the usual time (ie. at any time other than at the start of September) is managed through the in year admissions process, details of which are available here.
The Local Authority coordinates in-year admissions at Sarah Bonnell and will notify the school and parent when a place is allocated. For entries during the school year, we will invite the parent/carer and daughter to a pre-admission interview. If your daughter has previously attended a school in the UK, we will ask them to provide information on your daughter’s attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attainment so we can ensure she is supported from the start of her time here with us.
Determined Admission Arrangements in Newham – for entry in September 2025
These were agreed by Newham Council in February 2024, and adopted by the Trust Board of Newham Community Learning, which is our school’s admissions authority, at the trustees’ meeting of 26 March 2024.
The adopted Determined Admissions Arrangements for September 2025 entry are available here.
Free school meals – application process
All students in Newham receive free school meals at Primary level. When your child joins secondary school, you will need to check your eligibility for this and apply if needed. This has to be completed through Newham, and is not something that we can process as a school; please click here to apply via the borough’s website.