Online School Admissions Applying Online Guidance notes
Contents Before you begin... 2 Logging on... 4 Accessibility... 5 Registering... 6 Registration Your Personal Details... 6 Registration Your Login details... 8 Making an application... 11 Forgotten passwords... 12 Making a new application... 14 Childs Details... 14 Child s Address Details... 17 Child s Current School... 18 Adding preferences... 19 To select a school other than your catchment area school as a preference:... 19 Saving preference choices and submitting your application... 23 Viewing or editing an existing application.... 25 To view the application only... 26 Editing an existing application... 27 Changing the rank order of your preferences... 30 Change preferences shortcut... 32 Submit application shortcut... 32 Returning to your personal home page... 32 Editing your personal details... 34 Changing your login details... 34 Logging out... 34 Document version: 4.4 1
Before you begin Before starting your application you may find it useful to have the following to hand: Your e-mail address Council Tax reference number Sibling details if applicable! Please also note that if you do not use any of the web pages for longer than 10 minutes, you will be timed out of the system. This user guide has been designed to help you through the process of creating an account to use the online admissions web pages, logging into the web pages as well as making and submitting an application for admission to school. To help you, the following symbols have been used in this guide: This symbol is used to show a hint or tip that might help you in the application process. This symbol is used to alert you to something that users of the web pages have had difficulties with in the past. You should pay particular attention to any of these items enclosed within a red box. In addition, you are strongly advised to read the Admission Policy booklet for your preferred schools before making an online application. These booklets are available from the school admissions web pages. This symbol is used on the web pages to show where additional help or information is available click on the symbol to display this information. You must only use these web pages to apply for a school place if Coventry Local Authority is responsible for your address (or your home authority) not all CV postcodes fall under the responsibility of Coventry Local Authority. You will find a link to a useful web site to help you check your home authority on the online admissions home page. If you wish to apply for a place at a school outside of the City you are advised to contact the local authority responsible for the school to obtain a copy of the relevant Admissions Policy document to help you make your application. The Coventry Admissions Team will forward your application for schools outside of the city to the relevant local authority on your behalf and inform you of the outcome of your request. The online admission web pages can only be used to apply for a school place if: Document version: 4.4 2
Your child is entering reception class at Primary School for the first time Your child is moving from Infant School to Junior School or Your child is moving from Primary or Junior school to Secondary School. For all other applications, please contact the Admissions Team: By telephone: 024 7683 1622/1577/2499/1623 By email: admissions.benefits@coventry.gov.uk We have been made aware of issues for parents registering to use this site using btinternet.com accounts. It is recommended if you have a btinternet.com account that you add admissions.benefits@coventry.gov.uk as a contact for your account. Hotmail accounts seem to block e-mails from the admissions account so hotmail users will need to add the admissions address to their 'Safe senders' list. We have also been made aware of issues from parents using Firefox internet provider. A warning message will indicate that the site is untrusted. If you wish to still access the site you can select to proceed. If you wish to cancel, you will need to use another internet provider to continue to use the site. Document version: 4.4 3
Logging on Go to the Coventry City Council homepage (www.coventry.gov.uk) Click the 'Apply for it' link. Scroll down the page until you come to School place and click on the link. Document version: 4.4 4
Under Online form click on the link http://www.coventry.gov.uk/schoolplaces this will take you to the Online Admissions home page which will look similar to the following: If you have not yet registered to use these pages, you must follow the steps under the section 'Registering'. If you have already registered to use these pages, you may go directly to the section 'Making an application'. Because of changes made to these web pages to increase the security of personal data, all accounts created before 1 st September 2009 have been disabled if you previously registered to use these web pages, you must reregister before proceeding. Accessibility In addition to Internet Explorer text size settings, these web pages give you further control over the font size used throughout. To change the text size settings click on the font size links at the top of every page as in the example below: Document version: 4.4 5
Registering If you have never used these pages to make an online application before, you must first register to use these pages. Click the 'Register' button at the top left hand side of the page or the register link in the main text. You will be taken to the registration page which looks similar to the following: Registration Your Personal Details Complete your personal details as requested. Please note: all items marked with and asterisk (*) are required to register to use the admissions web pages as detailed below: Document version: 4.4 6
On this page you MUST enter your full name and gender and your postcode. It would be useful if you could also provide a contact telephone number and your full address details. To input your address/postcode: Put your postcode into the box Click the 'search' button. If you cannot remember your postcode, click on the 'If you do not know your postcode, click here' link this will take you into the Post Office web site where you can search for your address. A list of all addresses found for the postcode will now be displayed as in the following example. Double click to select Find your house number and double click on the address line If you cannot find your address in this list, and you are sure you have entered the correct postcode, please contact the Admissions Team: By telephone: 024 7683 1622/1577/2499/1623 By email: admissions.benefits@coventry.gov.uk The selected address will now appear on your personal details screen as in the example below: Document version: 4.4 7
Click the Next button to move to the next page. If you have not completed any of the required information, you will be informed and the missing data highlighted with a red box as in the example below: Registration Your Login details You MUST complete all fields on this page: You must supply a valid email address confirmation of your application, as well as details of the allocated school, will be sent to this email address. You must enter a password which should be a minimum of 6 characters and contain at least 2 letters and numbers. Passwords more than 20 characters in length are difficult to remember Passwords are case sensitive. You must complete your 'mother's maiden name' section this will allow you to retrieve your password in the future should you forget it. To save your details and create your online admissions account: Click the 'Registration complete' button. Document version: 4.4 8
If you have forgotten to enter any of the required details, you will be informed of the missing information as in the example below you will not be able to save your details and create your account until ALL required details have been completed: Once all required details have been entered, the screen will now change to confirm your account has been created. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you used to create the account. You MUST follow the instructions within this email to complete the registration process and to receive your offer e-mail. The email will contain text similar to the example shown below: Document version: 4.4 9
Follow these instructions to complete the registration process The confirmation email is an added security measure to ensure somebody isn t using your email account to make school place applications. The link in the e-mail may not work if you are using a tablet or mobile phone, please use either a PC or laptop. The confirmation email could take up to an hour to appear, depending on your email provider. Some email providers, such as Hotmail, might see this email as being 'junk' or 'spam' because it has been sent by another system. Please check ALL email boxes available to you, including any marked 'junk' or 'spam' as in the example below. You will now be returned to the Online Admissions home page. You MUST follow the instructions in the email to complete your registration. Document version: 4.4 10
Making an application This line will show you which stage of the process you are currently at. Throuhgout the process, the line at the top of the page will show you which stage of the process you are currently at. From the Online Admissions home page Enter the email address you used when creating your account Enter your password Click on the 'Login' button You will now be taken to your personal Home page as in the example below. Document version: 4.4 11
Forgotten passwords If you have forgotten your password: Click on the 'Forgotten Password?' link on the Online Admission home page. Enter the email address you used to create your online admissions account Click the Continue button. Document version: 4.4 12
Enter your answer to the 'mothers maiden name' question you used when creating your account. Click the 'Continue' button. An email will now be sent to your email address: this might take up to an hour to arrive, however it might be seen as 'junk' email by some providers you should ensure you check your 'Junk email' inbox as well (please see page 8 for more details). You MUST click on the link within this email which will then take you to a web page where you can enter a new password. Click on the Close button to close the forgotten password confirmation page. Document version: 4.4 13
Making a new application From your personal home page: Click on the Arrow button under the new application section on the right hand side of the screen. Childs Details Enter the date of birth for the child you are making an application form for and click on the Confirm button. Please enter the date of birth in the format dd/mm/yyyy including leading zero s, for example for the first of January 2001 type 01/01/2001 Document version: 4.4 14
The system will now show you the most appropriate transfer group for the date of birth you have entered. Click on the Select button to confirm you want to proceed. You will now be given the opportunity to enter details about your child as in the example below: The following fields, marked with an asterisk (*) on the page MUST be completed: Surname and first name Date of birth (this will be filled in with the date of birth you entered on the previous page) Gender Your relationship to the child Document version: 4.4 15
Click on the Next button to move to the next stage. If you have not completed any of the mandatory information, you will be informed as in the example below. If the child you are making an application for is or has ever been in public care / looked after by a Local Authority, you should select "Yes" for the question below, and select the Authority from the drop-down list. Document version: 4.4 16
Child s Address Details The address completed when registering to use these pages will be displayed as the current address you only need to change it if the address of the child you are making the application for is different. Moving home? If you will be moving home and this will affect your application, please complete the moving date and address details found in the Moving Home? section of this web page you may need to scroll down the page to find this section. When all address details have been completed and checked Document version: 4.4 17
Click on the Next button Child s Current School Use this screen to tell us which school, if any, the child you are making the application for currently attends. It may initially be populated with A&T Import Dummy. Click on the Change current school button to change this Document version: 4.4 18
You may search for the current school by any of the following methods: Postcode all schools within the postcode area Located in all schools within the selected area School name schools matching the school name Click on the Search button to return schools matching your filter. Click on the Select button next to your child s current school. Part school names will give better results as in the example above. If you cannot find the school, please type the school name into the Currently educated at: text box. Click Next to move to the next page. You will now be taken to the Adding preferences screen. Use the scroll bars to move down the web page. Adding preferences Before making your selection(s) please read the information displayed carefully. When you have done this please scroll down the web page. Click the 'Select' button to add this school as a preference choice. You are strongly advised to pick your catchment area school as one of your preference choices. To select a school other than your catchment area school as a preference: Document version: 4.4 19
You may search for the current school by any of the following methods: Postcode all schools within the postcode area Located in all schools within the selected Local Authority area School name schools matching the school name Click on the Search button to return schools matching your filter. Click on the Select button next to your preference choice school. The postcode box will already be partially filled please remove this text UNLESS you want to search by postcode. Click on the 'Search' button All schools matching the text entered in the school name box will now be displayed as in the example above. Click the 'Select' button next to your chosen school to add this as a preference choice. When searching for schools entering only part of the school name will give you much better chance of finding the school you want. After selecting a school preference, you will be given the opportunity to supply further information to support this preference choice please read carefully the information displayed on the page as in the following example: Document version: 4.4 20
Add additional information as required. If a sibling already attends the chosen school: you should select "Yes" for the relevant question, and complete all the fields marked with an asterisk (*). If the child you are making an application for is or has ever been in public care / looked after by a Local Authority, you should select "Yes" for the relevant question, select "Previously looked after" from the drop-down list and input the name of the Authority in the box marked "Please provide more details". Some schools may require additional forms to be completed as part of the admission process. If this is the case, the information text for the selected school will include a link to the appropriate forms for you to print and complete. Click on the 'Continue' button to move to the next page. Document version: 4.4 21
Enter any other additional information you feel will support your application. Click on the Done button to select this school as a preference choice. Your preference list will now be displayed as in the example below: Continue the search process to add another school as your preference choice. Changes can be made to your preferences until midnight on the group closing date which is indicated at the top of your preference list. You MUST proceed to the next section to save your preference choices. Document version: 4.4 22
Saving preference choices and submitting your application Click on the 'Next' button below your preference choice list. The screen will change and be similar to the following: You may choose to finish your application for now, but return later to complete and submit it click on the Finish for now & return later button. If you select this option you MUST complete and submit your application before the closing date clearly shown on this page. Failure to do this will mean that your application will not be considered. To continue with the submission process, click the Continue button. Document version: 4.4 23
You have the option of receiving your offer of a school place via email, to the email address you entered when registering to use this site. Select 'Yes' to agree to receive email notification or No if you do not want email notification. All applicants will receive a letter confirming their school offer. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail on allocation day, please login to your account and you will be able to see what school your child has been allocted. You MUST read and agree to the terms and conditions by ticking Yes before you can submit your application. Click on the 'Submit' button to submit your form. Failure to do this will mean that your application will not be considered. Your submitted application will be acknowledged on the screen (an email acknowledgment will also be sent out), as in the following example: Document version: 4.4 24
You now have the following options: Click 'Home' to return to your home page Click 'Preview' to obtain a print friendly copy of your submitted application form Click 'Logout' to finish the current application session. Viewing or editing an existing application. You may make changes to any application you have made until midnight on the day the chosen admission group closes. To view or edit your existing application: Log in to the online admissions web pages (see page 9) You will now be taken to your personal home page which will look similar to the example below: Document version: 4.4 25
If you have made an application for more than 1 child, you should click on the name of the child you want to view or edit the application for. For the selected child you have the following options: Change my Application Details to change any of the details, including preference choices in the application form. Show me my application to view details within the application form (you will not be able to change any of the details). To view the application only Click on the Show me my Application link A new browser window will open showing the application form details similar to the following: Document version: 4.4 26
Scroll down to the foot of this form, where you will have the option of printing the details or closing the window. You will NOT be able to make changes to your application from this window. Editing an existing application To make changes to an existing application: Click on the 'Change my Application Details' link The screen will now change and will look similar to the following: Document version: 4.4 27
Please read this warning Please read the information on this screen carefully, especially the Warning notice at the top of the page. You MUST now continue through and re-submit this application. Unsubmitted applications will NOT be processed. Please check your child s details and make any changes required. Click on the 'Next' button to continue editing your application. Check and, if required, amend the address details Document version: 4.4 28
Click on the Next button to continue. Please check and, if required, change your child s current school. Click on the Next button to continue You will now be shown the list of schools you have selected as in the following example: You now have the following options: Click on the 'Edit' button next to one of your school selections to change the reasons for this choice. Click on the 'Remove' button to remove a school preference Document version: 4.4 29
Click on the 'Select' button to add another school preference choice you may submit a maximum of 3 preference choices Change the rank order of your school preference choices Click on the 'Next' button to move to the next stage of the process. Changing the rank order of your preferences To change the order you want your preferences to be listed: To demote a preference, click on the 'down' arrow next to the selected school. To promote a preference, click on the up arrow next to the selected school. See example below: The order in which you list your school preference choices will only be taken into account if you can be offered a place at more than 1 school. In these cases, the offer will be made for the school ranked highest in your list. Click on the Next button to continue Document version: 4.4 30
Please read the information on this page. Click on the Continue button to move to the next stage in the process REMEMBER your application is still classed as unsubmitted at this stage. You must re-submit your application when you have finished making changes before it will be processed. Please read the information on this page. You MUST tick the Yes button at the bottom of this page, agreeing to the terms and conditions, before you can submit your application. Document version: 4.4 31
Click on the Submit button. Failure to do this will mean that your application will not be considered. Change preferences shortcut From your home page you may click on the Change my Preferences link. This will take you directly to the preference selection page. Submit application shortcut If you have made school preference selections, but not yet submitted your application: Click on the Submit Application Now link on your home page. Failure to do this will mean that your application will not be considered. This will take you directly to the terms and conditions page. You MUST agree to the terms and conditions before you can submit your application Returning to your personal home page Document version: 4.4 32
You may return to your personal home page by clicking the Home link at the top of each page. Document version: 4.4 33
Editing your personal details After logging in to use the web pages, you may edit your personal details by clicking on the 'Change My Personal Details' link at the top of the web pages. Remember to click on the 'Save' button at the bottom of the web page if you have made any changes. Changing your login details You may change your email address, secret answer or password through this link. To change your email address, secret answer or password you MUST provide your current password. Logging out To logout of the online admissions web pages: Click on the Logout link at the top of the web pages You must always logout of these pages when leaving your computer. Document version: 4.4 34