Basildon Schools Guide: Secondary Schools, Admissions and Deadlines

Who handles school admissions in Basildon?

School places in Basildon, Pitsea, Laindon, Vange, Billericay and Wickford are handled by Essex County Council, not Basildon Borough Council. Every family applies through the same Essex Common Application Form, made online through the Essex Education Portal, and the council's School Admissions Team can be reached on 0345 603 2200 or at admissions@essex.gov.uk. The main starting point is the council's admissions page. You need to live in the Essex administrative area to use it, so if your address is in a neighbouring authority you would apply through that council instead.

Which secondary schools are in the Basildon area?

Essex County Council's 2026/27 secondary admissions directory lists nine secondary schools under Basildon. Two of them work as a pair: Basildon Lower Academy on Timberlog Close, SS14 1UX, takes pupils aged 11 to 14, and Basildon Upper Academy on Wickford Avenue in Pitsea, SS13 3HL, takes pupils aged 14 to 18. Both share an admissions contact at the Basildon Academies. De La Salle School on Ghyllgrove, SS14 2LA, is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided school for ages 11 to 16. The James Hornsby School on Leinster Road in Laindon, SS15 5NX, is an academy for ages 11 to 16, and Woodlands School off Nether Mayne, SS16 5BA, is also an 11 to 16 academy.

Further out in the borough, the directory lists Beauchamps High School on Beauchamps Drive, Wickford, SS11 8LY, a foundation school for ages 11 to 18, and The Bromfords School on Grange Avenue, Wickford, SS12 0LZ, an academy for 11 to 18. In Billericay it lists The Billericay School on School Road, CM12 9LH, and Mayflower High School on Stock Road, CM12 0RT, both academies for ages 11 to 18. Each school has its own admissions policy summary in the directory, including its published admission number, and the directory notes that some schools run their own testing or supplementary forms, so always read the entry for the school you are considering before you apply.

How does primary school admission work?

Children start school in a Reception class, and you apply through the same Essex Education Portal. For September 2027 entry, Essex says applications open on 9 November 2026 and close on 15 January 2027, and online applicants are emailed their offer on 16 April 2027. The council's primary school places page explains the process, and the separate booklets for South Essex list every infant, junior and primary school. Once the closing date has passed you cannot change your preferences online, so check them carefully before you submit.

When do you apply for a secondary school place?

Applications for Year 7 in September 2027 open on 12 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026, the national closing date. Essex will email online applicants on 1 March 2027 and you can then log in to see your allocation. Applications received after 31 October are treated as late and are processed after all on-time applications, so Essex warns you are less likely to get a place at a preferred school. The directory advises using all six preferences, because if you only name schools that are oversubscribed you may not be offered a place at any of them. The full rules are on the council's secondary school places page.

What is a catchment area and does it guarantee a place?

Many Essex schools give priority to children living in a defined priority admission area, often called a catchment area. You can check whether your address falls inside one using the council's find a school page, which links to the catchment checker. A catchment area gives priority but is not a guarantee, and Essex is clear that catchment areas are not relevant to home to school transport eligibility. If free transport matters to you, read the council's school transport information before you choose your preferences.

How do I check how good a school is?

The council points families to Ofsted for inspection reports, and you can search any school on the Ofsted reports site. The government's compare school performance service also lets you search schools near you and view published exam results. We have deliberately not quoted any grades here, because they change when a school is reinspected, so read the current report itself and visit the school in person if you can.

Quick answers

Apply through Essex County Council, not Basildon Borough Council. The secondary deadline for September 2027 is 31 October 2026 and the primary deadline is 15 January 2027. Offers come on 1 March 2027 for secondary and 16 April 2027 for primary. If you move house, tell the admissions team in writing with proof of your new address. For dates when schools open and close, see our Essex term dates guide.