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Sixth Form Admissions Compliance

This one-page handout summarises the key rules schools must follow to remain compliant with the School Admissions Code (2021) and the January 2026 Schools Adjudicator determination when using Applicaa / Admissions+ for sixth-form admissions.

Join us on Wednesday 4 February at 2pm for our webinar focused on ensuring your Application Form meets the Admissions Code - register here. 

Even if you are unable to attend on the day, please register to ensure a copy of the recording is sent to you after the session. 

 

1. Is Applicaa treated as a Supplementary Information Form (SIF)?

Yes. Any system used to collect information at application stage (before enrolment) is treated as a SIF, regardless of its name.
Why: The law focuses on use, not branding.
Legal basis: Code para 2.4.

2. Does it matter what the system can store if we can’t see it?

No. Compliance depends on what staff can see and use, not what the system can technically hold.
Why: Only visible data can influence decisions.
Legal basis: Code paras 1.9 and 2.4.

3. Can we collect medical, SEN or safeguarding data at application stage?

No. This data must not be requested or visible before a firm place exists.
Why: It must not influence admissions decisions.
Legal basis: Code para 2.4(c).

4. When can we collect medical, SEN and safeguarding information?

After enrolment only. This means post-results day, once the student has accepted a firm place.
Why: At this point the form is no longer being used to process applications.
Legal basis: Code para 2.4 (scope limitation).

5. What counts as a “firm offer”?

A place is firm only when:

  • GCSE results are known
  • Entry requirements are met
  • The student has accepted and is enrolled (or acceptance is unconditional)

Anything earlier is not post-admission.

6. Are provisional or conditional offers post-admission?

No. Provisional and conditional offers are still part of the admissions process.
Why: If they affect priority, sequencing or enrolment order, they are admissions decisions.
Legal basis: Schools Adjudicator determination (Jan 2026).

7. Predicted grades — what schools MAY do

Predicted grades may be used to decide whether a student is eligible for a course and whether to make a conditional offer, but where a course is oversubscribed, offers must be made using published oversubscription criteria — not predicted grades.

Schools may use predicted grades to:

  • determine whether a student meets the published academic entry requirements for a course
  • decide whether a student is eligible or not eligible for that course
  • decide whether to make a conditional offer (or not) at the pre-admission stage


This reflects standard sixth-form practice and is lawful.

Legal basis:Admissions Code paras 1.6–1.8 (setting and applying entry requirements).

8. Predicted grades — what schools must NOT doOnce eligibility has been established, predicted grades must not be used to:

  • rank applicants who all meet the entry requirements
  • prioritise which eligible applicants receive offers where places are limited
  • break ties between eligible applicants
  • decide enrolment order
Why:Predicted grades are subjective and vary between schools. Using them to prioritise otherwise eligible applicants creates unfairness.

Legal basis:Admissions Code para 1.9 (fairness and objectivity), supported by the Schools Adjudicator determination (January 2026).

Worked example — Further Maths (oversubscribed course)

Scenario
  • Further Maths has 30 places
  • 500 applicants meet the published entry requirements based on predicted grades
What the school MAY do:heavy_tick: Use predicted grades to decide who is eligible and who is not eligible:heavy_tick: Decide not to make a conditional offer to students clearly below the required standard:heavy_tick: Apply published oversubscription criteria to decide which eligible applicants receive offers

Examples of lawful tie-breaks (if published):
  • looked-after / previously looked-after children
  • distance from the school
  • feeder school priority (where lawful)
  • random allocation / lottery
What the school must NOT do✘ Rank the 500 eligible applicants by predicted grades✘ Offer places to the “strongest” predicted performers✘ Use teacher judgement or references to choose between eligible applicants✘ Use preference ranking to prioritise offers
 

9. Can we request references before enrolment?

Only with extreme caution. References must not comment on behaviour, attitude, effort or attendance.
Legal basis: Code para 1.9(g).

10. Can we collect behaviour or attitude references before enrolment?

No. Such information must not be requested or viewed before a firm place exists.
Legal basis: Code para 1.9(g).

11. Are personal statements allowed at the application stage?

No, if they could influence decisions.
Why: Admissions decisions must rely only on published criteria.
Legal basis: Code paras 1.9 and 2.4.

12. Is preference ranking allowed?

Yes, with strict safeguards only.

Ranking must be:

  • Hidden from decision-makers pre-offer
  • Used only after offers, for planning
  • Clearly stated as having no impact on offers

Legal basis: Code para 1.9(c).

13. Can ranking affect provisional offers or enrolment order?

No. Ranking must never influence offers, priority or sequencing.
Legal basis: Code para 1.9(c); Adjudicator determination.

14. What information can we safely collect at application stage?

Schools may collect:

  • Name, date of birth, contact details
  • Current school
  • Courses applied for
  • Confirmation entry requirements can be met
  • Looked-after / previously looked-after status (where relevant)
  • Address and distance (where used as a criterion)

Legal basis: Code paras 1.6–1.8 and 2.4.

15. Should we issue provisional offers at all?

Only if full compliance can be guaranteed.

Provisional offers must not:

  • Create priority
  • Rely on predicted grades or references
  • Affect enrolment order

If this cannot be guaranteed, the safest option is not to issue provisional offers.

16. What should we do with the data already collected?

It's not necessary to delete the data already collected via the application form, but you must ensure that you do not use this in any way to inform your offer-making decisions, and should turn those questions off in your application form to prevent any further data being collected at this stage for those fields.

This will mean you don't need to ask those who have already supplied it to do so again at enrolment, but you should turn the questions on in your enrolment form to ensure any who have not yet provided it have the opportunity to do so at that time

 

Key takeaway

If admissions decisions are based only on lawful criteria, and all other data is locked until a firm place exists, your sixth-form admissions process will remain compliant.