PARENTS and guardians of children off to secondary school next September are reminded the closing date to apply for school places is Friday, November 27.

Monmouthshire County Council say parents are urged to complete their applications before the closing date as this will give them the best chance of ensuring that their child attends their preferred school. 

Parents resident in Monmouthshire must apply to the council even if their preferred school lies outside the county’s borders (excluding schools in Newport where applications are to be made directly to the city council).

Parents may apply using the council’s online application system at www.monmouthshire.gov.uk 

Parents who submit application forms by the deadline will be informed which school their child will attend no later than March 1 2016.

Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for schools and learning, Councillor Liz Hacket-Pain said: “Applications which are not submitted by the deadline will be considered after those received on time. That means parents who apply late are at greater risk of being allocated places for their child other than at their preferred school – even if they have other children already in the school.”