Fair Access Protocol

The Fair Access Protocol sits outside the arrangements for the coordination of school places and is triggered when a pupil hasn’t secured a school place under the in-year admissions procedures.

All admission authorities must take part in the Fair Access Protocol to make sure that unplaced children are offered a school place quickly.

There’s no duty for local authorities or admission authorities to meet parents’ preferences for schools when offering places under the Protocol.

The Fair Access Protocol has been amended to add an addendum to meet the new requirements of the new School Admissions Code that was implemented on 1 September 2021.