Ealing Council is hosting a series of advice and information sessions for parents and carers of children due to start high school in September 2017.

The Admissions Fair will take place on Wednesday, 5 October from 4-8pm at Ealing Town Hall. No booking is necessary for this event and parents and carers can drop in at any time.

Individual advice sessions will take place in Perceval House, next to Ealing Town Hall on 12, 13 and 14 October from 10am-4pm. People wishing to attend one of the sessions must book in advance by calling 020 8825 5522 or by emailing mainroundadmissions@ealing.gov.uk.

Staff from the council’s admissions service will be on hand, at all four events, to give one-to-one guidance on how to complete the application form, including making an online application.

They will also give advice on which schools parents should look to include on their application forms and how the admissions process works.

The final deadline for high school admissions is Monday, 31 October 2016 and the easiest way to apply is online. People unable to apply online can submit a paper application form which are available from primary schools. Anyone submitting paper applications is advised to return their forms earlier, by 21 October 2016.

Councillor Binda Rai, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Choosing which high schools to apply for can feel a little overwhelming for parents and carers, especially if they have never done it before.

“We want to help people by providing them with the ideal opportunity at our admissions fair and advice sessions to ask our team questions. They can find out why it is crucial to avoid errors such as only choosing one school; returning the forms late or making unrealistic choices because these errors can impact where your child will be offered a place. I would therefore encourage people to come along to these events.

“Like many parts of London, Ealing is experiencing an increase in demand for high school places and it is crucial that forms are completed and returned by the deadline given.”

Ealing’s High School Admissions 2017 brochure is available on the high school admissions pages of the Ealing Council website.