School Application (Primary / Infants)
Depending on where you live in the UK will depend on the process you need to follow, and we will look at each area separately.
Depending on where you live in the UK will depend on the process you need to follow, and we will look at each area separately. England Most children will start school full-term in the September following their fourth birthday.
If you do not think your child is ready to start school at this time then they can start part-time, part-way through the school year or wait until the September after their 5th birthday.
You still need to apply for their school place at the same time as everyone else and just request a later starting date in the application. In England, you can choose to send your child to a state school, private school or teach your child at home.
Regarding state schools, it does depend on where you live as to which school your child will most likely attend, although there is some choice available.
Your local council will have a list of schools available to you, with each school having a catchment area, so depending on where you live will dictate to the most part, where your child goes to school. If you are going down the state school route, then your first port of call would be your local council to see which schools are within your catchment area.
Most schools will have open days, giving you the opportunity to look around the school during a regular school day, see their facilities and ask any questions you may have.
What if you don’t like the school in your catchment area? If you don’t like the school within your catchment area, then you can look at other schools local to you.
You have up to six choices of primary school on your application and you can enter them in priority order.
Just because you enter a school as your first choice, does not mean you will get in as the local council will allocate school places depending on specific criteria. Admission Criteria These can vary depending on your local school or council but usually follow the below criteria when allocating spaces: Who live close to the school (within the catchment area) Who have a brother or sister at the school already If it is a Faith school, then who has that particular religion If it is a selective school, then who has passed that entrance exam If your child has specific needs If a parent works at the school for more than 2 years. Can you appeal? If your child is allocated a space in a school and this is not where you would like them to go, then you can appeal and this will then be considered again. Your child may be put on a waiting list and then if not all places that are allocated are accepted, then your child may get into their chosen school.
Key Date.
September – January - Applications open a year early, the September before your child is due to start school and closes on 15th January – so you will be applying for your child’s school place when they are 3 or just turned 4. April – Your child’s offer will be allocated in April, 19th April 2022 – an email will be sent if you applied online, or in the post if you sent a paper form. Next Steps: If you are not happy with your allocated school then you can appeal. If your application was late then it will be processed in May and then June if later still.
If you apply after June, then it will be processed during July and August. Wales Most children will start school full-term in the term following their fourth birthday.
If you do not think your child is ready to start school at this time then they can start part-time or later in the school year. Your child will have to go to school before the end of the summer term or they will lose their place in the class, and you will have to reapply for a place. In Wales, you can choose to send your child to a state school, private school or teach your child at home.
Regarding state schools, it does depend on where you live as to which school your child will most likely attend, although there is some choice available.
Your local council will have a list of schools available to you, with each school having a catchment area, so depending on where you live will dictate to the most part, where your child goes to school. If you are going down the state school route, then your first port of call would be your local council to see which schools are within your catchment area.
Most schools will have open days, giving you the opportunity to look around the school during a regular school day, see their facilities and ask any questions you may have.
What if you don’t like the school in your catchment area? If you don’t like the school within your catchment area, then you can look at other schools local to you.
You can add more than one school to the application form and in priority order. Just because you enter a school as your first choice, does not mean you will get in as the local council will allocate school places depending on specific criteria – contact your local council who will be able to provide this for your area. Can you appeal? If your child is allocated a space in a school and this is not where you would like them to go, then you can appeal and this will then be considered again. Your child may be put on a waiting list and then if not all places that are allocated are accepted, then your child may get into their chosen school.
Key Date.
September – October prior to your child starting school, the application process will open and will remain open for at least 6 weeks – the date of the application process may vary depending on where you live, so contact your local authority for a full timetable of the application process. Scotland In Scotland, you can choose to send your child to a state school, private school or teach your child at home. If you choose a state school, you don’t decide which school your child is placed at, it is up to your local council. You can request a place at another school, however whether this gets accepted will depend on if there is any space available. For details check out your local council’s website where you will be able to see the catchment areas for each school and where your child will be placed depending on where you live. Children in Scotland will start school between the ages of four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half, depending on when their birthday falls. If your child’s birthday is on or between 1 March – 31 August, you child will usually start school in the August of the year they turn 5. If your child’s birthday is on or between 1 September – End of February, your child will usually start school the August before they turn five. You can defer your child’s entry to school by a year and get an extra year of early learning and childcare – contact your local authority for details. Northern Ireland In Northern Ireland, you can choose to send your child to a state school, private school or teach your child at home.
All schools have admissions criteria and if they receive more applications than places available, they will use these criteria to offer places.
It is important that you read the admission criteria for each school you are interested in to see if your child qualifies, and you need to do this before completing your child’s online application.
Children in Northern Ireland will begin their primary education from the beginning of the school year following their 4th birthday. Key Date.
January – online applications open for that year’s September intake. Early February – need to upload child’s birth certificate and supporting documentation Late April – you will be notified of the outcome of your application
Sources: https://www.gov.uk/schools-admission.
Depending on where you live in the UK will depend on the process you need to follow, and we will look at each area separately.