Parents of children who will be four in September have one day left to apply for a primary school place.
Families with children in this age bracket will be due to have their child start school in September 2019, and will need to list their preferred primaries.
Here's what you need to know about the application preference:
When is the deadline?
The closing date for primary school applications for September 2019 is Tuesday, 15 January.
Parents or carers of children born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 must apply for a school place for their child through their local council.
They must fill in a form – either online or on paper – and list the primary schools they want to send their child to in order of preference. Some schools may also require a supplementary information form.
How many schools should I apply to?
At least three schools must be chosen by families. But in some local authorities, parents are required to list six schools in order of preference.
Families are advised to list all the schools that they would be happy with – not just their first choice - to ensure their child is not allocated a school that they do not want which could be far away.
What should I look for before choosing?
Parents should look at the council’s admissions guide for the local primary schools to find out how places will be allocated – especially if the school is normally oversubscribed.
It is important to look at a school’s criteria for admissions to see what they prioritise, such as distance, siblings or faith, to see whether your child has a realistic chance of getting a place there.
When will I find out?
Councils will send out primary school offers on 16 April.
Parents who applied online will receive an email confirming the primary school that has been offered, while others will have their offers sent to them by first class post the same day.
What do I do if I miss the deadline?
You can still submit the application form until early March but it will be considered a late application.
If there is not a valid reason for the delay then applications are likely to be placed on a waiting list.
