Parents are being urged not to forget to accept their offers of primary school places for September.
While schools are closed to many at the moment and no date set for when they might reopen, it could be easy to forget the formality of accepting that all-important offer for the new academic year.
All parents and carers of school starters who applied for a place on time will have found out on April 16 which school their child has been offered a place at.
However, it's vital that parents respond to the offer made and either formally accept it, or let the council or school know their circumstances have changed and that they no longer require a place.
Councillor Garry Bridges, executive member for children and schools at Manchester City Council, said: "As we come week six of home-schooling during the current national lockdown, parents could be forgiven for forgetting that at some point normal life will once again be resumed and that schools will re-open.
"It's vital however that parents of children due to start school for the first time this September don't forget to formally respond to the offer of a school place made to them. We need their response so that we can continue to offer vacant school places to late applicants or new arrivals in the city."
This year saw an increase in the number of pupils allocated a place at one of their preferred schools in Manchester, with 92.14% securing a place at their first preference school, and the vast majority of pupils (97.85%) allocated a place at one of their top three preferred schools. Overall, more than 98% of pupils in the city were offered a place at one of their preferred schools.
Coun Bridges added: "Thanks to careful planning over the last few years and making more places available across the city, we've been able to offer more pupils places at one of their preferred schools this year.
"All of our primary schools however are brilliant places to be, and I'm sure they can't wait to welcome back their pupils again when this enforced period of home-schooling finally comes to an end."
Although the overwhelming majority of parents secured a place for their child at one of their preferred schools, the advice for any parent who decides to appeal their school place remains the same as in other years - they should accept the place offered whilst going through the formal independent appeal process.
Arrangements are currently being put in place to ensure the appeal process can continue, and parents should lodge an appeal in the usual way.
