Parents in England: apply for primary school places before Sunday deadline

2 mins read

Friday 12 January 2024

Tags: primary school, applying for school

This Sunday 14 January is the deadline for families in England applying for primary school places.

This deadline applies to all children who do not have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. This group of children go through the normal admissions system even if they have a special educational need or disability.

You must still apply by Sunday even if you are thinking of requesting an EHC plan or are currently undergoing the EHC assessment process.

More information on school admissions

Visit our admissions and school choice webpage to find out:

  • How the application process works for children with or without an EHC plan.
  • The criteria schools use to decide who to offer a place to.
  • When you’ll receive your child’s primary school place offer.

Visit our webpage on finding the right school to understand:

  • How to get information about different schools.
  • What to think about when you’re choosing schools.
  • Some of the questions you can ask schools.

What happens after I’ve made my application?

Once you’ve submitted your choices, the schools you’ve applied to will each decide whether they can offer your child a place.

The local authority will consider these offers against your preferences, along with everyone else’s. And on National Offer Day – 16 April for primary schools – you’ll get a single offer of a school.

Our school admissions page has information on:

  • What to do if you’re not happy with the school offered.
  • When a school can’t refuse a child a place.
  • The right to a mainstream school place for children with EHC plans.

This information will also be useful to parents who applied to secondary school places last October. The secondary school National Offer Day is on 1 March.