Overview of the infant and primary school application process
An infographic showing what happens when you apply for infant and primary school.
View the key dates when applying for infant and primary school.
Applying for a school place
Thinking time (before October)
Parents are starting to think about applying for a school place for their child.
Applications open (in October)
Parents can start to apply online via the Citizen Portal. We strongly advise that you use all four preferences.
Mythbusting
“If I only put one choice on my application, they will have to give me that school.”
Not true! If you only put one choice, you may be offered your nearest school.
Don't delay
Get your application in before the deadline!
Applications close (in January)
The application form closes.
The School Admissions Team gets to work (October to April)
We start to process applications submitted before the deadline.
Parents who missed the deadline or want to change their preferences can make a late application. We process late applications in the second round.
We send each school the list of children who listed it as a preference. Schools rank the children based on the admission rules and send the results back to us.
We calculate the home-to-school distance for each preference and then run a report to determine the school we will offer each child.
We run a report to determine school transport eligibility.
Did you know?
Schools do not know the preference order you chose on your application.
National Offer Day (April)
Across the UK, parents receive an offer of a school place.
Parents who applied online will get their offer in an email by the end of the day. They can log into the Citizen Portal to accept or reject their offer.
Parents who applied by paper form must wait up to four days for their offer letter. They accept or reject their offer by paper form.
Parents who didn't get their first choice can be added to a continued interest list for the second round of offers. They canalso appeal the decision.
Last day to respond to offers (May)
Last day for late applications, changes of preference and continued interest lists.
We process late applications, changes of preference and continued interest lists for the second round. We use the same admission rules as for the first round of offers.
Second round offers (June)
Parents who didn't get the school they wanted in the second roundcan be added to a continued interest list. They can also appealthe decision.
Term starts (September)
Children start at school.