Applying for Reception places

Apply for a Reception school place

This page has information about applying for a reception school place. If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), please see Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support, Assessment and Review Team

Key dates

• Applications open: 1 September 2026
• Applications close: 15 January 2027
• National offer day: 16 April 2027

What you need to do

• Check if you can apply and which address to use
• read the rules each school uses to decide who gets a place (called oversubscription criteria)
• use all four school preferences 
• put your favourite school first – read the equal preference information below
• apply on time – if you apply late there is less chance of being offered one of the schools you apply to

Waiting lists important information

We changed the way waiting lists worked in 2024. 

If you want your child to be on a waiting list, you must ask in writing. The council will not add your child to a waiting list unless you ask.

Help with choosing a school

Find and compare schools

Use the school search tool to:

• look for schools near you
• check Ofsted reports
• filter by religion 

Visit the school

• visiting a school helps you decide. 
• you can talk to teachers and ask questions.
• schools may have open days or you contact them to arrange a visit.

Will your child get a place?

Getting a place at a specific school is not guaranteed.

Each school has their own rules to decide who gets a place. These are called oversubscription criteria. You can find them on each school’s website.  

If more children apply than there are places, the school uses these rules to decide.

You can see how places were given out in past years using the link below. 

• How reception and transfer places were allocated 

If you child can be given more than one school place, we use equal preference to decide which school.

What is equal preference?

When you apply for schools, you can choose up to four preferences. 

You must put them in the order you like best – your favourite first. 

All the schools look at your application without knowing which number you gave them. This means they treat all your choices the same at first.

Each school checks if your child meets their rules (oversubscription criteria).

If more than one school can offer a place, the council will give you the one you put highest on your list.

Example

Ahmed listed North East Secondary as his first preference. His child didn’t get a place because:

•    There were 30 places 
•    one place went to a child who was adopted (category 1)
•    20 went to children with brothers or sisters at the school (category 2) 
•    one went to a child with a medical need (category 3)
•    8 went to children who lived closer than Ahmed (category 4)

Ahmed’s child got a place at his second preference, North Academy.

•    There were 30 places
•    10 places went to children with brothers or sisters at the school (category 2)
•    20 went to children who lived nearest the school, including Ahmed's child (category 4)

Apply Online

Useful links

• Important Information about Reception 2026
• Legal information - School Admissions
• Key dates in the Reception process
• How reception and transfer places were allocated
• Delaying a child's start to school