How to apply for your child's primary school place for next year - and what to do if they're not ready
If you’ve got a three-year-old, now is the time to start picking out schools 🎒
- Primary school applications are open now across most local authority areas
- You’ll likely need to apply for a Reception place if your child is currently aged 3 or 4
- Parents still have a few months to consider their choices
- If your child will still be very young at the start of the next school year, there are options available to you
School days likely still seem far away for parents of this year’s three-year-olds – but as always, the time will fly by all too quickly.
In England, children will typically enter Reception – the first year of primary school – at age four. For those who will turn four before the start of the 2026/27 school year around this time next year, the time to apply for a place has come. Across much of the country, these applications opened earlier this month, although parents still have a bit of time to scout out local schools.
The primary years are important. Here, children will build up essential school skills like reading, writing, and maths which they will need throughout the rest of their time in education. But just as importantly, they will also develop key life and social skills, try new things, and discover interests and passions – so making sure their new school is the right fit for them and your family matters.
But how do you actually apply for a primary school place, and how long do you have to explore your local options? And finally, what should you do if your child is technically old enough for school next year but doesn’t seem ready? We’ve taken a look at the Government’s official school admissions advice to find out for you:
How to apply for a primary school place for 2026
You’ll need to apply for your child’s place at a state primary school via your local council. In most areas, you can do this online quickly and easily, although they will typically have paper application forms available too.
Each local authority will have a dedicated webpage for school applications. If you’re struggling to find it or are unsure which council looks after schools in your area, you can find out by entering your postcode into this helpful online Government directory.
Be sure to check out any special instructions or guidance your council has available before you click the ‘apply’ button, and looking at admissions criteria for schools you are interested in can be helpful too.
Some councils may require you to create an account for their web portal before you apply, but this should be straight-forward. Once you’ve registered, you can start filling out your application with details for you and your child.
You will be asked to select your preferred schools. Exactly how many options you get will depend on where you live, but this will usually be between three and six. You should add your top choice first, followed by others you wouldn’t mind your child attending – and the Government recommends you add the maximum number of possible options to maximise your chances of getting one. You may want to visit a few schools or attend an open day before you decide – schools will have details about these on their website.
In general, most families will receive an offer from one of the preferred schools on their list. Nationwide, 92.6% of children got into their first choice of primary school for the school year that has just begun. Some 98.6% were offered a place at one of their selected options – meaning just a tiny, 1.4% of applicants weren’t offered a place at any of the schools their families had picked.
When is the deadline for applications?
Parents of children starting primary school have much more time to apply than those whose children are transitioning to secondary school. Applications open in September each year for both, but secondary school applications close at the end of October.
For primary school applications, the deadline will be January 15, 2026. Offers day, when you’ll find out which local primary school is able to offer your child a place, will be on April 16.
The Government says that if you miss this deadline, you can still apply for a place for your child. But they may be less likely to get an offer from one of your first choices of school.
What can I do if my child doesn’t seem ready to start school?
In England, children must be in full-time education from the age of five – the compulsory school age. This means that if your child is yet to turn four, and will only do so very close to the start of the 2026 school year, you are able to wait a while before sending them off to school.
Even if you plan on doing this, you will still need to apply to your local council for a school place by the deadline. But you can then request a delayed start.
It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing either, and you can start to ease your child into school life. They may be able to start attending their Reception class part-time, or could even start part-way through the next school year.
You can also wait for the following school year for them to start, so long as they are going to school full-time once they reach the compulsory school age. These children will usually go straight into Year 1 rather than a Reception class.
Are you starting to think about getting your child ready to enter Reception next year? Here are some of the skills education experts recommend they have before they begin.