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It’s time to apply for your child’s primary school place for September 2024

Applications for school places are now open for parents in Nottinghamshire with children who are starting reception or due to transfer from infant (year 2) to junior education (year 3) in September 2024.

For children who will turn five years old between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025, or are transferring from infant to junior or primary school, parents have until Monday, 15 January 2024 to complete their application on time.

Nottinghamshire County Council is strongly advising parents to do their research on their preferred schools, use all four preferences, and check the admissions criteria thoroughly for the schools they would prefer their child to attend.

The easiest way to apply for a place is online at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/admissions Applying online means that parents can access their school offer on national offer day, before offer letters are mailed out.

For the best chance of being offered a place at a preferred school, the council advises parents to include schools where their child would have higher priority in the admission criteria and to list four schools.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Councillor Tracey Taylor, said: “It is important for parents to remember that children do not automatically transfer from nursery to full-time school and that they will need to submit an application to join reception year.

“The good news is that last year, over 99% of families in Nottinghamshire who applied on-time were offered one of their preferred infant, junior or primary schools.

“I would encourage parents to research their preferred schools, to list four schools and to apply on time to be given the best chance of being offered a place at a school that they would be happy for their child to attend”.

There is no guarantee that a child who attends a school’s nursery will get a place in reception at that same school and parents must make a formal application for a place.

Likewise, if a child is in year 2 at an infant school, there is no automatic transfer to year 3 at junior or primary.

Parents of children living in Nottinghamshire should apply through Nottinghamshire County Council, even if they wish to apply for schools in other local authority areas such as Nottingham City or Derbyshire.

Those who apply online will be able to log in to their account on National Offer Day on Tuesday, 16 April 2024 to view the outcome of their application. If parents provide an email address, the outcome will be sent by email. All other applications will be mailed by second class post on National Offer Day.

Applications received after the closing date are considered as late applications and will be processed once all on-time applications have been offered.

The council’s website www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/admissions has full details about the application process, and the ‘Admissions to Schools: Guide for Parents 2024-2025’ contains lots of useful information and advice.