Have you applied for your child’s school place?

Don’t leave it till the last minute to apply for a school place if your child is due to start primary school for the first time this year.

Families whose children are due to start at primary school for the first time or junior school (having completed Year 2 in an infant school) in September 2016 have just 12 days left to tell the Council which three schools are their top choices.

The deadline for primary and junior school admission preferences is Friday 15 January and Plymouth City Council is urging parents not to leave their applications until the last minute.

To maximise the chances of being allocated a place at a preferred school, parents are advised to list three schools in their application.

Where the Council is unable to allocate a place at one of the parent’s preferences, a place will be allocated at the nearest suitable school to the home address with a vacancy after all the preference applications have been considered.

Councillor Sue McDonald, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health said: “We are currently short by around 1400 applications and if we don’t receive them by the deadline, it means those young people may not get the primary or junior school of their choice. We know how important applying for your child’s first school place is for parents so it’s crucial they complete the admissions form as soon as possible.”

The easiest way to apply for a place is online through the Council’s website at www.plymouth.gov.uk/schooladmissions  where you will find full details on how to apply and how the admissions system works.

Each school has its own admission criteria, so it’s important to look at the information relating to specific schools in the admission guidance booklet also on the web.

Parents are warned if they apply late there is a risk that all the places at their preferred schools will be filled by applicants who applied on time.

Last year the Council was able to match 88 per cent of young people and parents with their first choice of primary school, 99 per cent with their first choice of junior school, 94 per cent with their first choice of secondary school and 100 per cent with their first choice of secondary school.

For more information call the Council’s school admissions team on 01752 307166 for primary and junior school transfers.