Time is running out to apply for a primary school place in September

If your child is due to start at primary school for the first time in September 2019, or junior school for children who have completed Year 2, you only have a few days left to get your applications in.

The deadline for primary and junior school admission preferences is Tuesday 15 January and the Council is urging parents get their applications in on time. 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.

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 Jon Taylor the Cabinet Member responsible for Education said: “We are currently short by approximately 1,180 applications and if we don’t receive them by the deadline, it means those children may not get the primary or junior school of their choice. The last thing we want is for parents to leave it to the last minute and there be some unforeseen circumstance that stops them applying.”

The easiest way to apply for a place is online through the Council’s website at www.plymouth.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

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

Last year the Council was able to match 93.93 per cent of children and parents with their first preference of primary school and 100 per cent with their first preference of junior school.

For more information call the Council’s School Admissions Team on 01752 307166.