Starting Primary School: A Timeline for Parents

I missed the application deadline for my eldest by three days. I genuinely didn't know it existed. Nobody told me. I assumed you just enrolled when they turned four.

We got our fourth choice school, 40 minutes away.

Here's the timeline so you don't do what I did.

October: Application Window Opens

Applications for Reception places open in October, almost a full year before your child starts school.

You apply through your local council, not the school directly. Every local authority runs its own system. Google "[your area] primary school admissions" and you'll find it.

You list up to six schools in order of preference. This is not first-come, first-served. Applying on day one gives you no advantage over applying on the last day.

What matters: whether you meet the school's admissions criteria (distance, sibling, faith requirements). Read the admissions policy for each school carefully.

January: Application Deadline

The deadline is usually 15 January.

Do not miss it. If you apply late, your application goes to the bottom of the pile. You'll be considered only after everyone who applied on time. Your chances of getting your first choice drop significantly.

The system closes at midnight. Don't leave it until 11pm on deadline day. Councils report server crashes every year from parents who wait until the last minute.

March: Offers Go Out

No, you don't hear in February. You wait until mid-April.

National offer day is usually 16 April. Every local authority releases decisions on the same day.

You'll get an email. Or you log into the council portal. Some councils still post letters, which arrive a day or two later.

You get offered one school. Not six. Not a choice. One place.

April: Accept or Decline

You have about two weeks to accept or decline the offer.

If you got your first choice: accept it. Congratulations. You're done with this bit.

If you got a lower preference or no offer at all: accept what you've been given anyway, then join the waiting list for your higher preferences.

Declining the offer doesn't give you more options. It just means your child has no school place. Accept it and appeal if needed.

May to August: Waiting Lists and Appeals

Waiting lists exist for every oversubscribed school.

If you didn't get your first choice, you're automatically added to the waiting list (check your council's rules - some require you to actively opt in).

Places do come up. Families move. Some accepted multiple offers by mistake and later decline. You might get a call in July offering a place.

If you want to appeal, you usually have until late May to submit the paperwork. Appeals are heard in June and July. The process is formal. You present your case to a panel. The school presents theirs.

Appeals succeed in about 20% of cases nationally. Worth doing if you have genuine grounds (sibling at the school, medical needs, major error in the decision). Less likely to succeed if your reason is "we live closer than we thought."

June: First Contact from the School

Once places are confirmed, schools start reaching out.

You'll get a welcome pack. This usually includes:

• Uniform list
• Term dates
• Staggered start arrangements
• Forms to complete (medical info, consents, emergency contacts)
• Invitation to an induction session

Read it. Fill in the forms. Schools send reminders, but they get annoyed if you don't respond.

July: Induction Sessions

Most schools run a couple of short visits in July.

Your child spends an hour or two in the classroom. They meet the teacher. They see where the toilets are. They play with some toys.

This is mainly to reduce anxiety (yours and theirs). It's not an assessment. Nobody is judging whether your child can write their name yet.

Some children love it. Others cling to you and refuse to let go. Both are fine. The teachers are used to it.

You might also get a parents' information evening. The head talks about school routines. You ask questions about lunch boxes. It's useful if you're new to the school system.

August: Uniform Shopping

Do not leave this until the last week of August.

Branded uniform (jumpers with school logos) comes from specific suppliers. They run out of stock. Order early.

Plain items (trousers, polo shirts) you can buy from supermarkets. Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury's all stock school uniform from mid-July.

Label everything before term starts. Every jumper, every shoe, every spare pair of pants. Use iron-on labels or permanent marker. Your child will lose things.

September: First Day

Term usually starts in the first week of September. Your child might not do a full day immediately.

Many schools phase Reception children in gradually. Half the class Monday and Wednesday. The other half Tuesday and Thursday. Some schools do even shorter sessions for the first week.

The school will confirm the plan in late August. Make childcare plans accordingly.

On the actual first day: turn up on time, have everything labelled, don't cry in front of your child (save it for the car).

What If You Move House

If you move after applying but before the offer date, contact the council immediately. Your application will be reassessed based on the new address.

If you move after accepting a place, you can usually keep it even if you're now further away. Check with the school. Some have policies about this.

What If Your Child Has SEND

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the process is different. The EHCP names the school. You don't go through the standard application.

If your child has additional needs but no EHCP, you apply as normal. Mention the needs in the application. Contact the school early to discuss support.

What If You're Not Sure They're Ready

Children born in September to February often seem young compared to their classmates.

You can request deferred entry (starting later in the year) or part-time attendance. The school has to agree. It's not guaranteed.

You can also request to delay starting until the following September (so they'd start Year 1 instead of Reception). This is rare and usually only granted for summer-born children or those with significant delays.

Speak to the school if you're worried. Most children adapt faster than parents expect.

The Timeline At A Glance

• October: application opens
• 15 January: application deadline
• 16 April: offer day
• End of April: accept or decline
• June onwards: induction and admin
• September: first day

Put the deadline in your calendar now. Seriously. Do it before you forget.

Once your child is in, the admin never stops. My School Agent keeps track of the emails, forms, and dates so you don't have to set 47 phone reminders.