Time’s running out for primary school admissions

Time is running out to tell the Council your preferred choice of primary or junior school for September 2017.

If your child is due to start at primary school for the first time in September 2017, or junior school for children who have completed Year 2, you only have six weeks left to get your applications in.

The deadline for primary and junior school admission preferences is Sunday 15 January and the 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 Terri Beer, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said: “We are currently short by approximately 1400 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. So I’d urge parents to complete their admission forms 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.

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.

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 89.44 per cent of young people and parents with their first preference of primary school, 100 per cent with their first preference of junior school, 93.16 per cent with their first preference of secondary school and 100 per cent with their first preference of Key Stage 4 institutions.

For more information call the Council’s school admissions team on 01752 307166.