Primary and Middle School National Offer Day - 16 April 2024

We are pleased to report that for reception over 95% of parents in Staffordshire have been allocated a place at their first preferred school with over 99% being offered a place at one of their top 3 preferences.  You can also view statistics by district.

For middle school applications (Year 5), over 99% have been allocated their first preference.

For junior school applications (Year 3), over 99% of parents have been allocated their first preference.

For answers to the most commonly asked questions please scroll down the following page. You are advised that telephone lines will be exceptionally busy the week following 16 April 2024 and you are encouraged to use the information available to you in the first instance before calling or emailing.

When will I know the outcome of my application?

The outcome of your application will be communicated to you by your home local authority i.e. where you reside.

If you live in Staffordshire and applied online you will be able to log into the online application system to view the outcome of your preference or alternatively you will receive an email advising you of the outcome on the 16 April.

If you did not apply online then the outcome of your application should arrive in the post by Monday 22 April 2024.  Please do not call or email us for the outcome of your application until after this date unless your application was submitted online via the online portal.

How were places allocated at oversubscribed schools?

Schools does not operate a first preference first or first come first served admissions policy - this is in accordance with the law. This means that every school listed in your application has been considered separately and fairly against the individual school’s published admission arrangements. 

If the school you applied for is located outside of Staffordshire then you can find the admission arrangements from the school website or the local authority where it is located.

Why was my child not allocated a place at my preferred school?

If your child has not been allocated a place at a preferred school, this is because other applicants with a higher priority under the admission arrangements have been allocated places (see information on the published admission number)

You can view a summary of how September 2024 places have been allocated at oversubscribed schools.

If your child resides in Staffordshire and a place could not be offered at any of your preferred schools on your application then a place has been allocated at a school where places are still available.

Where can I find details of how places have been allocated in previous years?

You can view a summaries of how places for September 2022 and September 2023 were allocated at oversubscribed schools. 

Will my child be placed on a waiting list?

All children who have been refused a place at a Staffordshire school have been automatically added to a waiting list which will be maintained until 31 December 2024 or the end of Year 2 if infant class size applies.

Children have been placed on waiting lists for all Staffordshire schools in line with the relevant admission arrangements. 

Places that become available will not be offered until after 30 April 2024.

It is important to note that a child's position on any waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change. As other children join the list they are ranked in line with the admissions arrangements and not the date that they were added to the list or applied for a place. There is no guarantee that places will become available below the published admission number.

Guidance on waiting lists for schools that are not located within Staffordshire can be found by contacting the relevant local authority.

Your child's position on a waiting list at a Staffordshire school can be obtained by emailing admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk or calling 0300 111 8007.

Can I appeal the decision made?

As well as being included on the waiting list, if your child has not been offered a place at one or more of your preferred schools then you have a statutory right of appeal to an independent panel. You are advised to carefully read the information available regarding the appeals process before lodging an appeal, especially the information regarding infant class size legislation.

If you have not been successful in obtaining a place at a school that is located outside of Staffordshire and would like to appeal then please contact or visit the website of the relevant local authority.

Do I have to accept the place offered?

No, Staffordshire will automatically accept the place offered on your behalf which will only be removed if you are later offered a place at a more preferred school.

I no longer require the place that has been offered.

Please email admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk as soon as possible if you no longer require the place that has been offered and advise us of which school your child will be attending.

Please note: that the offer of a place will only be removed by the local authority if you are offered a place at a more preferred school.

Where can I find out which schools have vacancies?

Please view the summary of primary and middle school places available in Staffordshire. 

Remember to apply through your home local authority even if you wish to make a late application for a Staffordshire school.

How do I make an application for another school or change the order of my preferred schools?

You can make a late application by completing the paper application form. You can then either:

• Email the form to admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk
• Or print out the form and post it to:

If you wish to change the order of your preferred schools, please let us know. 

What is the relevance of a published admission number?

Each school has a published admission number (PAN), which is the maximum number of pupils that the school can admit taking into account the accommodation and resources available. Each school’s published admissions number can be found within the admission arrangements or in the Information to Parents Booklet. 

How can I find out the catchment school for a certain address?

We have a search facility to enable you to check the catchment schools for various addresses and view an individual school catchment area. Your nearest school may not be your catchment area school. Please note there is no guaranteed admission to your catchment area school, allocations will be dependent on the availability of spaces in the relevant year group. Catchment areas are also subject to review and may alter from year to year. There are some schools in Staffordshire who do not operate a catchment area for admissions purposes.

What is infant class size legislation?

There is government legislation that requires admitting authorities to ensure that no infant class will contain more than 30 pupils if there is only one fully qualified teacher available for that class. Infant classes are reception, year 1 and year 2.  There are very limited circumstances in which a school will be permitted to exceed the 30 pupil class limit in Key Stage 1.

If you are unable to find the answer you require please contact us.