Admission to primary and middle schools

September 2024

You need to apply for September 2024:

if your child's fifth birthday is between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025 for a place at first, infant or primary school

if your child will be in year 2 at an infant school in September 2023 for a junior or primary school

if you child will be in year 4 at a first school in September 2023 for a place at middle or primary school

See the timetable below for key dates in the process.

If you are moving to Staffordshire from abroad and have a child that requires a school place, please see the information on moving from overseas before making an application.

If you want to apply to change schools during the academic year, or your child is living in Staffordshire and does not currently have a school place, please view our information on in-year admissions.

Our online search and compare tool will help you to find information about your nearest schools, including performance information, teacher/pupil ratios and much more. You may also find the information on choosing a school helpful.

For information on:

middle school open evening/morning dates - for information on open days or evenings at first, infant, junior or primary schools please contact the schools directly.

types of schools

how school places were allocated for September 2021, 2022 and 2023 entry

learning options and careers

frequently asked questions

nursery admissions

Timeline

Please see the timeline below which includes important points to consider prior to making your application.

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November

The application system will open on 1 November 2023. You should only use this system if your child lives in Staffordshire.

You are strongly advised to make more than one preference.
We recommend you include your catchment area school. There are some schools in Staffordshire who do not operate a catchment area within their admission arrangements.
Understand the admission arrangements for your preferred school(s) and view further information on how places are allocated.
Consider how your child will get to school. Very few children are entitled to free or discounted home-to-school travel assistance.
If you are applying for an academy, foundation or voluntary aided school you may need to provide extra information or submit a supplementary form.

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January

Applications will close on 15 January 2024.

Last year there were over 250 late applications. This may have affected the outcome of these applications.
The late application policy (detailed in the published admission arrangements) will apply to those applications made after the closing date.

Applications sent to and received from other local authorities.

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February

Application details and supporting documentation sent to academies, aided and foundation schools.

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March

Academies, aided and foundations schools forward lists of all preferences ranked in accordance with their admission arrangements to the county council.

Provisional offers shared between local authorities.

Final offers exchanged between local authorities.

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April

Parents receive outcomes on National Offer Day, 16 April 2024.

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April - August

Processing of late applications and any available places allocated from waiting lists.

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June - July

Appeals heard by independent appeal panels.

Making an application

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online. A link to the online application will appear when applications ooen on 01 November 2023.

You must apply through the local authority where your child lives not where your preferred schools are located.

What if I can't apply online or have a problem?

You can:

call us on 0300 111 8007 and select the option for 'School Admissions and Transport'

email admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk so we can help you.

As a last resort, you can complete the relevant paper application form (which will be available from 01 November 2023) but it really is better to apply online.

Please note: Application forms sent by post or via email will not receive an acknowledgement of receipt and you will not receive your school place offer by email on 16 April 2024.

You can then either: