Primary admissions

Entry into reception class for September 2013

If your child was born between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009 you must make an application for a reception school place. You can make an application using the paper application form (pdf, 118 KB) (opens new window) which can be downloaded, printed off and returned to us.

Before making an application you should read the Primary Guide for Parents and Carers (pdf, 3.9 MB) (opens new window) which provides essential information.

You can use Bristol's My Neighbourhood website to find out which schools are nearest to your child's home. Enter your post code and click 'Search'. Select your address from the list then click on the 'My Nearest' tab near the top of the page. Under the 'Education' category you will find lists of your nearest Primary and Secondary schools. Please ensure that you read your preferred school's individual admissions criteria as some may give different weighting to your home address.

Furthest distances from previous years (pdf, 34 KB) (opens new window).

Information for those who have applied for a reception class for September 2013

If you applied online

Offer emails were sent out on Friday April 19, 2013.
An offer letter and acceptance form was also sent out in the post.

If you submitted a paper application.

Offer letters and acceptance forms were sent out via 1st class post on Friday April 19, 2013.

For security reasons, we are not able to provide information on the status of your offer email over the phone.

What to do next

• Fill in the acceptance form and return it in response to the offer.

What to do if:

• you have been offered your 2nd or 3rd preference (pdf, 295 KB) (opens new window)
• you have been offered a place at a school which was not one of your preferences (pdf, 294 KB) (opens new window).

How allocations were made for oversubscribed schools. (pdf, 1.3 MB) (opens new window)

Second round letters will be sent out from the week beginning June 7th 2013

You may contact us to find out your position on the waiting list from May 28th 2013

Timetable for Coordinated Reception Admissions for September 2013

January 15, 2013
This was the closing date for applications. Any applications received after this date are regarded as a ‘late application’. This includes any changes of preferences received after this date even if the original application was on time. Late applications are considered after the first round of offers have been sent out

February/ March
Coordination with other Admission Authorities. Bristol school admissions exchanges information with other admissions authorities for applications of non-Bristol schools. Sorting process is undertaken by LA to ensure every child receives the highest preference offer possible or an offer of an alternative school if no preference school is available.

April 19, 2013
Single offer of a school place. All Bristol residents who made an on time application (i.e. received by 15 January 2013) are sent a single offer letter. Online applicants also receive an email.

May 4, 2013
Responses received. All parents/ carers should respond by this date, in writing using the reply form enclosed with their offer letter.

May/June
Bristol keeps other Local Authorities and own admission authority schools updated.

June
On going allocation of places that become available in over-subscribed schools and late applications processed.

July onwards
Appeals heard.

Additional reception places

Work continues with the aim of providing more places. Details of these and the methods of applying for them will be published on the Primary additional places update page as appropriate.

Statutory School Age

Information relevant to children entering Reception Year 2013 who are not yet of Statutory School Age

As a rough rule, Statutory School Age means that a child has to be receiving appropriate education in the school term following their fifth birthday. That is:

• A child born between September 2008 and December 2008 has to be in school as from January 3, 2014
• A child born between January 2009 and April 2009 has to be in school from April 16, 2014
• A child born between May 2009 and August 2009 cannot defer any later than April 2014

Please contact School Admissions for exact dates of birth.

If School Admissions have offered you a school place that is not for your first preference school and to date you have not accepted that offer.

You can:

• enrol your child at the offered school so that they attend that school. If you have already replied to School Admissions that you wish your child to be on one or more waiting lists you need not do anything else. If you have not done this then please, as a matter of urgency, write to School Admissions identifying which of your preference schools you wish your child to be on the waiting list for.
• formally (in writing) contact School Admissions to refuse the offer. In this case your child will not attend a Bristol State school until your child’s name comes to the top of a waiting list (should you have requested to go on the waiting list for one or more of your preference schools) and a place becomes available OR they reach statutory school age – whichever happens sooner. You should contact School Admissions at least 6 weeks before your child reaches statutory school age to request a place.
• defer your child’s entry to school until they reach Statutory School Age (see below under Deferred Entry for further information)
• choose to inform School Admissions in writing that your child no longer require a state funded school place.

Deferred entry

Parents or carers may delay entry into school until their child is nearer their 5th birthday if they feel their child needs more time to prepare for school. Parents must apply for places in Reception through the normal application process of the the Co-ordinated Primary Admissions Scheme. A Parent may contact a school to discuss the possibility of deferred admission before the allocation of places in April. A school will assume that a child will be admitted to Reception in September 2013 unless a parent contacts the headteacher after the allocation of places. Please see the table to determine how long you can defer entry based on your childs date of birth (pdf, 8 KB) (opens new window).

Please note that your child will remain on the waiting list until the end of December 2013. School Admissions will contact you in mid-December to ascertain if you wish your child to remain on the waiting list until the end of the academic year.

Should you wish to explore other options please contact:

Education Otherwise on 0117 922 3700 concerning home education or

The Family Information Service on 0845 129 7217 or

Early Years and Childcare Services

Allocation of places for oversubscribed schools
See allocation statements detailing how places were allocated for oversubscribed schools, under Pages in this section on the right.

Waiting list positions for Bristol community schools
These will be available from the June 20, 2013 which will include the second round. To obtain your child’s position, please contact us by telephone.

Information on how places were allocated at oversubscribed schools in 2011 is also available by following the links on the right.

The current admissions code of practice can be found on the Department for Education website.