Primary School application deadline approaches

Parents and carers have until Saturday 15 January 2022 to submit applications to secure their child’s place at a Primary, Infant or Junior school for September.
Published: 21 Dec 2021

Applications should be made for children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 who are due to start primary school from September 2022. An application for a full-time school place must be made even if a child is already attending a nursery class in an infant or primary school, a pre-school or a children’s centre next to a school site.

Councillor Rachel Hood, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, SEND and Skills, said:

The best chance for parents and carers to secure their child’s place at one of their preferred schools is to complete their application by the closing date of 15 January.Parents and carers can list up to three schools on their application form, in order of preference, and we recommend applying for more than one school.

Before making a school application, parents and carers need to consider how they will get their child to and from school. School Travel eligibility is based on a child attending the nearest suitable school that would have had a place available. This might not be the catchment area school. To find out more about SCC’s school travel policy please visit www.suffolkonboard.com/schooltravel.
If you are planning to move house, or you think your circumstances may change before September, it is still essential to make an application on time.

Applications should be made online as this will mean parents and carers will receive a confirmation of their application. They can then log on to the online service on National Offer Day (Tuesday 19 April 2022) to see their school place offer and they will also be sent a confirmation email. If a parent or carer is unable to apply online then they should complete a paper application (CAF1), however these cannot be acknowledged, so it is suggested parents and carers obtain proof of postage. For those who completed paper applications, offer letters will be sent out by second class post on the National Offer Day.

Applications can be made at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions, where further advice and guidance is also available. Alternatively, parents and carers can call 0345 600 0981 for a paper application (CAF1).

Suffolk County Council continued with its good track record of offering places at preferred schools with 94.98% of parents in Suffolk being offered a place for their child at their first preference primary school last year.

If parents and carers do not apply by the closing date, their application may not be dealt with until after places have been offered to those who applied on time.