Preparing for school: Applying for a place

In the final part of our series on preparing for school, we look at the application process.

When to apply for school

The exact deadline for school applications changes each year. It's usually mid-January and you will then normally find out about your child’s school place in April but you should always check with your Local Authority for the exact dates and processes followed where you live.

If you have an independent school in mind, their enrolment window may start earlier than this, so please do check with the specific school.

If your child is summer born (an April to August baby), or you do not feel they are ready to start school, then you are also able to apply to defer their school place by a year. You should speak to your nursery

Working in partnership with schools

Once school places are confirmed it can help for your nursery to make contact with your child’s new school. For example, At N, we invite your child's new teacher to meet them at nursery or can have your child's key person visit the school. This allows important information to be passed on to the teacher and helps their new teacher become a familiar face.

Your child’s final assessment against the seven areas of learning in the EYFS will act as a school leaver’s report and will be shared with you and their new teacher. This gives them a clear picture of development to build on as they take over the next stage of your child’s learning journey.

It’s a very proud moment seeing your children ready to take the next step in their education and with you and your nursery's support, it's one they can take confidently.

For full details on N Family Club’s approach to school readiness, take a look at our Getting Prepared for School

N guide. And for ideas you can try at home read our article on 4 ways to prepare your child for school.