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Admission to reception classes

Reception class applications for September 2024 closed on 15 January 2024.

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If you applied, we will offer you a school place on 16 April 2024 (National Offer Day). 

Late applications 

If your child is due to start school in September 2024 and you haven't applied, you can make a late application by completing a paper application form. 

Request a paper application form using our general enquiry form

When children start school

Most children start school in the September after their fourth birthday. 

You need to apply for admission to reception for September 2024 if your child was born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. 

You must apply for a reception class place even if your child currently goes to a nursery class at a school. Going to a nursery attached to a school does not increase your chances of getting a reception class place at that school. 

If you want your child to start later, you still need to apply for a reception class place at the same time as everyone else. 

Find out more about when your child starts school.

When you get your school offer

If you applied for admission to reception class for September 2024, we will offer you a school place on 16 April 2024 (National Offer Day). 

  • If you applied online, you will be able to see the offer in your admissions account online from 8.30am on 16 April 2024. We will also send you the offer by email. 
  • If you completed a paper application form, we will send your school offer by post. We send offer letters by 2nd class post on 16 April 2024. 

We will tell the headteacher of the school that your child has a place. The school will contact you with further information. 

Some schools need you to complete an acceptance form. They will send you this form with their welcome pack. 

The first day of autumn term 2024 is Wednesday 4 September 2024. Your child should go to school on that day unless the school tells you otherwise. 

If you are not offered a place at one of your preferred schools

If we are unable to offer your child a place at one of your preferred schools, we will offer a place at an alternative school. This will be at the nearest school to your home address with an available place. 

Waiting lists

If we don't offer your child a place at one of your preferred schools, we will add their name to the waiting list for that school in case a place becomes available. We will keep their name on the waiting list until 31 December 2024. 

Appealing the decision

You have the right to appeal the decision if we do not offer your child a place at one of your preferred schools. 

How to appeal the decision

Transport and free school meals

We will tell the transport team which school your child will be going to. The transport team will contact your if your child is entitled to home to school transport.

Find out more about school transport

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 automatically get free school meals.

Find out more about free school meals

The admissions process in Norfolk

You can find full information and answers to frequently asked questions in  a parent's guide to admissions in Norfolk (PDF) [415KB].

Contact the admissions team

If you need to contact us, you can use the general enquiry form.

Reception class admissions timetable

Important dates for reception class applications for September 2024: 

  • Applications open - 25 September 2023 
  • Applications close - 15 January 2024 
  • National offer day (when you get your school offer) - 16 April 2024 
  • Appeals closing date - 14 May 2024 
  • Mini admission round starts (when we consider changes parents have made to their applications since the closing date) - 20 May 2024 
  • Appeals hearings take place - June/July 2024 

We maintain waiting lists for oversubscribed schools until 31 December 2024.