Admission to reception classes for September 2018

The Reception class admission round closed on 15 January 2018.

If you applied online, offers will be available to view on your account from the morning of Monday 16 April 2018. You will need to log in to your account on the admissions website www.admissionsonline.norfolk.gov.uk. You will also be sent an email during the day with full information.

If you sent in a paper application, we sent you a letter on Monday 16 April 2018 by second class post. It will tell you at which school your child has been offered a place.

If your child has been offered a place at one of your preferred schools:

The Headteacher of the school will be informed that your child has a place. You will be contacted directly by the school with further information. The first day of the autumn term 2018 is Thursday 6 September. Your child should attend on that day unless you are informed otherwise
Children are entitled to a full-time place from September. Parents are allowed to defer their child’s entry into school until later in the school year. Your child must be in full-time education by the term after their fifth birthday. Admission must take place within the 2018/19 school year. Please contact the school if you wish to consider deferring your child’s admission
If you have been offered a place at a school outside of Norfolk, you will need to contact the school to find out the school’s individual admission arrangements
If the school is unable to contact you about your school place, or you do not respond to any correspondence from the school, the place offered could be withdrawn

Please notify us admissions@norfolk.gov.uk as soon as possible, if you no longer require the place offered.

If your child has been refused a preference

If we have been unable to accommodate any of your preferences, an alternative school has been offered. In these cases you must confirm to us in writing admissions@norfolk.gov.uk by Friday 11 May 2018 your acceptance of this offer.

If a preference has been refused at any school, your child’s name will be kept on a waiting list for that school until the end of December 2018.

Making an appeal

If a preference has been refused, you have the right of appeal against the decision of the Admissions Authority. You have a period of four weeks from Thursday 19 April until Friday 11 May to let us know in writing admissions@norfolk.gov.uk that you wish to receive information on how you can proceed with an appeal against the Admission Authority’s decision not to allow your child a place at your preferred school. Please tell us the school(s) for which you are appealing.

Parents need to note that any intention of appeal lodged after Friday 11 May 2018 cannot be considered, unless there are exceptional reasons why the specified date was missed.

On receipt of your request, we will either:

Send you an appeals form - if your child has been refused a place at a community or voluntary controlled school. You can state your reasons in support of your appeal
Forward your appeal request to the school - if your child has been refused a place at an academy, free school, voluntary aided or foundation school

Further information on the appeals process will be provided on receipt of your written request. Appeals will be heard during June/July 2018.

Important information about appeals

The right of appeal for a place in an infant class with 30 pupils, is more limited than any other appeal. This is because infant classes are limited by law to 30 children with a single teacher. Information about the right of appeal is included in the booklet A parents’ guide to admissions to schools in Norfolk – 2018/19 (pdf). Further information regarding infant class size appeals will be provided if it applies to your application.

Making an appeal for schools outside of Norfolk

If your child has been refused admission to a school outside of Norfolk and you wish to appeal for a place, you should contact the local authority where the school is located. You should check the closing date for appeals with the authority, as this can be different from Norfolk.

Home to school transport

Find out whether your child is eligible for free school transport and how to apply

Free school meals

All pupils in Reception in state funded schools are eligible for free school meals. If you receive certain benefits the school can also get additional funding. Read further information.

Additional admissions information

If you are considering applying to defer your child's admission to Reception class to the following school year, please read the guidance below:

Full information about the admission process in Norfolk and frequently asked questions:

If you have further questions about admissions contact us.