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Admission to reception classes
Reception admissions for September 2022 will open on 27 September 2021.
Decisions on primary and infant school places were released on 16 April 2021. If you applied online, your admissions account has been updated on the school admissions website. You will also have been sent an email giving the decision on your application and further information.
If you completed a paper application form, a letter will have been be sent out by second class post on 16 April 2021, telling you the decision.
If your child has been offered a place at one of your preferred schools
The Headteacher of the school has been 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 2021 is Monday 6 September 2021 and your child should attend on that day unless you are informed otherwise.
Children are entitled to a full-time place from September, but parents can ask to defer their child’s entry into school until later in the school year, or request part time attendance. This is on the condition that they are in full time education by the term after the fifth birthday and that admission takes place within the 2021/22 school year. Please contact the Headteacher if you wish to defer your child’s admission or to discuss part time arrangements.
If the school is unable to contact you about the school place, or you do not respond to any correspondence from the school, the place offered could be withdrawn.
There is no need to confirm acceptance of the place offered but please let us know if you no longer require the place.
If your child has been refused a preference
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 2021. If we have been unable to accommodate any of your preferences an alternative school has been offered.
You also have the right of appeal against the decision of the Admissions Authority to refuse a place for your child. If you wish to appeal you need to state your intention in writing to us (or by emailing admissions@norfolk.gov.uk) telling us which school(s) you are appealing for. You need to state your intention to appeal to us by Friday 30 April 2021.
On receipt of your request, for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, the County Council will send an appeal form to complete and return. If your child has been refused a place at an Academy, Free school, Voluntary Aided or Foundation school, the appeal request will be forwarded to the Headteacher of the school who will send the appeal form to you. Either way your completed appeal form must be returned to the Admissions Authority by Friday 14 May 2021.
Further information on the appeals process will also be provided on receipt of your written request. Appeals will be heard by the end of the summer term (21 July 2021).
All appeals are currently being conducted by video conference (MS Teams), telephone or on the basis or written submissions.
If you miss the published closing date, we will try to hear your appeal with the on-time appeals for that school, or as soon as possible.
Please be aware that the right of appeal for a place in an infant class (Reception, Year 1 or Year 2) with 30 pupils is more limited than any other appeal. These class sizes are restricted by law to 30 children with a single teacher. Further information about the right of appeal is included in the booklet ‘A Parents’ Guide to admissions to schools in Norfolk – 2021/22’ that was made available to you during autumn 2020 on the Norfolk County Council admissions website. Additional information regarding infant class size appeals will be provided to you if it applies to your appeal. Parents should be aware that not all appeals are successful. There have been no successful Infant Class Size appeals in Norfolk in the past 4 years
Appealing for a place at a Schools outside of Norfolk
If your child has been refused admission to a school outside Norfolk and you wish to appeal you should contact the Local Authority where the school is located. You should check the closing date with that Authority as this can be different.
Late applications
We give higher priority to applications that were sent in on time but we must also accept late applications. You can submit a late application by completing a paper application form.
Download an application form (docx) or use our contact form to ask us to send you one.
Home to School Transport
The County Council must provide free transport for children attending their nearest or nearest catchment school and living more than the qualifying distance from the school measured by the shortest available walking route. The qualifying distance is over 2 miles for children aged under 8 years. Full details are available on our home to school transport page.
Free School Meals
All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state funded schools in England are eligible for free school meals. This applies to academies and free schools.
Schools receive additional resources to support teaching and learning based on the number of children who are entitled to free school meals. Information on how to qualify for free school meals is available on our free school meals page. If you receive a qualifying benefit it is important that you register your entitlement to free school meals so that your child’s school receives the additional funding (pupil premium) to support your child’s education.
Information on admissions and schools in Norfolk
- For full information and frequently asked questions, download our parents’ guide to admissions to schools in Norfolk (pdf)
- See our detailed guide to primary and infant schools in Norfolk (pdf)
- Search and find details on the catchment school(s) for your address
- Download guidance on deferring your child’s reception place until the following year (pdf)
Immunisation for children starting school
At school, your child will be mixing with large numbers of other children, which increases the risk of germs and diseases spreading. Before your child begins school, it is really important that they are up to date with their vaccinations so that they are protected from diseases which could make them seriously unwell.
Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) are highly infectious and can have serious, potentially fatal, complications including meningitis, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), and deafness. The MMR vaccination protects against measles, mumps and rubella and to be fully protected each child needs to have two doses. Before your child begins school please make sure that they have had all their vaccinations. If you are not sure if your child has had all their vaccinations, check their personal health record (Red Book) or contact your GP surgery. For more information please visit the NHS vaccinations page or to discuss this or any other health concerns with a Health Visitor, please call Just One Norfolk on 0300 300 0123.
Just One Norfolk
Starting school is a big milestone for children. They are probably ready for this next step and will enjoy the learning and experiences being at school will offer. It is a proud and exciting time seeing your child become more independent, but it can bring mixed feelings too. Most children make the move to Reception class smoothly and enjoy the beginning of their school days. You may feel worried if:
- They have struggled to be away from you before.
- You worry they are still dependent on you and will not manage on their own
There is lots of information available at the Just One Norfolk website to help you prepare your child for school.
When does a child start school?
- If your child was born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017, they are due to start school in reception class in the school year starting September 2021. Children must be offered a full-time place from September 2021.
- Parents are entitled to defer their child’s admission or request that their child attend on a part-time basis. By law, children must start statutory education full-time no later than the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.
First admission to school timetable 2021-22
- Round opens - 28 September 2020
- Round closes - 15 January 2021
- National Offer Day when school place decisions are made available - 16 April 2021
- Appeals closing date - 14 May 2021
- Mini admission round to consider changes - 21 May 2021
- Appeals hearings - June/July 2021
- Waiting lists maintained until 31 December 2021
Contact us
If you have questions about admissions please use our contact form to get in touch.
