Admission to reception classes
First admission to school during the school year 2020/21
How can i find out the decision on my application?
If you applied online, you can check your admissions account online at www.admissionsonline.norfolk.gov.uk. You will be able to view the decision on your account from 8.30am on 16 April 2020. This will be followed up, as quickly as we can, with an email giving the decision on your application and further information.If you completed an application form, letters are sent out by second-class post on 16 April 2020. Children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 may start school full-time no earlier than the beginning of the autumn term before their fifth birthday.
If your child has been offered a place at one of your preferred school
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 2020 is Monday 7 September and your child should attend on that day unless you are informed otherwise.
You do not need to accept the place offered with this office. Some schools may have arrangements in place to ask you to confirm your acceptance of the place offered.
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, provided they are in full time education by the term after the child’s fifth birthday and that admission takes place within the 2020/21 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 direct to find out the school’s individual admission arrangements.
Please notify this office as soon as possible if you no longer require the place offered.
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you about your school place, or you do not respond to any correspondence from the school, the place offered could be withdrawn.
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 2020.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 you 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 1 May 2020.
On receipt of your request, for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, the County Council will send an appeals 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 15 May 2020.
Further information on the appeals process will also be provided on receipt of your written request. Appeals will be heard during June/July 2020.
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.
If we have been unable to accommodate any of your preferences an alternative school has been offered.
Important to note
You need to 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 as these class sizes are limited 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 – 2020/21’ that was made available to you during autumn 2019 on the Norfolk County Council website (www.norfolk.gov.uk/admissions).Further information regarding infant class size appeals will be provided to you if it applies to your appeal.
We are anticipating delays to the appeals process due to the coronavirus outbreak. We may also have to cancel some arranged hearings at short notice or change the format of the hearings.
Appealing for a place at a school outside of Norfolk
If your child has been refused admission to a school outside 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 with that authority as this can be different.Additional information
Information on home to school transport and the arrangements for free school meals is available in the First admissions additional guidance notes (pdf).Late applications
If you have not yet made an application, please complete a paper application form (pdf).Application form
If you want an application form to be sent to you, request one via our online form.Late applications have a lower priority than applications that were submitted before the closing date.
Information on admissions and schools in Norfolk
- Parents' guide - full information about the admissions process in Norfolk and frequently asked questions
- Guide to first admission school - detailed information on all schools in Norfolk
- Catchment school(s) - search and find details on the catchment school(s) for your address
- Guidance on deferring your child’s reception place until the following year (pdf)
First admission to school timetable 2020/21
- Round open - 27 September 2019
- Round closed - 15 January 2020
- National Offer Day when school place decisions are made available - 16 April 2020
- Appeals closing date - 15 May 2020
- Mini admission round to consider changes - 21 May 2020
- Appeals hearings - June/July 2020
- Waiting lists maintained until 31 December 2020
