Infant and primary school admissions

It is vital that you are happy with the school you select for your child’s education. We recommend you visit local schools to help with this decision.

Primary admissions scheme

Primary admissions are co-ordinated by the local authority. The scheme includes:

• A shared timetable
• A single applications process
• The sharing of information
• A single letter offering a place

All preferences will be treated on an equal basis, taking account of the admissions criteria. Where there is potential to offer a place at more than one school, the single offer will be for the school the parent ranked highest. If you do not receive an allocation of a preferred school/s you will be informed of your right of appeal.

Applicable school ages

Children born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 are due to start Primary/Infant school in September 2009, January 2010 and April 2010. Parents and carers who require a place in a Wokingham Borough Primary or Infant school will need to apply - either by paper application or online - for a place by 23 January 2009.

All Wokingham Borough schools offer places in the term before they reach compulsory school age. this is known as Foundation Stage 2 - Reception - or Rising 5s, on a part time basis, so:

• If your child was born on or between 1 September 2004 and 31 December 2004, your child is entitled to start Rising 5 education in September 2009

• If your child was born on or between 1 January 2005 and 31 March 2005 your child is entitled to start Rising 5 education in January 2010

• If your child was born on or between 1 April 2005 and 31 August 2005 your child is entitled to start Rising 5 education in April 2010

Apply by 23 January 2009 - use our online school admissions service

Regardless of start date, if your child is born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 the application form should be completed and returned by 23 January 2009. Forms received after this date will be treated as a late application and will be processed after the main allocation.

The governors of the 8 church aided schools continue to be the admissions authority for their schools but we will act on their behalf to co-ordinate admissions using the application form. Additional information may be required for entry into these schools - see below - and details of what will be required will be sent to you by the authority or by the school, if you list one of these schools as a preference. The individual school policies are available.

Application for Wokingham Primary and Infant school

You can only apply for a Wokingham Borough Primary/Infant school using the Wokingham application process. The application process for Wokingham Borough Primary/Infant schools is available to all parents, regardless of their home address.

You will need to pre-register your child with our Children’s Services School Admissions Team to automatically receive an application pack. If you have not received a pack by mid December please contact the Admissions Team. The key dates in the application and allocation process are as follows:

• November 2008 – application packs distributed.  

• 1 December 2008 - website open for online applications

• 23 January 2009 – closing date for applications

• 23 January 2009 - deadline for providing evidence of where you live to meet designated area and other criteria

• 30 March 2009 – parents sent notification of school allocated

• 20 April 2009 – deadline for parents to accept the place offered

More details

For more information or to register for an application pack if your child is born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 please complete the contact form below and return it to school admissions or contact:

The 2009-2010 edition of A Parents Guide to Primary School Admissions is attached below.

If you would like to apply online please complete the online admissions form.