Starting infant or primary school ages 4 - 5

The closing date for on-time applications is 15 January. If you are applying after this date, please refer to the late applications section.

Key dates

13 November 2025: Online admissions open
15 January 2026: Closing date for applications and supporting information
16 April 2026: Offers of school places sent out
1 May 2026: Deadline to respond to offer of school place
2 May 2026: Waiting list information is made available
15 May 2026: Closing date for receipt of appeals to be heard together
31 August 2026: Admission round closes

The application process

Starting school is an important stage in your child’s life. It's important to remember that if your child attends a nursery or foundation unit which is part of a primary or infant school, there is no automatic transfer or guarantee you will get a place at the school.

Before making an application, we recommend that you read the parent's guide to primary and junior school admissions (PDF) and the co-ordinated admissions scheme (PDF.) This contains all statutory information you need to know before applying for a school place.

If you live in the Wokingham Borough, you should apply to us for a reception school place, even if you want to apply for a school in another local authority area.

Check your local council area on the Gov.uk website if you're not sure which local authority area you should apply to.

Which schools can I apply to?

When you make an application list up to 4 schools in order of preference.

Most addresses in the borough have a designated area school. This school is given the highest priority for admissions, and we recommend you include this as one of your choices.
You can use our schools designated areas page to find out which designated or catchment area you live in.
You can list any infant or primary state school as one of your preferences, even if it is not in our borough.
If you want to apply to a private school, you will need to apply to the school directly.

On time applications submitted by 15 January 2026

The application process commences 13 November and continues until 31 August of the admission year.

For an application to be considered on time it must be submitted between 13 November and
15 January.

Applications should be made via the Citizens Portal online school admissions website before
15 January. You will not be able to apply via Citizens Portal after this date.

If you are unable to apply using the Citizens Portal, paper applications can be requested by contacting schooladmissions@wokingham.gov.uk. Paper application forms must also be received by the 15 January deadline.

Paper application forms and online applications are treated the same and are not treated on a 'first come, first served' basis.

Late applications

If you are applying for a junior school place after 15 January but before 31 August, you will need to make a late application.

To make a late application download and complete the form (available after the application closing date) below and return it to schooladmissions@wokingham.gov.uk.

You will also need to provide the reasons for your application being submitted after the national deadline.

Late applications will be considered after National Offer Day.

How are places allocated

If a school does not have enough places for everyone who applies, the admission rules for that school will be used to decide who will get a place. Every school has a set of rules, known as the 'admissions arrangements' or ' oversubscription' criteria.

Schools that are oversubscribed will follow these rules when allocating places.

We recommend that parents read the parent's guide to primary and junior school admissions (PDF) to understand how community schools consider applications. For own admission authority schools, we recommend that parents read the school's admissions arrangement document which they can find on the school website, so they understand how each school considers applications.

Schools that use our admissions policy

The following schools follow the Wokingham Borough Council Admission Arrangements (PDF):

Schools that decide their own admissions arrangements

The following schools use their own admissions policies and apply their own oversubscription criteria.

Schools in other boroughs

If you've selected a school in another borough, you should check to make sure if there are any extra forms you need to complete. You can find our neighbouring boroughs below: