Making your application

Applications will be considered 6-school-weeks in advance of the place being required.

For entry to school at the start of term or half term, an application will need to be received by the School Admissions Team, 15 school days in advance of the commencement date. If you apply after this time, it’s unlikely your child will start on the first day the school reopens following any holiday.

To apply you will need to create a citizens portal account by following the link below:

Citizens Portal

Please apply through the above link and complete the online application. If you are unable to apply online, email schooladmissions@wokingham.gov.uk for details on how to complete a paper application.

School preference options

When you make an application to us you can list up to four Wokingham schools, in order of preference.

You will only be able to select schools who use the Wokingham school admissions service. If a school is not listed on the citizens portal it’s likely that you will need to apply directly to the school or they are in a neighbouring local authority.

It is advisable that you apply for your four nearest schools which may include schools in other local authority areas. If you want to apply for a school outside of Wokingham Borough, please contact the relevant local authority directly for information on how to apply.

School availability and designated area information

It’s advisable to consult the school availability document prior to making an application to determine where there are school places in the borough. This information is subject to change as we process applications, and we typically see schools being removed from the document as the academic year progresses and they become fully allocated. Typically, schools that are already full have a waiting list and the tendency is for this to continue so it is unlikely new schools will appear on the availability document.

Schools with a designated area

The majority of schools have a designated area. You can find out your designated area school is by visiting the schools designated areas page.

Places can't be held open for those applicants moving to a school’s designated area and there is no guarantee that a place will be available at a preferred school.

Schools without a designated area

Some schools have removed their designated area in favour of direct distance. We recommend parents read the school’s admission arrangements on their website. In the event the year group is oversubscribed, this document will explain how applications are ranked on the waiting list, this is known as the oversubscription criteria.

For a list of schools without a designated area please refer to the following webpage Schools and catchment or 'designated' areas.

Wokingham primary, infant and junior community schools ‘oversubscription criteria’

When a Wokingham Borough community school is full children will be added to the waiting list and ranked using the following ‘oversubscription criteria’.

Looked after of previously looked after children
Families who have an exceptional medical or social need as grounds for admissions to a particular school
For junior school applications to transfer at year 3, children attending a linked school
Children living in the schools designated area with a sibling at the school at time of application
Children living in the schools designated area
Children living outside the schools designated area with a sibling at the school at time of application
Other children

Receiving your outcome

Applications are considered individually in time receipt order, not as family units. Applications can take up to 15-school days to process from receipt of all required evidence. Please note if we do not receive the required address evidence, we will be unable to correctly rank your child on the waiting lists for schools that are full.

Applications that include all the necessary supporting documentation are likely to be completed in under 10-school days.

Responding to your offer

Please accept or decline the school place offered within 14 days by completing an In-year school offer response form.

If you are not happy with the place offered, we recommend that you accept the place and remain on the waiting list for higher preferred schools. Accepting the offered place does not impact your chance of gaining a place from a wait list but will ensure your child has a school place.

Updating your school preferences

Following the outcome of your application if you want to make any changes to your school preferences please complete a change of preference form. Please note the schools listed on this form will replace your original preferences so please include any previous schools you still want as preferences.

Change of preference forms will be considered in order of receipt. Please allow up to 10 school days for a response.

Change of preference form