Applications for September entry need to be in very soon
Parents of children due to start infant and primary schools in September 2014 are being urged to return their applications on time.
Children should start primary school in September 2014 if they were born between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010.
The deadline for primary school admissions is Wednesday, 15 January. People who return their applications after this date greatly decrease their chances of being offered a place at their preferred school. All children who applied on time last year were offered a place at an Ealing school and nearly 95% were offered a place at one of their top three schools.
The council say the easiest and quickest way to apply is via the www.eadmissions.org.uk website. Paper application forms are also available from Ealing primary schools or by contacting Ealing Council’s admissions service.
Ealing primary school applications are part of the pan-London admissions scheme. Under this ‘one-stop’ system, parents submit one application listing six schools in order of preference, even if some of their preferred schools are outside of the borough.
The council then co-ordinates its offers of school places with other London boroughs, ensuring that no one is offered more than one place. There will be a single, London-wide offer day on Wednesday, 16 April when parents across the capital will be sent the outcome of their application.
Councillor Jasbir Anand, cabinet member for children and young people said: “It is crucial that applications are returned on time. Late applications seriously affect a child’s chances of being offered a place at one of their preferred schools and make it very difficult for us to plan for the number of school places needed.
“I also want to urge parents to list six preferences on the form. Like other local authorities across the country, there is tremendous pressure on primary places in Ealing and many of our schools receive more applications than they have places. Although we try our best, parents shouldn’t assume that they are guaranteed their first choice of school and we need to know their other preferences.”
Help and advice is available from the council’s admissions service on 020 8825 5522 (9am-12noon) or by going to www.ealing.gov.uk/admissions.
8 Jan 2014