Primary school admissions

Starting Reception in 2025

Pupils usually start primary school in the September following their fourth birthday. If your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 this will be from September 2025. You must make an online application for a reception place, via eadmissions portal even if your child is already attending the school's nursery.

All children are expected to start school in the reception year in September, if they will be five in that school year.

To help your child get ready for starting school please visit the DfE's Starting Reception site.

Deferring school entry means that a child begins school later than September, but still joins their own age-peer group. Complete the deferring entry form or get a form sent to you by emailing school.admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

There is no automatic right of transfer from the nursery class to the reception class in the same school, and attending a nursery class does not give any priority for admission to reception class at the same school.

Before you apply

The Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets brochure contains all the information you need on applying including a step by step guide to making your online applications, plus details of all Tower Hamlets primary schools. You must apply via the e-admissions portal.

Closing date for making applications is midnight on 15 January 2025.

To apply to schools where a SIF (Supplementary Information Form) is required please contact the school to complete this form.

If you miss the deadline you must still submit your late application on the eadmissions portal.

When applying for a school place please remember that it will be your responsibility to ensure your child gets to and from school safely.

The council provides support with home to school travel in exceptional circumstances only, and you would usually be expected to apply for your local schools before any support would be considered.

If you are not sure where your local schools are, please use our school finder tool.

Find out more about the school travel policy.

Parents advice session

Join the the School Admissions Service Team and the Transitions Team for a parents advice session.

Get Set 2025 - Book your place

National offer day

Parents will be able to view the outcome of their application on the evening of 16 April 2025 by visiting the eadmissions portal.

Waiting lists

If your child is not offered a place at a preference school or you are offered one of your lower preference schools, your child will be added to the waiting list.

You will need to reapply in December 2025 to remain on the waiting list after this time.

Schools in Tower Hamlets with places remaining

If you need a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) please contact the school.

School	Address	SIF required?
Arnhem Wharf	Arnhem Place, E14 3RP	No
Bangabandhu	Wessex Street, E2 0LB	No
Ben Jonson	Harford Street, E1 4PZ	No
Bonner Bethnal Green	Stainsbury Street, E2 0NF	No
Cayley	Aston Street, E14 7NG	No
Chisenhale	Chisenhale Road, E3 5QY	No
Christchurch CofE	Brick Lane, E1 6PU	Yes
Culloden	Dee Street, E14 0PT	No
Elizabeth Selby	Old Bethnal Green Road, E2 6PP	No
English Martyrs	St Mark Street, E1 8DJ	Yes
Hague	Wilmot Street, E2 0BP	No
Halley	Halley Street, E14 7SS	No
Harbinger	Cahir Street, E14 3QP	No
Harry Gosling	Fairclough Street, E1 1NT	No
Hermitage	Vaughan Way, E1W 2PT	No
Manorfield	Wyvis Street, E14 6QD	No
Marner	Devas Street, E3 3LL	No
Mulberry Canon Barnett	Gunthorpe Street, E1 7RQ	No
Old Ford	Wrights Road, E3 5LD	No
Old Palace	St Leonards Street, E3 3BT	No
Osmani	Vallance Road, E1 5AD	No
Our Lady and St Joseph	Wades Place. E14 0DE	Yes
Sir William Burrough	Salmon Ln, London E14 7PQ	No
Solebay	Solebay Street, E1 4PW	No
St Anne's and Guardian Angels	Underwood Road, E1 5AW	Yes
St Edmund’s	299 Westferry Rd, London E14 3RS	Yes
St Elizabeth	Bonner Road, E2 9JY	Yes
St John's CofE	Peel Grove, E2 9LR	Yes
St Luke’s CofE	Saunder Ness Road, E14 3EB	Yes
St Paul with St Luke CofE	Leopold Street, E3 4LA	Yes
St Paul’s Way Trust	Wallwood Street, E14 7BW	No
St Paul’s Whitechapel	Wellclose Square, E1 8HY	Yes
St Saviours	Chrisp St, London E14 6BB	Yes
The Stepney Greencoat CofE	Norbiton Road, E14 7TF	Yes
Stepney Park	Smithy Street, E1 3BW	No
The Clara Grant	Knapp Road, E3 4BU	No
Thomas Buxton	Buxton Street, E1 5AR	No
Wellington	Wellington Way, E3 4NE	No
William Davis	Wood Close, Cheshire Street, E2 6EU	No
Woolmore	Woolmore Street, E14 0EW	No

How Reception places were offered for Tower Hamlets Schools in 2025

The following schools were oversubscribed on National Offer Day. Please select the school to view details of all offers made. These offers are in line with the local authority’s admissions arrangements.

Key metrics explained

Number of applications
This is the total number of children that applied for a place at the school.
SEN / EHCP
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Looked after children
Children who are (or have previously been) a Looked After Child under the care of the local authority
Medical /social need
Children for whom it is deemed there is strong social or medical need for a place at the school.
Sibling
Children who have a sibling already attending the school.

Children of staff
Children whose parents are a member of staff at the school.
Nearest school in catchment area
Children who live within the catchment area of the school and it is their nearest school.
Catchment area
Children who live within the catchment area of the school
Outside of catchment area
Children who live outside of the catchment area of the school.
Tie-break cut off distance
This is the distance of how far the last child who was offered a place at the school lives from the school, measured by the ‘shortest walking distance’.

Bigland Green

Number of applications: 178
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 0
Sibling: 23
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 31
Catchment area: 6
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 471
Total offered: 60

Blue Gate Fields

Number of applications: 149
Number of places available (PAN): 90
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 1
Medical or social: 2
Sibling: 49
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 26
Catchment area: 3
Distance (outside of catchment area): 9
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 759
Total offered: 90

Bygrove

Number of applications: 140
Number of places available (PAN): 30
SEN/EHCP: 1
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 1
Sibling: 14
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 4
Catchment area: 10
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 566
Total offered: 30

Columbia

Number of applications: 127
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 1
Medical or social: 1
Sibling: 18
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 10
Catchment area: 26
Distance (outside of catchment area): 4
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 2040
Total offered: 60

Cubitt Town

Number of applications: 177
Number of places available (PAN): 90
SEN/EHCP: 3
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 1
Sibling: 43
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 34
Catchment area: 9
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 1318
Total offered: 90

Globe

Number of applications: 151
Number of places available (PAN): 45
SEN/EHCP: 3
Looked after child: 1
Medical or social: 2
Sibling: 18
Children of staff: 1
Nearest school in catchment area: 6
Catchment area: 14
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 884
Total offered: 45

John Scurr

Number of applications: 97
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 1
Sibling: 29
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 21
Catchment area: 9
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 617
Total offered: 60

Kobi Nazrul

Number of applications: 54
Number of places available (PAN): 30
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 0
Sibling: 21
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 5
Catchment area: 2
Distance (outside of catchment area): 2
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 800
Total offered: 30

Lansbury Lawrence

Number of applications: 134
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 1
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 2
Sibling: 27
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 9
Catchment area: 21
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 1606
Total offered: 60

Marion Richardson

Number of applications: 120
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 2
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 2
Sibling: 24
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 29
Catchment area: 3
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 617
Total offered: 90

Mayflower

Number of applications: 215
Number of places available (PAN): 52
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 4
Sibling: 17
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 19
Catchment area: 12
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 703
Total offered: 52

Mulberry Wood Wharf

Number of applications: 178
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 0
Sibling: 9
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 9
Catchment area: 36
Distance (outside of catchment area): 6
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 1016
Total offered: 60

Olga

Number of applications: 191
Number of places available (PAN): 60
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 1
Medical or social: 0
Sibling: 20
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 12
Catchment area: 27
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 974
Total offered: 60

Virginia

Number of applications: 62
Number of places available (PAN): 30
SEN/EHCP: 0
Looked after child: 0
Medical or social: 1
Sibling: 15
Children of staff: 0
Nearest school in catchment area: 12
Catchment area: 2
Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 30
Total offered: 30

Contact the Admissions Service

By email

You can contact the admissions service by email at school.admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

We can only make changes to an existing application if you email your request - this includes change of address and preference/s.

By telephone - 020 7364 5006

We are a busy service. Please email us if your enquiry is not urgent.

Tower Hamlets Transition Support Service

Tower Hamlets Transition Support Service provides impartial advice, information and assistance to support children, young people and their families during key points of transition.

They can provide help with a range of school issues including school admissions, appeals and home/school communication.

Email: transitions@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7364 1533

Need a school place today?

If your child is of nursery, primary or secondary school age now and does not have a school place, please contact the School Admissions Service or visit our in-year admissions page.