Primary school admissions
Starting Reception in 2026
Pupils usually start primary school in the September following their fourth birthday. If your child was born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 this will be from September 2026. 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 2026.
If you miss the deadline you must still submit your late application on the eadmissions portal.
If you are applying to an academy, free school or voluntary-aided school, you may also need to complete a supplementary information form (SIF), which is available from the school and should be returned to them.
Further information on the school's admissions policy should be obtained directly from the school. See our list of schools requiring SIFs.
Parents advice session
Join the the School Admissions Service Team and the Transitions Team for a parents advice session.
Get Set 2026 - Book your place
National offer day
Parents will be able to view the outcome of their application on the evening of 16 April 2026 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
|
Area
|
SIF Required
|
|
Arnhem Wharf
|
Arnhem Place, E14 3RP
|
Isle of Dogs
|
NO
|
|
Ben Jonson
|
Harford Street, E1 4PZ
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
Cayley
|
Aston Street, E14 7NG
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
Chisenhale
|
Chisenhale Road, E3 5QY
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
Christchurch CofE
|
Brick Lane, E1 6PU
|
Bethnal Green
|
YES
|
|
Columbia
|
Columbia Road, E2 7RG
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Cubitt Town
|
Manchester Road, E14 3NE
|
Isle of Dogs
|
NO
|
|
Culloden
|
Dee Street, E14 0PT
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Cyril Jackson
|
Three Colt Street, E14 8HH (North) Limehouse Causeway, E14 8BN (South)
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Elizabeth Selby
|
Old Bethnal Green Road, E2 6PP
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
English Martyrs
|
St Mark Street, E1 8DJ
|
Wapping
|
YES
|
|
Globe
|
Gawber Street, E2 0JH
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
Hague
|
Wilmot Street, E2 0BP
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Halley
|
Halley Street, E14 7SS
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
Harbinger
|
Cahir Street, E14 3QP
|
Isle of Dogs
|
NO
|
|
Harry Gosling
|
Fairclough Street, E1 1NT
|
Wapping
|
NO
|
|
Hermitage
|
Vaughan Way, E1W 2PT
|
Wapping
|
NO
|
|
Kobi Nazrul
|
Settles Street, E1 1JP
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Lansbury Lawrence
|
Cordelia Street, E14 6DZ
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Malmesbury
|
Coborn Street, E3 2AB
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
Manorfield
|
Wyvis Street, E14 6QD
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Marner
|
Devas Street, E3 3LL
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Mowlem
|
Mowlem Street, E2 9HE
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Mulberry Canon Barnett
|
Gunthorpe Street, E1 7RQ
|
Wapping
|
NO
|
|
Old Ford
|
Wrights Road, E3 5LD
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
Old Palace
|
St Leonards Street, E3 3BT
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
Olga
|
Lanfranc Road,
E3 5DN
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
Osmani
|
Vallance Road, E1 5AD
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Our Lady & St Joseph
|
Wades Place. E14 0DE
|
Poplar
|
YES
|
|
Sir William Burrough
|
Salmon Ln, London E14 7PQ
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
Solebay
|
Solebay Street, E1 4PW
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
St Agnes RC
|
Rainhill Way, E3 3ER
|
Bow
|
YES
|
|
St Anne's and Guardian Angels
|
Underwood Road, E1 5AW
|
Bethnal Green
|
YES
|
|
St Edmund’s
|
299 Westferry Rd, London E14 3RS
|
Isle of Dogs
|
YES
|
|
St Elizabeth
|
Bonner Road, E2 9JY
|
Bethnal Green
|
YES
|
|
St John's CofE
|
Peel Grove, E2 9LR
|
Bethnal Green
|
YES
|
|
St Luke’s CofE
|
Saunder Ness Road, E14 3EB
|
Isle of Dogs
|
YES
|
|
St Mary and St Michael
|
Commercial Road, E1 0BD
|
Wapping
|
YES
|
|
St Paul with St Luke CofE
|
Leopold Street, E3 4LA
|
Poplar
|
YES
|
|
St Paul’s Way Trust
|
Wallwood Street, E14 7BW
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
St Paul’s Whitechapel
|
Wellclose Square, E1 8HY
|
Wapping
|
YES
|
|
St Saviours
|
Chrisp St, London E14 6BB
|
Poplar
|
YES
|
|
The Stepney Greencoat CofE
|
Norbiton Road, E14 7TF
|
Stepney
|
YES
|
|
Stepney Park
|
Smithy Street, E1 3BW
|
Stepney
|
NO
|
|
The Clara Grant
|
Knapp Road, E3 4BU
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
|
Wellington
|
Wellington Way, E3 4NE
|
Bow
|
NO
|
|
William Davis
|
Wood Close, Cheshire Street, E2 6EU
|
Bethnal Green
|
NO
|
|
Woolmore
|
Woolmore Street, E14 0EW
|
Poplar
|
NO
|
How Reception places were offered for Tower Hamlets Schools in 2026
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’.
School list
Bangabandhu
- Number of applications: 63
- Number of places available (PAN):30
- SEN/EHCP: 2
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 4
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 12
- Catchment area: 12
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 898
- Total offered: 30
Bigland Green
- Number of applications: 177
- Number of places available (PAN): 60
- SEN/EHCP: 1
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 1
- Sibling: 36
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 21
- Catchment area: 0
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 1
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 537
- Total offered: 60
Blue Gate Fields
- Number of applications: 146
- Number of places available (PAN): 90
- SEN/EHCP: 4
- Looked after child: 1
- Medical or social: 1
- Sibling: 41
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 31
- Catchment area: 9
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 3
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 586
- Total offered: 90
Bonner Bethnal Green
- Number of applications: 70
- Number of places available (PAN):30
- SEN/EHCP: 0
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 19
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 11
- Catchment area: 0
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 487
- Total offered: 30
Bonner Mile End
- Number of applications: 57
- Number of places available (PAN):30
- SEN/EHCP: 0
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 17
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 11
- Catchment area: 2
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 551
- Total offered: 30
Bygrove
- Number of applications: 131
- Number of places available (PAN): 30
- SEN/EHCP: 2
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 9
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 4
- Catchment area: 15
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 572
- Total offered: 30
John Scurr
- Number of applications: 91
- Number of places available (PAN): 60
- SEN/EHCP: 3
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 23
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 17
- Catchment area: 11
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 6
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 1980
- Total offered: 60
Mayflower
- Number of applications: 170
- Number of places available (PAN): 52
- SEN/EHCP: 0
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 2
- Sibling: 24
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 26
- Catchment area: 0
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 515
- Total offered: 52
Mulberry Wood Wharf
- Number of applications: 178
- Number of places available (PAN): 60
- SEN/EHCP: 2
- Looked after child: 6
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 15
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 15
- Catchment area: 37
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 2531
- Total offered: 60
Seven Mills
- Number of applications: 68
- Number of places available (PAN): 30
- SEN/EHCP: 2
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 0
- Sibling: 6
- Children of staff: 1
- Nearest school in catchment area: 20
- Catchment area: 0
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 1
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 3070
- Total offered: 30
Thomas Buxton
- Number of applications: 88
- Number of places available (PAN): 60
- SEN/EHCP: 1
- Looked after child: 0
- Medical or social: 1
- Sibling: 28
- Children of staff: 0
- Nearest school in catchment area: 8
- Catchment area: 22
- Distance (outside of catchment area): 0
- Tie-break cut off distance (metres): 1107
- Total offered: 60
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 0573
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
Further information