Primary school admissions

Starting reception in 2018/19

Closing date for making applications: 15 January 2018

Pupils usually start primary school in the year of their fifth birthday. If your child was born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 this will be from September 2018. You must apply via the eadmissions portal.

Before you apply

The Starting School in Tower Hamlets brochure is available online and contains all the  information you need on applying for your child's reception place. You can also get a copy from nurseries and primary schools in Tower Hamlets or by contacting the Pupil Services team on 020 7364 5006. For more information on catchment areas and the tie-break criterion please see our 'Equal Chance' page.

How to apply

You must apply online, please visit the eadmissions portal. You can apply online from 1 September 2017 and until 15 January 2018. Applying online for your child's reception place is a simple process and you can easily make changes to your application up until the closing date.

Pupil Services have organised a series of Online Workshops to help parents make their online application, no appointment is necessary:

Additional Information

• Attendance
• Travel
• Free School Meals and Benefits
• Health and support
• General information

National Offer Day

All parents that applied for a reception school place before January 2018 will be sent a letter with the outcome of their application on 18 April 2018.

Parents will also be able to access the outcome of their application on the evening of 18 April 2018 by visiting the eadmissions portal. Parents will receive an email to inform them when this information will be available on the website.

Deferring school entry

All children are expected to start school in the reception year in September, if they will be five in that school year. Deferring school entry means that a child begins school later than September, but still joins their own age-peer group. Please refer to the guidance on Deferring School Entry for more information and apply using the Deferring School Entry Form.  Alternatively please contact Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006 and a form can be sent to you.

Appeals

If your child is not offered a place at a school of your preference you can appeal against that decision. The appeal panel is independent of the council and schools in the borough.

Infant class size legislation applies to appeals for children starting reception. This means that a class must not contain more than 30 pupils with a single school teacher. Parents should note that there are only very limited circumstances where reception appeals are successful.

If you wish to appeal you can download an admission appeals form or call Pupil Services. Please include any evidence or supporting material with your appeal form and you must give the grounds for your appeal at the time the appeal is lodged. You may appeal for more than one school.

For your appeal to be heard in June 2018, you will need to submit your appeal form by 18 May 2018. Appeals received after this date will result in a delay to your appeal being heard.  Please read the appeal timetable 2018 for more information.

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 Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006 or visit our in-year admissions page.

Further information

• Primary school prospectus
• Online admissions
• In-year admissions
• Directgov - Parents
• School Ofsted reports
• DfE school performance tables
• Advisory Centre for Education
• Parents Advice Centre