There will be a choice of primary schools in your local area, but you may not always get a place at the first school of your choice, so it is a good idea to research the area well so that you have second and third choices you are happy with. The links below will help you start your search.
Schools’ websites must include details of the curriculum, admission criteria, behaviour policy, special educational needs policy, disability policy, links to Ofsted reports, links to performance data and the school’s latest Key Stage 2 and 4 attainment and progress measures.
There is no substitute for visiting schools to get an idea what they are like so make an appointment and prepare questions in advance so you don’t forget anything important, from uniforms to lunch arrangements. Talk to other parents and listen to their experiences, or join a local community forum online to get feedback from others.
It is important to check admissions criteria carefully, in case the school receives more applications than it can take, and these can vary according to the local authority and the type of school, such as faith schools and community schools.
Check how places were allocated in previous years to gauge how likely your child is to get a place. Also make use of all of your preferences and list them in order; it will have no bearing on the likelihood of getting your first choice, but make realistic choices so as not to waste them.
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