The Preference Form

Completing the preference form.

If you live in Birmingham and would like your child to start at any maintained (state) primary school in September 2013 you must apply online

If you apply online you will receive an email informing you of the school your child has been offered the day before those who have completed a paper application.

If you live outside Birmingham, but wish to apply for a Birmingham primary school(s), you must apply to the local authority in which you live (i.e. the Council to which you pay your Council Tax) for their Preference Form. You can include Birmingham schools on that form and return it to them. Please note that other local authorities have different closing dates and admission policies. You will need to contact them for further information.

If you do not have access to the internet, you may fill in a paper copy of the Local Authority Preference Form, which you can obtain from the School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service.

If your list of preferences includes a voluntary aided, voluntary controlled or foundation school, you may need to complete an extra information or supplementary form for that school as well as the Preference Form. You should check schools that also require their own form to be completed.

You should name up to three schools you would like your child to go to, in the order you most prefer. Your preferred order is not shared with other admission authorities in Birmingham.

Please note that once you have submitted your preferences you are not allowed to change them without a genuine reason; for example if you move house. Therefore it is very important to get your preferences right first time.

You cannot appeal for a school if you did not indicate that school on your preference form.

The completed Preference Form should be returned to the School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service by 03 December 2012.

All applications are acknowledged in writing when preferences are entered to the system during December and January. If you have not received a letter acknowledging your child’s preferences by the final closing date of 15 January 2013, you should contactSchool Admissions and Pupil Placements Service.

Only those applications received by the final closing date (15 January 2013) are considered in time for the offer of places on 22 April 2013.

Priority for places
You have the right to apply for places at individual schools although there is no guarantee that your preferences can always be met. You are able to choose preferences but sometimes it may not be possible for your child to go to the school you prefer because there are too many children for the places available. When this happens, the school’s admission criteria are used to see who can be offered a place. The children offered a place are those who best meet the admission criteria.

Birmingham City Council's Directorate of Children, Young People and Families endeavours to contact all those who need to submit preference forms by the required date by using the health service database.

However, please note that the responsibility for registering a child for the start of the reception year remains with the parent or carer.