Apply for reception class or primary school

Apply online - changes of preferences

Applications for primary school in September 2025 open at 9:00am on 1 October 2024. The closing date is at 11:59pm on 15 January 2025.

Applications received after the statutory closing date (15 January 2025) for primary school will only be considered after applications received on time have been processed. Late applications will be processed after 16 April 2025.

Late applicants are less likely to get a place at one of their preferred schools for their child as most schools in Birmingham fill to their published admissions numbers with on time applicants that met their admissions criteria.

Apply online

You must list three different primary schools, in order of preference.

Make sure you have read the admission arrangements fully for the schools you are interested in and know how likely it is that your child will be offered a place there. The admissions arrangements for Birmingham primary schools for entry in September 2025 will be available from 1 October 2024.

It is important to include at least one realistic preference for a school that your child would have met the criteria for in previous years.

If you have included preferences for any schools that require you to submit extra documents, you must submit these directly to the school.

For example, they may need you to:

  • complete a supplementary information form
  • send evidence of social or medical needs

If you do not send the requested information, your child’s application may be assessed by the school under a lower criterion. This could mean that they are not offered a place.

Sibling details

You must include details of any siblings attending your preferred school(s) in the field (box) provided for sibling details.

Sibling details included in the incorrect field (box), will not be counted and may prevent you from gaining a place at your preferred school.

If you fill in the online application incorrectly, you are liable for not completing the form correctly, not School Admissions and Fair Access Service.

Guidance for submitting your online application

Read the guidance below before submitting your online application.

Download our parent’s guide to online applications, change of preferences and password resets.

Apply online from 1 October 2024

You will receive an email confirmation that you have submitted your application form. Check this to make sure everything is correct.

Be aware that if you change your preferences, you must re-submit your application form. Otherwise, your application will not be processed.

We will take your final submission as the application to process.

Do not use this form if your child has an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). Information about the secondary transfer process for children with special educational needs is available on Birmingham's SEND Local Offer website.

Important information about changing your preferences

You can only have a maximum of three live preferences at any one time. If you wish to change your preferences, we strongly recommend that you carefully consider what your new set of preferences should to be, in other words, which preferences you would like to keep (which must be included again in the new set of preferences submitted) and which preferences you would like to remove.

You will receive an email confirmation that you have submitted your application form. Check your SPAM or Junk folder. It is important that you check your confirmation email to make sure everything is correct.

If you amend your preferences, you must re-submit your application form otherwise your application will not be processed.

We will take your final submission as the application to process. You can amend your preferences up to 15 January 2025.

Other useful information

Page last updated: 26 November 2024

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