Apply for a primary or junior school place

It is important to plan and prepare before you start your application. Read our top tips to help you decide which schools to apply for.

Types of schools

Visit the GOV.UK website for an explanation of the types of schools.

Are your preferences realistic?

• Consider how likely it is that your child will be offered a place at your preferred schools.
• Read the admissions criteria for each school and look to see which criteria apply to your child.
• Visit the website of the school you are interested in to see their admissions criteria.

Do you meet the school’s admissions criteria?

You can view the information about how places have been offered previously to work out if your child is likely to qualify for a place. However, it is important to keep in mind that this information can be used to give an idea of how likely it is that your child will be offered a place. We can never guarantee any child will be offered a place at any school. The ‘last distance’ will change every year.

Visit schools

Don’t judge a school based on what others say – visit the schools on your shortlist. Most schools will hold open day or evening events so you can visit the school and see it for yourself.

Read Ofsted reports

Brent has many ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ schools. You can view the latest reports on the Ofsted website for each school.

How will your child travel to school?

A long journey to school on public transport may not be the best choice for a child. Work out how long it will take, what public transport options there are and if buses or trains run at the right times to get your child to and back from school.

Consider what is best for your child

Remember that the right school for your friend’s child may not be the right school for your child. Don’t judge a school based on what others say – do your research, visit the school and see for yourself.

All schools must determine a set of rules - known as oversubscription or admissions criteria - which are used to determine the applications that will have priority for the available places. Oversubscription criteria are only used if a school has more applications than places available. If a school is undersubscribed then all children must be offered a place where the school is their highest available preference.

You should read the admission criteria for your preferred schools to understand the criterion under which your application may be considered. It can be useful to look at statistics (like the furthest distance from school that a place was last offered) to determine how likely your application is to be successful.

• See information about offers in 2023

Brent Council is the Admission Authority for its Community Primary Schools and is responsible for formally agreeing the admissions criteria for these schools. We also publish a 'Scheme of Co-ordination' which explains how the council will co-ordinate all applications received for children applying to start primary or secondary school at the beginning of September. Admission arrangements and oversubscription criteria for voluntary aided (faith), foundation schools and academies are also available on this page.

You can see the admissions criteria for every state school in Brent by visiting the school's website or on our admissions criteria page.

Application dates

• 1 September 2023 – applications open at eAdmissions
• 15 January 2024 - applications deadline
• 16 April 2024 - national offer day
• 29 April 2024 - response deadline

Second round of offers

• 29 April 2024 - deadline for applications and changes
• Week ending 10 May 2024 - second round of offers are made
• 17 May 2024 - second round response deadline

Third round of offers

• 17 May 2024 - deadline for applications and changes
• Week ending 14 June 2024 - third round offers
• 21 June 2024 - third round response deadline
• September 2024 - children start school

The deadline to submit your on-time application is Monday, 15 January 2024.

This is for parents who need to apply for a child born between:

• 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 and will start Reception class at a primary or infant school in September 2024.
• 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 and currently attends an infant school and will transfer to junior school in September 2024.

Applications received after 15 January 2024 will be considered as 'late' and will not be processed until the second or third round of offers.

Important information about how to apply

Your address

• Use your child’s permanent home address on 15 January 2024.
• Do not use the address of a relative or someone who provides temporary care for your child, a business address, a childminders address or any address other than the child’s permanent home address.
• We will check internal databases to confirm your address and will write to you if you need to submit further evidence of your address.
• If you submit a late application, use your child's permanent home address at the time you submit the application.

Your preferred schools

• List up to 6 preferences. List the school you want the most as your first preference.
• Include your local schools amongst your preferences.
• You can include schools outside Brent.
• Listing only one or two school does not increase your chances of being offered a place.

Additional information and evidence

• Attach additional information to your application online or post it to School Admissions, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ.
• A supplementary information form (SIF) is required for some schools. The online application form will advise you if a SIF is required. You should send SIF direct to the school.
• Evidence is required for looked after and previously looked after children. The social worker involved must provide a letter confirming that the child is in care. If the child was adopted immediately after being in care please provide a copy of the child arrangements order, special guardianship order or proof of adoption from your child’s home authority. If the child was adopted from state care abroad, please provide any relevant paperwork.
• We can only accept applications for children living in Brent. If your child lives in a different local authority area, but you would still like to be considered for a Brent school, you should make your application to your home local authority.

There are two further rounds of offers after National Offer Day.

We strongly encourage you to make your application on time. Applications received after 23:59 on 15 January 2024 will be processed as a late application and you will not find out what school you have been offered until the second or third round of offers.

You may be less likely to receive an offer at one of your preference schools if all places have already been offered, however we will still make an offer of a place at the highest available preference school

Late applications will be considered alongside the existing applications of on-time applications who did not receive an offer at their highest preferences schools and who have remained on the waiting list.