The deadline for primary school applications is January 15 – and thousands of parents still haven’t applied
The deadline for school applications is January 15
Parents are being urged to apply for school places as figures show thousands locally have yet to do so.
Earlier this week Warwickshire County Council said around 2,000 parents still need to submit their application for a reception place starting in September 2026.
A further 200 still need to apply for a junior school place.
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Parents have until January 15 to submit their application.
Children born between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022 will be due to start school this September.
Warwickshire County Council says the same deadline also applies to children who are currently in Year 2 at an infant school, who want to move to a junior school. This transfer does not happen automatically, even between schools with the same name.
Applications should be made online at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/primaryplace. All parents and carers who apply by the deadline will receive their child’s school offer on National Offer Day, 16 April 2026.
Applications that don’t meet the 15 January deadline will only be considered once those submitted on time have been made offers, by which time many schools will be full, and the child is much less likely to be offered a place at their preferred school.
Cllr Wayne Briggs, portfolio holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council, explains: “Starting school for the first time and moving to a junior school can feel like a big step, but we’re here to help you get started with your school application. The most important thing you can do is to get your application in by the 15 January deadline. If you are struggling with this, then let us know, as we can help. There’s also lots of advice and support on our website, including a handy directory of your local schools.”
The same deadline applies for parents in Coventry, who can make an application here.
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