Guide for applying to schools for under 11s

A Guide for Parents and Guardians of children Applying to primary, junior and middle school.

If you’re looking for the school holiday dates and school term dates, you can find them on our Hertfordshire school term dates page.

This post explains how to apply for a reception place at a primary school for children born between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015.

If your child is in year 2 at an infant school you must apply for a place at a junior school.

If your child is in year 4 at a first school you must apply for a place at middle schools.

All of the information you need is available on the website www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

The website has full details about the application process and a school directory providing information for all schools with reception classes, junior schools and middle schools in Hertfordshire.

You should visit the website to view admissions information and apply online because:

• It is quick, easy to use and secure
• You will receive immediate confirmation that your application has been received and you can view it at any time.
• You can change your application at any time up to the closing date.
• You can accept the school place offered online.

If you do not have internet access you can apply online from any Hertfordshire library.

The closing date for applications is 15 January 2019.

Apply online at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

What happens when?

5 November 2018
Online application system opens.

November and December
Parents/carers visit Hertfordshire schools. This should be arranged by contacting
schools directly.

15 January 2019
Deadline for applications.

1 February 2019
Last date to:

• Submit reasons for making a late application and for that application to be considered ‘on time’.
• Notify us of a change of address and for that address to be taken into account for allocation day.

Please refer to the online admission pages for more details about these
processes.

4 March 2019
Last date to make a late application to be considered for allocation day.

16 April 2019
Allocation Day. School places are offered.

Application deadline 15 January 2019

How are places offered?

Hertfordshire County Council coordinates admissions to all maintained schools and academies in Hertfordshire. If you live in Hertfordshire your application for a reception (primary, infant or first), junior or middle school place, including any schools outside Hertfordshire, should be made online.

Many schools have more applications than there are places available. When schools are oversubscribed, a set of admission criteria (rules) are used by the school’s admitting authority to decide which children should be offered places. Different schools have different admission rules so it is important that you check the admission arrangements for all the schools you are interested in.

The admission authority for foundation, voluntary aided schools and academies is the school’s governing body or academy trust.

The admission authority for community and voluntary controlled schools is the local authority in which the school is located. The admission authority for Hertfordshire community and voluntary controlled schools is Hertfordshire County Council.

The admission rules for all schools in Hertfordshire can be found in the online school directory at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schoolsdirectory or obtained from the schools direct. You need to read the full arrangements for the schools you are interested in to get the complete picture.

Information about schools outside Hertfordshire can be found on the relevant local authority website.

What do I have to do?

1. You should choose up to four schools and rank them in order of preference.

To help you make this decision you can:

Find schools in your area by looking at the online school directory

You can also find schools which are close to your home address using the ‘Find Your Nearest Schools’ facility at
www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

• Read the published oversubscription criteria (admission rules)for schools you are interested in and consider whether your child would be offered a place.
• Consider the home to school transport policy and whether your child will qualify for free transport to any of the schools you list on your application form.
• Arrange to visit schools and consider other sources of information, e.g. The school prospectus or Ofsted reports.
• Remember that a place in a nursery class does not guarantee your child a place in the reception class at the same school. You must
  make an application for a reception place.

2. You must make an application by 15 January 2019

If you are applying to a foundation, voluntary aided school or academy, check the online school directory or contact the school to see if you need to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF).

SIFs are used by some schools to obtain the additional information needed to apply their own admission rules correctly, for example, faith schools may ask for evidence of religious attendance or faith
membership.

What happens next?

3, Your child will be offered a school place on 16 April 2019

Online applicants will receive an allocation email on 16 April 2019. This is the easiest way to obtain your school allocation. Individual allocation emails will be sent before parents can access the online allocation system at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

Online applicants will be able to view their school offer online at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions after allocation emails have been sent on 16 April 2019.

Parents/carers will only be sent an allocation letter by first-class post on 16 April if they applied on a paper form.

If your child qualified for more than one school, you will be offered the highest ranked school at which your child qualified for a place, If your child is not allocated a place at any of your preferred schools we will usually offer a place at the nearest school to your home address with places still remaining (this only applies to Hertfordshire residents). This could be a school outside Hertfordshire.

4. What can you do if you are not happy with the school you have been offered?

Full details and guidance will be available on allocation day at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions and in the “What Can You Do Now?” leaflet.

Home to School Transport Very few children are entitled to home to school transport and you should ensure your child has a
reliable method of travelling to the schools you list on your application form. The county council’s full home to school transport policy and other transport guidance is available at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schooltransport

From the Schools Locator results, you can follow the link to the traveline website from where you can plan a journey from your home to selected Hertfordshire schools in neighbouring authorities. Visit the travel website at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schooltransport

Information about public bus routes which may run to schools is available at www.Intalink.org.uk
A Hertfordshire School Locator page providing Please contact individual schools about any local information on schools within the proximity of your home address is available for parents and arrangements they may have in place with bus and coach operators.

Home to School Transport

Very few children are entitled to home to school transport and you should ensure your child has a
reliable method of travelling to the schools you list on your application form.

The county council’s full home to school transport policy and other transport guidance is available at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schooltransport

School travel website

A Hertfordshire Schools Locator page providing information schools within the proximity of your home address is available for parents and carers.

From the Schools Locator results, you can follow the link to the traveline website from where you can plan a journey from your home to a selected Hertfordshire school in neighbouring authorities.

Visit the travel website at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/schooltransport

Information about public bus routes which may run to schools is available at www.Intalink.org.uk

Please contact individual schools about any local information on schools within the proximity of your home address is available for parents and arrangements they may have in place with bus and coach operators.

Where can I get more help and information?

Customer Service Centre

contact@hertfordshire.gov.uk

www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

Phone: 0300 123 4043

opening hours:

8 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday
9 am to 4 pm on Saturdays

Admissions and Transport Team

admissions@hertfordshire.gov.uk
www.Hertfordshire.Gov.uk/admissions

Address:
CHR 102,
County Hall,
Pegs Lane,
Hertford,
Hertfordshire,
SG13 8DF

If you do not have internet access you can request a paper application form, information about the
Under 11s transfer process and local schools by calling the Customer Service Centre. The advisers
have information on many subjects. They can also refer you to the Admissions and Transport officers
who have detailed local knowledge?

If you need further help then you can call 0300 123 4043