Last Updated - September 18, 2023
A child will reach compulsory school age on a prescribed day (31 December, 31 March or 31 August) on or after their 5th birthday. All children are entitled to a full time school place from the September following their 4th birthday.
So, although your child does not legally have to start school until the term following her/his 5th birthday, most children start in Reception in the September of the school year in which they are 5.
| Child’s date of birth | When to apply | Allocation day | Start date |
| 1 Sept 2018 to 31 Aug 2019 | 1 Nov 2022 to 15 Jan 2023 | 17 April 2023 | Sept 2023 |
Summer born children
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Parents who are considering delaying their summer born child’s admission to school should seek advice from the schools they might like their child to attend, and from any professionals involved in the care of their child, so that they are able to make an informed decision.
You can apply for a school place and then delay your child’s start until later in the reception year without jeopardising the offer of a place. Pupils born between 1 September and 31 December would be expected to take up their place no later than the start of the spring term.
| Child born | Normal date of admission | Deferred admission |
| 1 September to 31 December | Autumn Term | Spring term |
| 1 January to 31 March | Autumn Term | Spring or Summer Term |
| 1 April to 31 August | Autumn Term | Spring or Summer Term |
The deferred admission arrangements do not allow summer born children to keep a place until the Autumn Term in Year 1. Parents with summer born children who do not want their child to start school until the autumn term following their fifth birthday will need to apply through the in year admissions process for them to be admitted into year 1 and should be aware that many schools will have no places available. If parents of these children want them to start in Reception the term after their fifth birthday, they will need agreement from the school concerned and will need to apply in the following main admission round and compete for places with other children in that cohort.
The deadline for amending an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) including the name of Primary School/provision is February 15th in the year they are due to transfer to the new school.
