Admissions to primary, infant and junior schools

Infant or primary school applications

Infant schools are those that take children aged 4-7. Primary schools are a combination of both infant and junior taking children aged 4-11.

For children born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 (inclusive), you must apply for a school place for entry in the academic year beginning September 2013. The closing date was 15 January 2013.

Junior school applications

Junior schools are those that take children aged 7-11.

If your child currently attends an infant school and was born between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006, you must apply for a junior or primary school place for entry in the academic year  beginning September 2013. The closing date was 15 January 2013.

Who should apply

You must apply for a junior or primary school place even if your child attends an infant school elsewhere. There is no automatic transfer between the two. If your child already attends a primary school, you do not need to make an application for them to progress to year 3.

Key dates

Timetable for on-time school admissions application process

• 15 January 2013 - closing date for on-time applications
• 16 April 2013 - email or letter offering a school place will be sent out (allow 2-3 working days for delivery)
• 7 May 2013 - deadline to accept places offered or placing names on waiting list (continued interest list)

• September 2013 - your child starts primary or infant school

Additional timetable for late applications:

• 14 May 2013 - late applications and those who have requested to be on waiting lists will be processed
• 11 June 2013 - Letter offering school place sent to late applicants (allow 2-3 working days for delivery)
• 29 June 2013 Deadline for receipt of late applications Acceptance forms and for placing names on ‘continued interest’ waiting lists.

Late applications - after 15 January

To apply after 15 January you need to complete a primary, infant and junior schools application form (pdf format, 20Kb) as soon as possible. You should also explain why you were unable to make the application on-time.

What if my application is late?

If you submit a late application (received after 15 January 2013 but before 7 May 2013), your child is far less likely to receive an offer of a place in one your preferred schools. This is because we are required to deal with on-time applications first. We start considering late applications in May and will write to you on 11 June 2013 to let you know at which school your child can be offered a place.

How do I apply?

Before you apply make sure you have read the admissions process (pdf format, 233 Kb) so you fully understand our admission process, rules and criteria.

Key points

• it is the responsibility of parents/carers to apply for a school place
• if your child is attending nursery classes within a primary school, you must apply for a place in the main school
• you can list three different schools in order of preference. We strongly advise you to use all three preferences
• we advise you to enter your catchment (or designated) school as one of your preferences
• if your application is late, you are far less likely to get a place at one of your preferred schools

Choosing a school

Our choosing a school page gives lots of tips about choosing the right school for your child.

Starting school guide

You should also read the information in our  'Starting school' - a guide for primary, infant and junior school applications (pdf format, 2.4 Mb).

Catchment areas

Every school has a catchment (or designated) area. If there are more applications than places, priority is given to children living in the catchment area. We advise you to list your catchment school as one of your preferences so that there is more chance of your child being offered a place at one of your chosen schools.

To find out what your catchment school is, visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/localview and enter your postcode. Alternatively, you can see a primary school catchment area map for the whole county.

St Gregory the Great Catholic School

The Governors of St Gregory the Great Catholic School are in a position to offer up to 60 places to children to start primary school for the first time in the 2013/14 academic year and invite applications for places. More details can be found on our news page.

Heyford Park and Tyndale Community School

The Secretary of State for Education has approved the opening of two new free schools but the Funding Agreements have not yet been signed. These two schools are Heyford Park Free School and Tyndale Community School.

Heyford Park Free School is included within the coordinated admission arrangements for Oxfordshire. Therefore parents who would like a place for their child in Foundation Stage (F1) or Year 7 at Heyford Park Free School should have applied already using the Common Application Form.

For ongoing enquiries parents may contact the Heyford Park School directly on 01869 238200. The Heyford Park Free School will be located in the former Officers’ Mess and Sports Centre buildings at Camp Road, Upper Heyford, OX25 5HD. The school is expected to open in these buildings in September 2013. Read more in the prospectus and DFE letter of assurance (.pdf format, Kb).

Tyndale Community School is not yet part of the coordinated admission arrangements for Oxfordshire. Therefore parents wishing to apply for a place for their child at this school should make a direct application via the form on their website or by phoning 07974 821173. Applications are still being taken for September 2013.

The preferred site for the location of the new Tyndale Community School is:

The Lord Nuffield Sports and Social Club
William Morris Close
Cowley
Oxford OX4 2JX

View map of preferred site (pdf format, 119 KB)

Tyndale Community School is expected to open on this preferred site in September 2013.

Will my child get a place?

Catchment area is one of the ways that places at schools are decided. There are other factors, such as whether a child has a brother or sister at the school or whether they have special educational needs. Religious or faith schools could use the religion of your child or family as a deciding factor. The admission rules (.pdf format, 221 Kb) give more detail about how places are decided. Voluntary aided and foundation schools have their own admission rules, which are published online.

Will I get help with transport to school?

Read our concessionary transport page to find out whether your child is eligible for free or concessionary transport. If there are places left on transport parents may be able to purchase seats on certain routes.

What if I don’t get the place I want?

You can put your child’s name down on the waiting (or continued interest) list at up to three schools. Waiting lists will be discontinued on 31 July.

If you aren't happy with the offer you have been made, you have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Moving/transferring schools

Visit the apply to transfer schools page if you are moving to Oxfordshire with a primary age child or are considering transferring your child to another primary school in Oxfordshire. Contact the Admissions Team for further advice.

Help and advice

For further advice and information, see our help and advice page. 

How were place offered this year

This is how places were offered this year. Use the links below to select the starting letter of the school.

How were places allocated in 2012 - by area

Choose your town form the list below to see information about schools in your area. This shows you how many places there are at each school (roll no.), how many children can be admitted (admission number, or AN), how many children were admitted last year and how the places were decided. See also the list of junior schools (.pdf format, 47 Kb).

• Abingdon area (.pdf format, 87 Kb)
• Banbury area (.pdf format, 85 Kb)
• Bicester area (.pdf format, 73 Kb)
• Bloxham area (.pdf format, 87 Kb)
• Burford area (.pdf format, 60 Kb)
• Carterton area (.pdf format, 51 Kb)
• Chipping Norton area (.pdf format, 66 Kb)
• Cumnor area (.pdf format, 54 Kb)
• Didcot area (.pdf format, 69 Kb)
• Eynsham area (.pdf format, 46 Kb)
• Faringdon area (.pdf format, 55 Kb)
• Henley-on-Thames area (.pdf format, 49 Kb)
• Kidlington area (.pdf format, 54 Kb)
• Oxford City area (.pdf format, 144 Kb)
• Sonning Common area (.pdf format, 34 Kb)
• Thame area (.pdf format, 49 Kb)
• Wallingford area (.pdf format, 54 Kb)
• Wantage area (.pdf format, 57 Kb)
• Watlington area (.pdf format, 47 Kb)
• Wheatley area (.pdf format, 45 Kb)
• Witney area (.pdf format, 89 Kb)
• Woodcote area (.pdf format, 52 Kb)
• Woodstock area (.pdf format, 56 Kb)