Children who are 4 years old between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 are entitled to start school next September (2015).
Parents have until midnight on 15 January 2015 to make an application for a reception year school place. This is also the closing date for applications for a junior school place.
In 2014, Hampshire County Council’s Admissions Service processed almost 15,000 applications for primary school places. Just under 90% of parents applying were allocated a school place for their child at their first preference school, with over 97% being offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.
Councillor Peter Edgar, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education, said: “Starting school is a huge milestone for children and their parents. I urge Hampshire parents to ensure they have completed, and submitted their application by the deadline to ensure their child is able to start school next September. Missing the deadline could mean missing out on a place at your local school.”
He added: “In common with the national picture, demand for school places is growing. We want to be able to ensure children can go to a school near to where they live and we have been working hard to increase capacity at primary schools in areas where demand is highest. To this end, earlier this year, we committed to a £149 million planned investment to build new schools and expand others to create an additional 8,000 primary school places over the next three years.”
Hampshire residents can apply for a school place online, where they will also find useful information about the application process and details of Hampshire schools. Applying online is easy, secure and allows people to make changes to their application right up to the closing date. Parents will be notified of the outcome of their application by email.
Alternatively, parents can apply on a paper application form which is available from all Hampshire maintained schools and academies or they can call 0845 603 5623 for an application form.
If parents need help with applying for a school place, they should visit any Hampshire school or Children’s Centre where staff there will be happy to assist, or call 0845 603 5623.
