Warwickshire parents and carers with children due to start school for the first time, or who will move to a junior school in September 2026 are being reminded to apply now for their school place.
Applications opened on 1 November, and families have until the deadline of 15 January 2026 to submit their application. This applies to children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 who will be starting in Reception, as well as children currently in Year 2 at an infant school who will be transferring to a junior school. Parents and carers are reminded that transfers to junior school do not happen automatically, even between schools with the same name, so a separate application is still required.
Applying on time is important to help families secure a place at one of their preferred schools. To help families to prepare, Warwickshire County Council has a range of online resources, which includes a map of all the Warwickshire primary schools and guidance to find the priority school based on an address. All this, along with the application form, is available on the website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/primaryplace
Cllr Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council, said:
“Starting school or moving up to junior school is a big step for children and their families, and we want to make the process as smooth as possible. It’s really important to get applications in on time, and our website is full of guidance to help you do this. Please don’t leave the application to the last minute but give yourself plenty of time to look through all the information and consider all the different options, so that your child has the best chance of getting a place at a school that’s right for them.”
Further help and advice about education and starting school can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/sortedforschool. These resources enable parents and carers to find information for their youngsters who are starting school for the first time, as well as resources and signposting to support around school attendance and other aspects of the education experience.
Families who apply by the 15 January deadline will receive their child’s school offer on National Offer Day, 16 April 2026.