Schools admissions: deadline for Warwickshire parents approaches

Parents have until Wednesday (January 15) to submit their school application forms.

Applications must be submitted to the county council by Wednesday (January 15). To ensure that they are recieved on time, the council is accepting applications online and by phone.

National ‘offer day’ this year is April 16, with letters confirming the offer of a primary or junior school place posted to parents on 14 April. Parents will then have two weeks to accept or decline the place offered.

Anyone unhappy with the offer they receive will then have a chance to appeal the decision.

Cllr Heather Timms, responsible for policy on children and schools, said: “We want parents to have the best chance of getting their preferred school place for their child so it’s important to submit school preferences on time.

“Applications received after the deadline will be considered as late and places will be allocated after those which reached us on time.”

The council’s admissions service is estimated to offer around 6,000 places in primary schools for the school year starting in September 2014. Last year, some 88 per cent of applicants who got their applications in on time were offered their first choice of school.

The service prioritises children in care, followed by those who live in a school’s priority area.

Cllr Timms added: “Every year we accommodate the vast majority of families’ preferences. Understandably we are challenged when things do not work out but we continually strive to achieve an admissions process which is fair to all families.

“As part of these efforts, we are investigating the potential impacts of reviewing some aspects of urban catchment areas where demand for places is high and where there are more than five schools in a two-mile radius.”

A consultation detailing ideas for a potential scheme of what is being called a ‘super priority area’ for schools in Warwick has been launched for admissions in September 2015.

To apply online, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/admissions and to apply by phone, call 742037.

For further details about the application process, email [email protected]