Starting infant or primary school

Children can start school in reception at the beginning of the academic year following their fourth birthday. Therefore, children born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 can start primary school from September 2025.

Shropshire residents should make their applications for English state schools using the Shropshire online portal. Local authorities co-ordinate applications. Use our guidance notes to help you make your application. If you have any queries or encounter any difficulties completing your application, please contact the School Admissions Team by email: school-admissions@shropshire.gov.uk

Please note that the online facility is open from 4 November 2024. You must apply by 15 January 2025. If there's a reason why your application is late, eg due to a house move, please email school-admissions@shropshire.gov.uk to advise - there may be exceptional reasons to be considered.

Applications received after 15 January, without exceptional reasons, are considered late. Late applications won't be processed until all the applications received on time have been allocated. This may result in your child not being offered a school place at you preferred school.

• Shropshire Local Authority residents should use the Shropshire online portal to make their application for any English state infant or primary school. If the school you wish to apply to isn't there, please email school-admissions@shropshire.gov.uk with the name of the school, and we'll get it added
  
• If you wish to apply for a neighbouring Welsh authority primary school, you should apply directly to that authority
  
• If you want to apply for a Shropshire school but live in another English authority area, please apply to the authority in which you live. Telford local authority residents must apply via Telford and Wrekin Council not Shropshire Council
  
• Applicants from overseas, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland can use the Shropshire Council website to make an application for a Shropshire school
  
• If an application is made through this portal from a resident in another English authority other than Shropshire it will be discarded
• If you're moving to Shropshire from another English local authority and want to apply for a Shropshire school, unless you've exchanged contracts on a house purchase or signed a rental agreement your application will have to be submitted to the authority in which you currently live 
• Take a look at the contact details for neighbouring local authorities or visit the Gov.UK website for details on other local authorities

Before making an application

• Ensure that you read the Parent’s Guide to Education in Shropshire. This guide provides all the correct information to help you make your application
  
• Check you're in the catchment area for your preferred schools. You can view catchment area maps to check 
  
• Is the school you're applying to an oversubscribed school and do you understand the admission arrangements for your preferred school(s)? Are you aware of the infant class size restrictions? You can view how school places were allocated in previous years
  
• How will your child get to school - will they be entitled to free transport?
  
• If you're naming schools outside Shropshire on your Shropshire application, you'll need to contact the appropriate local authority for the information on school admission arrangements in their area
  
• Note the importance of naming more than one school on your application, particularly when not applying for your catchment area school
  

Ensure that you're happy with the application before you submit it. The online portal doesn't allow you to change your application once it's been submitted and downloaded by the Admissions Team. If you do need to amend your application after you have submitted it, you must email school-admissions@shropshire.gov.uk