Primary school admissions

The following information is for children starting Reception in 2021.

• Start dates
• Applying
• Appeals
• Contact and FAQs

See also:

• In-year admissions
• Nursery places

When can my child start school?

You can calculate the start year based on your child’s date of birth below:

Start years

Start or transfer	Date of birth
Start Reception September 2023	1/9/2018 - 31/8/2019
Start Reception September 2022	1/9/2017 - 31/8/2018
Start Reception September 2021	1/9/2016 - 31/8/2017
Start Reception September 2020	1/9/2015 - 31/8/2016

Applications for September 2021 start

Use the eAdmissions website from 1 September 2020 to apply online for your child’s primary (reception) or junior (Year 3) school place.

You can name up to six schools in your application including academy or free schools and schools in other council areas.

If you do not live within the borough you need to apply for a place through your own council and you can include Richmond schools in your application. 

The closing date is 15 January 2021.

If you have any difficulty completing your application, please contact the School Admissions Team. 

Important

You must still apply for reception class even if your child already attends the nursery at your preferred primary school.

Before you apply

Please read before applying:

• Personal Information Policy and validity of information given
• Primary School Admissions brochure (pdf, 2.67 MB) 
• Frequently asked questions about starting school (pdf, 252 KB)
• How places were allocated at community schools in the past three years (pdf, 207 KB)

For church schools, academies and free schools, please visit the school's website for how places have been offered for the last three years.

When making your application in eAdmissions you should:

• Complete a separate application for each child if you are applying for twins or triplets
• Tell us in your application if your child will have a brother or sister (sibling) attending your preferred school(s) in September 2021

Certain schools need additional information to apply their admissions criteria and may require you to also complete a Supplementary Information Form. For example, schools that prioritise applications by faith. If you are applying for this type of school, please check the school's website for further information and to download a Supplementary Information Form.

If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or a Statement of Special Education Needs, you don't need to complete the application.

Apply online

Applying for an in-year place

If you're not applying for a Reception or year three place in September 2021 you should read our in-year admissions information.

Online

If you applied online:

• You will be sent an email during the evening of 16 April 2021 to tell you the outcome of your application. The availability of results for viewing will be staggered to assist demand, so precise timings cannot be guaranteed. You will also be able to view this by logging in to the eAdmissions website
• Use the eAdmissions website to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. The deadline to do this is 30 April 2021. Submitting your response online guarantees that the school knows your decision.
• If your child did not qualify for a place at your first preference school, please read the notes for parents for more information about the process and what to do next

Paper

If you applied on a paper form:

• If you applied on a paper form you will be sent an email during the evening of 16 April 2021 to tell you the outcome of your application
• Please make sure you respond by email to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. The deadline to do this is 30 April 2021. Returning your reply by the deadline guarantees the school knows your decision

Your right to appeal

You have a legal right to appeal against a decision not to offer your child a place at any or all of the schools that you've applied to. You can appeal for a place at your preferred school even though your child may have a place somewhere else.

The process

The admissions authority for the school you're applying to must explain why your child hasn't been offered a place at that school. They must also explain how you can appeal against this decision.

Your appeal will be heard by a panel which is independent of the school and the admissions authority whose decision you're appealing against. You have the right to attend the hearing to explain your case to the independent appeal panel.

There are strict rules around the appointment of the appeal panel members to ensure their impartiality and independence. The panel's decision has to be accepted by the admissions authority and the school.

You may find it helpful to read the guidelines on the appeal process on the admission appeals page.

Appeals timetable - infant, junior, primary

For community schools, the deadline to lodge an appeal is in May 2021 (this must be at least 20 school days from the offer date). Appeals for these schools will be heard during June and/or July 2021. Please download an appeal form or email education.appeals@richmond.gov.uk.

For the appeals timetable for any academy, voluntary aided and foundation school, please contact the school directly.

Contact School Admissions

Ensure you have read all of the content on this page, as well as the relevant FAQs, before contacting the team.

The School Admissions Team

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Education and Children's Services

Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1EU

Telephone: 020 8547 5569
Email: richmond.admissions@achievingforchildren.org.uk

The School Admissions Team can be contacted by telephone between the hours of 9am and 2pm Monday to Friday.