Apr 07, 2026
Not sure when to start looking at primary schools? Our simple guide for parents includes timelines, admissions info and advice on choosing the right school.
Choosing a primary school is one of the first big decisions you’ll make for your child. It can feel like it comes around much sooner than expected – as if it was only yesterday you were dropping them off for their very first day at nursery.
If you’re wondering when to start, how the process works, or whether you’ve already missed something, don’t worry – these are some of the most common questions parents have, especially if you haven’t been through the process before with an older child.
The good news is that once you understand the timelines and what to expect, the whole process becomes much easier.
In England, children usually start primary school in Reception – the first year of school – in the September after their fourth birthday.
Here’s how it works:
This means most children start school when they are:
For example:
A child born in October 2022 would start school in September 2027.
Important to know:
Children don’t legally have to start school until they reach compulsory school age, which is the term after their 5th birthday.
However, most families choose to start their child in Reception at age 4, so they can:
Some parents do explore deferring a place or starting part-time, depending on their child’s needs, but this varies by local authority.
It can feel confusing at first – there’s lots of different information out there. Some parents look for schools before their child is even born, others follow a more relaxed timeline.
Lots of families begin exploring primary school options when their child is around 2 to 3 years old. This is the point when you’re right on time – especially if you’re planning for your child to start Reception at age 4.
Understanding the timeline can make the whole process feel much more manageable. Here’s a simple guide to when most parents start looking at primary schools:
At this stage, there’s no pressure to make decisions – it’s simply about building a picture of what’s available.
Parents often use this time to get a feel for their local options and start thinking about what matters most to their family. That might be something practical, like location, or something more personal, like the type of environment their child would thrive in.
Things often start to feel more real – and the process starts to feel a little more exciting too. Visiting schools becomes particularly valuable here – not just for gathering information, but for getting a sense of the atmosphere.
This is often where preferences start to take shape, based on how a school feels rather than what it looks like in a brochure or on a website.
Once applications open, the focus shifts to making your choices.
This is where understanding admissions criteria becomes important, as well as thinking realistically about your options. Many parents find it helpful to include a mix of schools to give yourself the best chance of securing a place that works for your family.
Waiting for your offer can feel like a big moment – but it’s also where things start to fall into place.
Even if the process has felt uncertain up to this point, once a place is confirmed, it becomes much easier to picture the next step – and children typically settle in quickly once they start.
A common worry for parents, especially the first time around, is whether they should already have their child ‘on a list’ for local state schools.
The reassuring answer is no.
In England, you don’t need to register your child with schools years in advance. Instead, there’s a single application process run by your local council, and every parent applies at the same time.
Most children are applied for primary school places when they are 3 or just turning 4, in the year before they start school.
Applications are made through your local authority, usually online.
You’ll be able to:
Your local authority will then:
If your child is still in nursery and you haven’t applied yet, that’s completely normal.
Most parents go through this process for the first time when their child is 3 – and you’ll usually receive reminders from your nursery or local council when applications are about to open.
Once you know when to apply, the next step is understanding how the places are allocated. Most schools follow a similar process when they receive more applications than places.
Schools use oversubscription criteria, which typically include:
Admissions aren’t always straightforward – which is why many parents find this part of the process a little confusing at first.
Parents who’ve been through the process often share similar advice: include a mixture of schools on your application.
This means including:
With this approach you can reduce uncertainty and gain some confidence going into the process.
If you’re unsure about your chances of getting into a particular school, there are a few helpful places to look:
The next step is deciding which school feels right for your child. This is often the most personal part of the process — the moment you start to imagine them in their uniform, ready for their first day at school. While every family is different, there are a few things many parents find helpful to focus on.
Primary schools have open days and they’re one of the best ways to get a feel for the setting.
Many parents say this is where their preferences start to become much clearer – not just based on results or Ofsted reports, but how the school feels day to day.
The school run quickly becomes part of everyday life. A school that’s easier to get to can make a big difference to:
Where you live in relation to the catchment area will play a part, so it’s important to keep that in your thinking too.
Ofsted reports can be helpful, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Things like staff, leadership and the overall environment can have just as much impact on your child’s experience.
It’s also worth checking when the school was last inspected and reading the full report. You’ll get a much more detailed overview, and it’ll highlight whether key leadership staff have changed during the period since it was last inspected.
Hearing from other families can give you a more realistic picture of what a school is like. Chatting with other parents at nursery, community classes and extracurricular clubs provides great opportunities to learn more about local schools – particularly if they’ve been through the school selection process before.
Even when schools look similar on paper, many parents say one simply feels like a better fit. There’s no perfect choice – the goal is to find a school where your child will feel happy, supported and able to thrive.
This is a question many parents ask – and the honest answer is: it depends on what works best for you and your child.
Some parents prefer to visit schools on their own first, so they can:
Others choose to bring their child, especially if they want to:
Many parents find a balanced approach of visiting once on your own, then returning with your child works well.
It’s also worth remembering that younger children may not fully understand what’s happening – and some parents prefer to wait until they have a confirmed place before introducing the idea. There’s no right or wrong choice – it’s about what feels right for you and your child.
At The Old Station Nursery, we understand that starting school is a big milestone – for both children and parents.
That’s why we’ve developed our Next Stop School programme, designed to help children feel confident, capable and ready for the transition into primary school.
We focus on supporting key areas such as:
Just as importantly, we support parents too – offering guidance and reassurance throughout the process, so you feel informed and confident as your child approaches their next step.
Discover how we support children and families with school readiness, and help to make the transition to primary school as smooth as possible.