Admission Arrangements

All children can start school in the September before their 5th birthday.  You should apply for your child to start primary or infant school by the 15th of January in the school year your child turns 4. For entry in the September 2024 school year, children will have been born between 1st September 2019 and 31st August 2020.  Later start dates are possible and can be discussed with the headteacher.

Applications for children who were born between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021 can be made only from the Autumn of 2024.

Following the conversion to academy status the South York Multi Academy Trust is our admissions authority.  Applications are processed by, and must be made via, the Local Authority.  You will find the South York Multi Academy Trust Admissions Policy on our Policies page of this website. Our PAN (Proposed Admission Number) for both September 2023 and September 2024 is 30.

For any queries about admissions policies or the admissions process you can email education@york.gov.uk or call 01904 551554.  Further details are available on their website, and details of the admissions policies for all York schools can be found here.  

Will your child start reception in September 2024?

Click to find the Guide for Parents on the CYC website

Applications for a place in Reception starting in September 2024 opened on 12th September 2023. The deadline for applications is 15th January 2024 although late applications can be made after this date. National Offer Day is the 16th April 2024, or the next working day.

Applications for entry into reception can be made by using the online form to apply for a school place.

If you can’t apply online you can request a paper Primary Application Form by calling 01904 551 554. Forms are also distributed to primary schools and nurseries in the York area.

Please read the Guide for Parents applying for a school place, as it contains key information on school admissions.  You can also find the Guide to School Catchment Areas online.  We also advise you to keep checking on the City of York Council Admissions site to keep updated with key dates throughout the year.

Key Dates for the City of York Council Admissions Process for Reception 2024
  • 12th September 2023 – opening date for applications
  • 15th January 2024 – Deadline for applications
  • 16th April 2024 or the next working day – National Offer Day
  • 17th May 2024 – Appeal forms to be returned
  • June-July 2024 – Admission appeals heard
  • September 2024 – Applications for the 2025 entry into Reception expected to open

Admission Consultations

In line with the School Admissions Code 2021, City of York Council holds a coordinated admission consultation annually on behalf of schools within York and the School Admission Authorities. Where a school is part of a Multi Academy Trust, the Trust is the Admission Authority and not City of York Council and in the case of Dunnington Church of England Primary School, South York Multi Academy Trust is our admissions authority.

Coordinated School Admissions Consultation 2025 to 2026

The consultation was open from 2 October 2023 to 12 November 2023. The draft admissions policies, published admission numbers and related documents for schools in the City of York area advise how admissions applications and decisions will be made for the 2025 to 2026 school year. Some draft documents will apply to more than one school where the policy applies to Community and Voluntary Controlled schools and schools within a Multi Academy Trust. The schools to which the policy applies are listed in the policy.

For further information and to view the draft documents, please see the CYC website.

Feedback provided through the admission consultation survey regarding schools where City of York Council are the Admission Authority will be considered by City of York Council. Feedback provided through the admission consultation survey regarding schools which are part of a Multi Academy Trust, where the Trust is the Admission Authority, will be passed to the Trust to be considered.

When information about the following year’s admissions consultation is available, we will share it here.