Reception Admissions

Starting Reception at the start of September

Children born between 1st September 2020 and 31 August 2021 are due to start in a primary school in September 2025.  Applications can be made from 1 September 2024 to 15 January 2025.

Lewisham Council coordinate applications for Reception class places in primary schools within the Lewisham Borough.  Parents are advised to read Lewisham Council’s Applying to Start Primary School for information about how to apply, deciding which schools to apply for, admissions criteria and more.

To apply for a Reception class place for their child parents should apply online directly to your home Local Authority (the borough where you live and pay council tax) at www.eadmissions.org.uk.  For more information please see the document: Guidance For Applying Online.

Parents should apply for six mainstream state primary schools, which can be in or outside the Lewisham borough. Do not include fee-paying or special needs schools on your application as they have a seperate application process.

On the applications, parents must be rank schools in order of preference.  Parents are advised to use all all six preferences and not restrict their application.  As it is not always possible to offer every child a place at one of their preferred schools, parents are advised to research a range of schools, including the one closest to your home address.  For more information about the preference system, visit Lewisham Council’s The preference system when applying for primary school places.

Some schools in the borough will be oversubscribed,  Where there is oversubscription priority is given to:

• Looked-after children – children in public care , or being provided with accommodation by a local authoruty.  Confirmation of a child’s looked-after status must be supplied by the allocated social worker or foster carer, along with a copy of the adoption order, care order or special guardianship order.
• Medical or social need – children may be admitted to a school wehre they would not normally qualifiy for a place on the grounds ot their, or their family’s, severe medical or social need. The application must be supported by a letter from a professional such as doctor or a social worker.
• Siblings – children whose brother or siste attends the school on the closing date for applications and still be on roll at Gordonbrock at the intended date of admission.
• Distance to School – if any places remain, unfilled priority will be offered to children who live closest to the school. Distance will be measured in a straight line using digitised mapping software.

Once parents have completed the online application they will receive an automated email confirming receipt of your application and a reference number. They will also be able to make any changes to your application up until the January deadline.

National offer day is 16 April 2025. Online applicants will get the result by email during the evening of the 16 April 2025 from the Local Authority.

You will need to accept your offer direct to the Local Authority by 1 May 2025.  Offers should be accepted by logging into your account so it’s important to keep a record of your username and password.

Information about delaying or deferring a place is available on Lewisham Council’s Delaying when your child starts primary school.

Further information about the appeals process is also available on Lewisham Council’s Appeal against not getting a primary school place.