Parents who have children starting primary school next September are being reminded to apply for their child’s school place before Friday 15 January 2027.
While the New Year deadline feels quite a distance away to some, data held by Rochdale Borough Council shows families still miss this important deadline.
In 2026, 216 parents submitted a late primary school application.
This led to more than a third of those children (37%) missing out on their first preferred school as a result when reception started this September.
In comparison, 89% of those who submitted an application on time secured their preferred school.
Councillor Rachel Massey, cabinet member for children’s services and education, said:
“We know life is busy for families, especially when your children are a lot younger, but it is so important to get your school applications in on time.
“While the deadline is in the New Year, January will be here before we know it, so I urge all families to get their applications in as soon as they can to give your child the best possible chance of securing their preferred primary school.”
Families must complete their primary school application through the local authority’s online parent portal. This includes families who have children that already attend a school nursery, as there is no automatic transition from nursery to reception.
Parents are advised to make 5 preferences as part of their application and to avoid duplicating or selecting only one preference as this will not increase their chances of obtaining a place at any school.
Before making any decision, families are encouraged to gather as much information on their preferred schools as they can.
This could include reading the respective admissions criteria, prospectus and Ofsted report of each school.
It could also include arranging a visit to their preferred schools as part of any upcoming open evenings, or by arranging a direct visit with the school if they cannot attend their opening events.
Parents should also consider whether the distance to the school will affect their chances of being allocated a place, how it will impact how their child travels to school and if this could be a problem if their child was to take part in after school activities.