Apply for a reception or junior place for September 2026
Our telephone lines will be answered during the followings times:
Week commencing 1 September from 8.30am to 5pm
Week commencing 8 September from 8.30am to 5pm
Week commencing 15 September from 9am to 4pm
Week commencing 22 September onwards from 9.30am to 3.30pm
Telephone 01332 642730
Alternatively, you can email admissions@derby.gov.uk, we will respond to you within 3 working days.
How to apply
If:
- your child is starting school for the first time in September 2026, (born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 inclusive) and
- you live in Derby.
or
- your child is in year 2 at an infant school and will be transferring to junior school in September 2026, (born between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2019 inclusive) and
- you live in Derby.
- Find your nearest primary schools.
- Read how primary school places are decided in the Primary schools admissions handbook. (If you require this document in an accessible format, please email admissions@derby.gov.uk)
- Apply using your parent portal account.
If you live outside of Derby and want to apply for a Derby city school, you should still apply to your current local council.
Please note: we do not forward applications to your home authority that are made to us in error.
If you want a place at an independent school or private school, contact the school directly.
If your child has an EHCP, please contact the SEND team, email SENDDuty@derby.gov.uk, or telephone 01332 643616. Do not make an application through the parent portal.
Supplementary information forms
If you apply on grounds of religious faith, you will need to request a supplementary information form direct from the school.
Completed supplementary information forms must be returned direct to the schools by you.
These forms are not application forms but are important. They are required by the schools so that they can assess which criteria your application falls into, for example, if your child is baptized Catholic.
What you need to know before applying
If you are applying for more than one child, you need to complete a separate application for each child.
You should only include additional information if it is relevant to the schools admission criteria.
If more than one parent has legal responsibility for your child, both parents must be in agreement over the schools requested.
Key dates
Reception intake and junior transfer
| Key date | Direction |
|---|---|
| From 1 November until 15 January | Apply online using the parent portal |
| National closing date for applications 15 January |
Submit your application online before the national closing date. All applications received after this date will be considered ‘late’ and will be processed after all on time applications. |
| National Offer Day: 16 April or the closest next working day (if 16 April falls on a non-working day) |
Login into the parent portal to view your school offer. We will also email you on national offer day. |
Junior transfers
When applying for a junior transfer place, only three primary schools take in extra pupils.
- Dale Community Primary School
- Hardwick Primary School
- St. John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy.
If any other schools are named as a preference they will be withdrawn.
If you are applying for a place in a Roman Catholic school, you will also need to fill out a Roman Catholic supplementary information form.
Changes to your application
If you need to make changes after you have submitted your application, you must contact the Admissions team.
Please note: any changes you make after we have received your application and / or the closing date has passed will not be processed.
Contact Robin Norman, email Robin.Norman@Derby.gov.uk telephone 01332 642730.
Late applications
Applying late means you have less chance of getting your preferred school because we offer places to on-time applications first. All late applications will be processed after those received during the application window.
Places at your preferred school may have already been taken by on-time applicants.
National Offer Day
We will send offers of places on National Offer Day – 16 April 2026, or the next closest working day.
Separated parents
If the child’s parents are separated or divorced, there are various things that need to be considered depending on the situation.
What if the child’s parents live at separate addresses?
If you move house and your catchment area changes we will need to see proof that this is your main residential address. This is where your child lives at the time of application and admission.
If the residency of your child is split between both parents, we consider the home address to be the address where the child lives for most of the school week (Monday to Friday).
If the child spends equal amounts of time at both addresses, you will be asked to nominate which address you wish to use for the purpose of allocating a school place.
What happens if both parents cannot agree on the choice of schools?
You are advised to seek to reach an agreement with any other person who may apply for a place for your child, such as another parent.
If one parent has parental responsibility (as evidenced by documentation), that parent's application is the one that we will accept.
If parents are separated and both have parental responsibility, then they must determine between them who will make the application and if they cannot agree then either parent may seek to have that determined by a court.
In the event of a dispute between parents who do not have this matter resolved by the court by the closing date, we will accept the application by the parent with whom the child resides the majority of the school week. Where that is equal, we will be unable to process the application further until the matter has been resolved. We encourage parents to resolve any disagreements quickly as delay may affect the availability of places at preferred schools.
Are you moving or recently moved house?
Proof of address may be needed when you submit your child’s application to start in reception.
If you child has been attending a nursery or school in Derby, we may have an home address and proof may not be needed.
Proof of address is likely to be required (but not exclusively) if you have moved in the last 12 months.
Website feedback
If you would like to comment about the school admission's web pages please fill in the website feedback form.