Primary Year of Entry - September 2025 (Reception or Junior)

How to apply for a place at a primary school.

Apply for SEPTEMBER 2025 - Reception or a Junior School (Year 3)

Children due to attend full time in a reception class or transferring to a Junior school can apply now.

It is important to apply on time as a number of schools will be full next September. 

You are encouraged to include your catchment area school as one of your preferences even if this is not your first choice.

APPLY NOW FOR RECEPTION OR JUNIOR SCHOOL (YEAR 3) SEPTEMBER 2025 

Starting School

Schools in Doncaster admit children to reception classes in September at the start of the school year if they have had their fourth birthday on or before 31 August.

Key Dates

• Closing date for applications is 15th January 2025
• Late applications can still be made and will be considered after the announcement date 
• National offer date is 16th April 2025 - Parents will be emailed their decision, using the email account used to apply.

Once an offer is received families will be contacted by Schools directly regarding the admissions arrangements. There is no need to contact the School in advance of contact from Schools.

You should also be aware that we have several faith schools in Doncaster (Catholic and Church of England) which you are able to apply for.  All schools are listed for selection within the application process online:-

• Hooton Pagnell All Saints C of E Primary School
• Branton St Wilfrid's C of E Primary School
• Canon Popham C of E Primary Academy
• Holy Family Catholic Primary School
• Mexborough St. John the Baptist C of E Primary School
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Primary School
• Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Voluntary Academy
• Rossington St Michael's C of E Primary School
• St Alban's Catholic Primary School
• St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School
• St Joseph & St Teresa's Catholic Primary School
• St Joseph's School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Edlington
• St Oswald's C of E Academy
• St Peter's Catholic Primary School
• Tickhill St Mary's Church of England Primary and Nursery School
• Travis St Lawrence C of E Primary School

Please note the schools above do not have catchment areas as they give priority to pupils who live in each parish

Deferred Entry – Summer Born Children

Parents of summer born children (born between 1 April and 31 August) are currently able to request that their child defer entry to a reception class for a full academic year. When such a request is made, the admission authority, responsible for admission to the school will make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned, taking into account the views of the head teacher and any supporting evidence provided by the parent.

If the request is allowed, normal admission rules will apply and there is no guarantee that a place will be offered at the requested school(s).

Parents should initially make contact with the Local Authority, for community schools or directly to the requested school in all other cases setting out their request during the autumn term after their third birthday.  This will ensure that they do not miss out on a place at the normal point of entry which should be made by the national closing date - 15 January.

Parents should set out their reasons for their request using the Deferred Entry Request Form and send it to the relevant admission authority. Further guidance and the form can be found at the right hand side of this page.

Proposed Changes to the Current Arrangements – Summer Born Children

Whilst the Government have stated that they intend to consult on arrangements to make this an automatic approval, no further details on this proposal or timescales have yet been published.

Delayed Entry

Children reach compulsory school age on the prescribed day following their 5th birthday (or on their fifth birthday if it falls on a prescribed day). The prescribed days are 31 August, 31 December and 31 March.

Where parents apply for admission to a reception class for a child who is not of statutory school age, and parents wish to defer entry, a child should be admitted to the class no later than the beginning of the summer term in the reception year.

Parents can request that their child attends part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age and the request will be considered where it appears to be in the best interest of the child. The request should be made directly to the school concerned once their child has been offered a place.

More information

For further information, please contact us:

• School admissions page
• find schools

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