Do you need to 'register an interest' in the local schools?

[cupcakeandtea]

I'm totally new to this. DS will start school next September so in the very early stages of this very daunting process.

There are quite a few good primary schools in this area so I rang one today to ask if there were any open evenings soon and she asked if I had registered an interest in my DS going to the school.

I didn't even know I was supposed to do this. There's nothing on my LA website about it.

She's invited me and DH to have a look round tomorrow so that's a good thing. Am I supposed to register an interest in all the schools we're interested in?

No , it normally just means you are on their mailing list for a prospectus and invitation to open days, nothing more formal. If it is a VA school they may also have their own application form ie. identifying details of relevant religion to fulfill their specific criteria which would be submitted at the sam time as the LA application process

In formal terms there is no need, your application is to the Local Authority you live in for all schools that are maintained.
However it is a good idea to go and look at different schools before you make decisions on the preferences to put down on the form. Also by getting your name down with schools it does mean you will probably be copied in on any information pertaining to school admissions.
In my primary school we send out reminders to all parents who have expressed an interest at the beginning of December and immediately in the January. It is amazing how many parents forget to apply for places and need the reminders before the actually apply.

If the school is a faith school there may be additional forms to fill in, and submit to the school as part of the process.