2023 school place

[sazy32]

Does anybody know when the primary school applications open for West Sussex ?

I keep trying to check on the gov website and it keeps saying the website is unavailable 🤦🏻‍♀️

It's around mid Oct to Jan

Website is down for maintenance I believe

Applications will open in Sept, and close on Jan 15. That is standard across England. There is no advantage to applying early.

It's stained application process, applying early doesn't mean anything. Just watch the website. Offer day is the same nationwide.

Check your local council page and they will show you.

Ours are already open. I've done my daughter's but she is a sibling so no need to wait for open days etc.

Ah thanks everyone. I was starting to panic a little that I've missed the date, as I haven't got any idea when it opens for applications. Good to know that it doesn't matter if you apply on the first or last day too 🙌

Generally you can also change the order of preference up to the deadline too.

If you weren't sure on whether applying early helps, may I just check you are sure on the other important issues?

You put the schools in your true order of priority. You aren't disadvantaged against a school because you don't put it first.

You should include somewhere a school you are pretty definite to be accepted at, better a poor school on your doorstep than one miles away.

Don't put only one school down, because you think it shows how keen you are on it and they'll 'have' to give it to you. They don't.

Read admissions criteria carefully, and look at previous years admission data to check you have a chance.

If you take a punt on a good school right on the limit of distance offered, consider how you might feel if they get in but their young sibling doesn't in 2 years time.

We applied for this year's reception intake. They all open at slightly different times. We're in East Sussex and we were one of the last to open and also to hear about allocations.

Early applications do not get priority. I would use this time to go and visit the schools you're thinking of and look around - I thought I knew which school I wanted, but the reality didn't match the expectation.