Wokingham

Wokingham District Council is encouraging parents and carers to make early applications for their children, if they are eligible to start school in the next school year. There are three terms of entry: September 2007, January 2008 and April 2008.

Final Wokingham applications for each of the three terms of entry must be submitted by February 9, 2007.

Children eligible to start in school year 2007/8 are those born on or between September 1, 2002 and August 31, 2003.

Application forms, with supporting information, will soon be sent to Wokingham parents and carers and should be delivered by the end of November 2006. If parents or carers of eligible children have not received application forms by December 15, 2006, they should contact the school admission team at Wokingham District Council on (0118) 974 6245, or 974 6146.

Applications can also be made online at www.wokingham.gov.uk/admissions. Further details will be on the website from November.

Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said “Our school admissions team are keen to remind applicants that they must apply to the council, not directly to the preferred school. It is also vitally important that they don’t miss the final deadline of February 9, 2007.”

The scheme enables parents and carers to express a preference for up to three infant or primary schools. However, if applying for a place at a voluntary aided or foundation school, a supplementary information form may need to be completed in addition to the official application form. Even though parents and carers may still register an interest directly with schools, places will not be reserved if they do not use the official application form.

The new application process also applies to pupils transferring from infant to junior school to start in September 2007. The guide and application form will be sent to all year 2 children attending a Wokingham district infant school. The deadline for receipt of the application form is February 9, 2007. Again, if parents and carers do not receive their form by December 15, 2006 they should contact the school admissions team.

This co-ordinated system fits in with current government rules, meaning everyone applying for an infant, primary or junior school place in the Wokingham district will receive a single offer on the same day (March 30, 2007).

Parents should contact the school admissions team to register their child, so that a copy of the ‘Parents Guide to Primary School Admissions’ and an application form can be sent, by telephoning (0118) 974 6245 or (0118) 974 6146.

Wokingham District Council