Primary school offer day 2024: Everything you need to know

Find out what to do if you don’t get the school you wanted

Pupils play on the first day of the newly opened Bangor Integrated Nursery school, one of the two outliers at kindergarten age, for children aged three and four, in Bangor, on 15 March 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Parents of three and four year olds will find out on Tuesday the primary school offered to their children for academic year beginning September 2024.

On national primary school offer day, local councils make contact with families and carers to inform them what schools their three to four-year-olds have been accepted into.

The majority of pupils are expected to be offered a place at one of their preferred primary schools, while most will be offered their top choice.

When is national primary school offer day?

Tuesday, 16 April is when parents will find out which primary school has offered their child a place – a significant moment for families. The time of the announcements varies by council area, and parents will be informed via email or letter.

Will I get my first choice primary school?

The pupils are likely to get one of their top choice primary schools, according to a blog published by the Department of Education.

In 2023, 92.5 per cent families received an offer from their first choice of primary school and 98.3 per cent received an offer from one of their top three choices.

At the same time, over one million additional school places have been created between May 2010 and May 2023, with many more in the pipeline.

File: Children enjoy outside play at St Mary’s CE Primary School on 8 March 2021 in Stoke on Trent, England (Getty Images)

What do I do after I receive an offer?

When you have been allocated a school, you must formally accept the offer by a certain deadline that the local authority will set.

Your local authority should have a step-by-step guide on what to do next.

How are primary school places decided? 

All schools have admission criteria to decide which children get places. This criteria is set by the school or local council.

While all state-funded schools must give top priority to admitting children who are in care or have been in care, admission criteria is different for each school. They may choose to give priority to children:

• Those who live close to the school 
• Those who have a brother or sister at the school already 
• Those from a particular religion (for faith schools) 
• Those who are eligible for the pupil premium  
• Those whose parent has worked at the school for two years or more 

Your local council can give you information about a school’s criteria.

What do I do if I do not get the school I wanted?

If you’re not offered your first-choice school, you can appeal the decision. However, it is advised that you accept the school you are offered even if you decide to appeal, in case your application is rejected.

You can add your child’s name to the waiting list for any school that you’ve applied for. Schools must keep a waiting list for at least one term. The waiting list will be ordered by the school’s oversubscription criteria.

How do I appeal?

Parents or carers who want to appeal a decision should first contact the school’s admission authority, which is responsible for organising the appeal panel. They can ford their school’s admission authority by visiting their local council website.

The panel is independent and will look at the case presented by both the admission authority and the parent before coming to a decision.

The decision of the appeal panel is binding – if the appeal is upheld, the admission authority must offer your child a place at the school.