Before you apply

Research information on schools before you apply

View our schools' directory for details of each primary and infant school including school type, Ofsted and performance reports.

Please read the admissions criteria for each school to see the priority that applies to your child. This will give you an idea of how likely it is you will gain a place at a preferred school. Priority is usually given to those children that have one or more siblings at the preferred school or those that live in the catchment area for a school.

We do not take into account your child’s current nursery place, your childminding arrangements or workplace address. All allocations are based on the priorities listed.

Consider how your child will travel to and from school.

Here’s how places were allocated to start a reception class in autumn 2024, and the lowest admission criterion met.

Understanding the different types of schools

In the schools' directory you will find information on each school including the type of school, these include:

• Community schools
• Trust schools
• Voluntary-aided schools
• Voluntary-controlled schools
• Academies
• Free schools

Further information can viewed here, understanding the different types of school.

Applying for schools outside of Leicester

You can apply for any mainstream school including schools outside your local area (schools in Leicestershire for example) as we will co-ordinate with the council responsible for that school when processing your application.

If you are planning to apply for a school in Leicestershire, we recommend that you use all four preferences and include your Leicester City catchment school as one of them. This is because some Leicestershire schools are very oversubscribed.

Applying for a school on religious grounds

The following schools give priority based on religious grounds and require a supplementary information form (SIF) to be completed. 

These forms can be downloaded from the schools’ websites or collected directly from the schools.

The completion of a SIF will ensure that the correct admissions criterion is applied to your application. SIF’s must be returned directly to the school by no later than 15 January 2025.

• Avanti Fields School
• Christ the King Catholic Primary School
• Falcons Primary School
• Holy Cross Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy
• Hope Hamilton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
• Krishna Avanti Primary School
• Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Academy
• St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School
• St Joseph’s Catholic Voluntary Academy
• St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy
• St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy

Please ensure that a receipt is collected from the school as proof of submitting your SIF as the school cannot be held responsible for applications lost in the post or for any late submissions.  

Special educational needs (SEN)

All schools make provision to support children who have special educational needs. Some children have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and these children may attend either a mainstream school or a special school.  

If your child has an EHCP, the SEN Co-ordinator at your child’s current school will start the process of their annual review in autumn 2024 to establish which school they will be attending in autumn 2025. If your child is undergoing a statutory assessment please contact your Education, Health and Care Inclusion Officer (EHCIO) for further advice, as this may affect the school that your child goes to.

If your child has special educational needs but does not currently have an EHCP you should apply in the normal way.

Compulsory school age

Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on either 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.

Deferring your child’s school place

If you do not think your child is ready to start school at the usual time, they can start later - as long as they’re in full-time education by the time they reach ‘compulsory school age’.

They can start:

• part time
• part-way through the year
• in the next school year, in the September after they turn 5

You will still need to apply for a school place at the same time as everyone else.

For children who are under compulsory school age, once a school place has been accepted, you may, if they wish, agree with the school a pattern of part time attendance or a deferred start until later in that school year (but not later than the beginning of the summer term). These arrangements should be discussed with the school.

Summer born children

Children born between 1 April to 31 August are classed as summer born children. 

Parents of summer born children can choose to delay their child's start to schools until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted out of their normal age group – to reception rather than Year 1 at the age of 5. If you're considering this option, please read our guidance on summer born children.

Next section: How we process your application