National offer day for primary schools

Last Friday was Primary School National Offer Day, when parents and carers of children found out which school their child has been allocated a place at.

This year has been far from typical, with coronavirus restrictions meaning many families haven’t been able to look around schools in person. Some parents feel getting a place at their first choice school is even more important than usual, as their children may struggle to adapt to school life when they have spent little, if any, time in nursery or pre-school.

When your offer arrives, you can either accept it or, if you’re unhappy with the place that’s been offered, you can consider appealing the decision. The letter or email will give you information on how you can do this, along with the deadlines. You should consider accepting any offer of a school place you receive to ensure that your child has a place should your appeal not be successful. Accepting another offer will have no bearing on your appeal and the appeals process does not limit other options available to you.

You can also put your child’s name down on a waiting list for your preferred school, even if they have been offered a place at another school. Sometimes places become available before term starts in September as families move or their plans change.
Last year 96 per cent of Island primary school children were offered their first choice school and of 30 appeals made, two were successful.
You can find more information and guidance on when and how to appeal at gov.uk/government/publications/admission-appeals-for-school-places/advice-for-parents-and-guardians-on-school-admission-appeals.