Admissions

How to apply for a school place?

Please use the following link to apply for a school place - Apply for a school – Applying to primary or junior schools - Lincolnshire County Council

Education Admission Timetable

You should apply for a primary or infant school place if your child:

is born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022
is in year 2 at an infant school and requires a place in year 3 at a junior or primary school
is in year 2 at a primary school and requires a place in year 3 at a junior school

As the admission authority, we must provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. We process these applications on the basis that most children will start school at the same time.

Children can start school at any time until they reach the compulsory school age. This is the term after the child turns five. For example, a child born in November will be compulsory school age in January.

You can request:

to delay your child’s start date until later in the academic year but not after they reach compulsory school age
your child takes up their place part-time until they reach compulsory school age

If you intend to delay starting school, you should discuss it with the school. The school will not hold the place if your child does not start within that academic year.

If you delay your child’s start until the following academic year, you will need to reapply for a place. You need to complete an in-term application during the summer term before starting school. The class may be full at this point, so any delay should be carefully considered.

Deferring admission to school is not the same as attending school out of normal school age.

By law, every child must be in education at the start of the term after their fifth birthday.

Application dates

Key dates	Details
17 November 2025	Admissions open
15 January 2026	Admissions close (national closing date)
12 February 2026	Lincolnshire final closing date for late applications and changes (your application may not be accepted if you apply to schools outside of Lincolnshire).
16 April 2026	Admissions reopen for late applications or changes
16 May 2026	Admissions close
after 1 June 2026	Main allocation process ends and all further applications are dealt with on at least a weekly basis

When you apply:

you can select up to three schools, which you should put in order of your preference
it is recommended to check if your child is eligible for free school transport before you apply, as this might determine which schools you choose to apply for
you can amend your application at any time before the final closing date. If you miss the first closing date, you must wait until admission reopens. Please note this might not apply if you apply to a school outside of Lincolnshire. If this is the case, please check with the relevant authority for the school
if your child needs a school place in a different year group or wants to move schools at another point during the year, you will need to apply to move schools.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way the appeal hearing was conducted, you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is unable to overturn a panel’s decision but may suggest a fresh appeal with a new panel and clerk.

Complaints about academy appeals need to be sent to the Education Funding Agency by:

emailing academy.questions@education.gsi.gov.uk
or writing to Admission Appeal Complaints, Academies Central Unit, Education Funding and Skills Agency, Earlsdon Park, Butts Road, Coventry, CV1 3BH

Or contact Mrs Gemma Atkinson, Hillcrest Early Years Academy Admission Officer on 01427 613483.

Gainsborough Hillcrest Early Years Academy – Lincolnshire County Council