Central Bedfordshire Council news and press releases

Apply for your child’s school place for September 2024

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Applications are now open for children and young people who are due to start school, or transfer to middle, secondary or upper school in September 2024.

Children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 are due to start school in September 2024. Parents applying for their children to start either a lower or primary school must apply before 15 January 2024, even if their child already attends a nursery or pre-school on the school site.

Parents applying for a place for their child at a middle school must also apply before 15 January 2024, even if the child already attends a feeder school and lives in the catchment area.

The deadline for applications for young people transferring to a secondary or upper school in 2024 is 31 October 2023.

Last year, we offered first preferences to:

  • 96.8% of applications to primary school
  • 98% of applications to middle school
  • 98.2% of applications to secondary school
  • 99% of applications to upper school

Apply for a school place

Councillor Hayler Whitaker, our Executive Member for Families, Education and Children, said:

We aim to make applying for a child’s school place as simple as possible, with most parents now opting to do it online via our website. Parents and carers can find all they need to know about the process at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/admissions, to help them make an informed decision about their child’s education.

Alternatively, paper application forms are available. Call 0300 300 8037 or email admissions@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.