Deciding which primary schools to apply for

Deciding which primary schools to apply for

You can list up to 4 schools on your application, in your preferred order. 

You can find oversubscription criteria and information for every West Northamptonshire primary, infant and junior school in our applying for a primary school place in West Northants 2027 composite prospectus.

Choosing Schools

Many parents choose their local school because it is close to home and their child may already know other children who attend.

If you live in a village or rural area, your local school may have a linked area. Living in this area may give your child a better chance of being offered a place if the school is oversubscribed.

Important: If you would like your child to be considered for a school, including your local or linked-area school, you must include it as one of your preferences.

Finding out more about schools

Before applying, you may wish to:

• Look at school information, Ofsted reports and admission arrangements.
• Check whether the school requires a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) or supporting documents.
• Read the school's prospectus.
• Attend an open day or visit the school.
• Consider how your child will travel to and from school each day and find out if your child is likely to be eligible for  free school transport.

Understanding how places are allocated

Every school has a set number of places available, known as its Published Admission Number (PAN).

If there are more applications than places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria to decide which children are offered places. These criteria may give priority to particular groups of children.

Such as:

• children with a sibling already at the school
• children who live in the linked or catchment area
• children who meet faith-based admission criteria

It is important to read the oversubscription criteria for any schools you are considering, as this can help you understand your child's chances of being offered a place.

Equal preferencing

School places are allocated using a system called equal preferencing. This means that each school considers your application without knowing whether you listed it first, second, third or fourth.

If your child qualifies for more than one school, you will be offered a place at the school you ranked highest on your application.

Putting a school first does not increase your chances of getting a place there. Always list schools in your genuine order of preference.

Read a more detailed explanation of equal preferencing.

How to apply for a primary school place

Last updated 31 August 2026