Parents and carers in Felixstowe and neighbouring villages can now apply for a place in the normal year of entry at a primary (including infant and junior) school and Holbrook Academy for September 2024.

The deadline for applications to secure a place at a secondary school is Tuesday 31 October 2023.

The deadline for applying for a primary school place, including infant and junior schools, is Monday 15 January 2024. 

All applications received by the relevant closing date are processed at the same time using the schools' oversubscription criteria to prioritise applications when necessary. Late applications are processed after all of those received on time.

Last year, Suffolk County Council received just over 15,400 on time applications for pupils wishing to start at a primary or infant school, or to transfer to a junior or into Year 7 at a secondary school from September 2023. 

Just over 94% of applicants received offers for their first preference school and 98.5% of applicants received an offer for one of their top three preferred schools.

Before making a school application, parents and carers need to consider how they will get their child to and from school. School Travel eligibility is based on a child attending the nearest suitable school that would have had a place available. This might not be the catchment area school. To find out more about SCC's School Travel Policy please visit www.suffolkonboard.com/schooltravel.

Councillor Rachel Hood, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Education, SEND and Skills, said: "It is important for parents and carers to carefully consider which schools to apply for on behalf of their child. 

"To make sure you have the best chance of getting a place at one of your preferred schools, you need to make sure you complete and submit your application by the relevant closing date. Parents and carers can list up to three schools on their application and we recommend that you apply for more than one school."

Parents and carers should apply online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions as they will receive confirmation that we have received their application. If for any reason they are unable to apply online they should apply on a paper application (CAF1). Suffolk County Council is unable to acknowledge receipt of paper applications and therefore suggest that proof of posting is obtained.

If families are planning to move house or think their circumstances may change before next September, it is still important to make an application on time. Advice and guidance about this process is available at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions.

Families who apply online will be able to log on to the Online Service on the National Offer Day, which is Friday 1 March 2024 for secondary school places and Tuesday 16 April 2024 for primary school places, to see their offer of a school place, and they will receive an email to confirm this offer on the same day. Offer letters will be sent by second class post to applicants who made a paper application.

Information to help parents and carers make their application is available at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions.

Parents and carers also need to think about how their child will travel to school before they apply for a school place. Visit the Nearest School Checker to check whether this is the catchment area school. This can be found at http://nearestschool.suffolk.gov.uk/."