It's a mind-field trying to find a good school for your child, especially if you live where in an area where there are loads. How can you find what schools are in your area? How do you choose the right one?
You can do this by either contacting your local council, or you can go to Ofsted where by entering your postcode you can find a list of schools in your area and also their most current Ofsted report.
After you have carefully researched schools in your area and have made a choice you can apply for your child's place through your local council which you can do by visiting www.gov.uk.
You will need to apply for three schools which you list in order of preference.
Local councils may vary but you will need to do this at least a year before your child is eligible for a place. The deadline for applying for a place is currently the 15th January for this years intake.
Your application may be turned down if there are no spaces for your child, currently the class limit is 30. You will be sent a letter if this is the case and will be required to appeal each decision separately.
If you have not received a place you will need to contact your local council to see which nearby schools still have places available.
Yes, you can appeal against the schools decision on the following grounds: