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Schools and education

Primary School Allocation Day

National Offer Day for Primary Schools is Wednesday 16th April 2025.


How to find your allocated school

In order to find your child’s allocated school, parents/carers who applied online must log into their Parent Portal account using their email address as their username and their password. The allocated school will be shown on the Parent Portal account on Wednesday 16 April 2025. Parents or carers who did not apply online will receive a letter.

Find your allocated school

If you need to reset your password, you can do this through Parent Portal which will send you an email (referred to as a token). Please allow time to receive the password reset email (referred to as a token) and also check your junk folder.

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Your allocated school

If you are happy with your allocated school, the school will contact you in due course to complete an application pack. Please note that if the place your child has been allocated is at a school for which you are not in the catchment area for, or if you move out of the catchment area, then you may have less chance of being successful when applying for any younger siblings.

If you have not been allocated your first preference or if you have been allocated a lower preference, the reason is that there were more requests for your preference schools than places available, therefore, the school is oversubscribed. Where a school is oversubscribed, places are allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria which is set out in a school’s admissions policy.

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Refusal of school preference

For any preferences that have been refused, and where that school is in York, your child will be placed on the waiting list. These lists are ranked in accordance with the set oversubscription criteria for the school. Should a place become available and your child is the most entitled pupil, we will contact you.

If you have been allocated a school that was not a listed preference school, the reason is that there were more requests for your preference schools than places available, therefore, the school is oversubscribed. Where a school is oversubscribed, places are allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria which is set out in a school’s admissions policy. Therefore you have been allocated the closest school to you with places available.

See further information about reasons for school place refusal.

If you are unhappy with your allocated school, you have the right to appeal.

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How to appeal

If you are unhappy with your allocation, you have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel (set up in accordance with the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 Section 94). If you wish to appeal, you can request the appeal papers by completing the online form.

Primary Schools Appeal Timeline Date
National Offer Day 16 April 2025 or next working day
Deadline for return of forms, if appealing 20 May 2025
Appeals planned to start 10 June 2025*
Appeals planned to finish 22 July 2025*

*Subject to panel members availability.

The appeal papers to be completed and returned to appealsclerksadmin@york.gov.uk. The Appeal Clerks will then coordinate an independent appeal hearing and keep you updated on the process.

Request appeal papers

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Home to school transport

If you have been allocated the following catchment school, and you live in the following areas, we'll contact you by email with a link to York Pullman Bus Company’s Online application form to apply for a place on the school bus.

School Catchment area
Archbishop of York CE Junior/Bishopthorpe Infants Acaster Malbis
Poppleton Ousebank Primary Hessay
St Mary’s CE Primary Askham Bryan

If you have any queries regarding Home to School Transport please e-mail cyp.transport@york.gov.uk

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Free school meals

If you are on a low income you can apply for free school meals.

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Also see

Education Support Services

West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 551554