uk primary school application letter

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/01/12/primary-school-admissions-2024-apply-deadline/

Primary school admissions 2024: How to apply and when is the deadline?

Parents of children aged three and four will be thinking about submitting their applications to secure their child’s place at primary school for the next academic year.    

The deadline is fast approaching and applying on time will boost your chances of securing a place at your top choice school .    

Here, we explain everything you need to know about primary school admissions, including how and when to apply.  

How do I apply for a place at primary school?   

Applications should be made online through your local authority website wherever possible.   

If you want to submit a paper application instead, you can request one from your local council, or download and print the application form for your local council website .  

You must then fill it in and hand it into your local council by the application deadline date.  

You will be allowed to express an d interest for at least three schools you wish for your child to attend. In some areas, you may be allowed to choose up to six preferences.  

When is the primary school admissions deadline?   

The deadline for applying for primary school is 15 January 2024 for admission in September 2024.  

What if I miss the deadline?  

Late applications received after the deadline may not be considered until after all other applications received on time.   

This could result in your child not securing a place at your preferred school.  

When will I find out if my child has a place?   

Parents will find out which primary school has offered their child a place for September 2024 on  Tuesday 16 April.

The decision will be sent by the local council by either letter or email.  

Some councils allow parents to view their results through the admissions portal or system.  

Exactly what time the offers will be released varies from area to area.    

How are primary school places decided?  

All schools have admission criteria to decide which children get places, set by the school or local council.   

While all state-funded schools must give top priority to admitting children who are in care or have been in care, admission criteria is   different for each school. They may choose to give priority to children:   

• who live close to the school   
• who have a brother or sister at the school already   
• who are from a particular religion (for faith schools)   
• who are eligible for the pupil premium    
• whose parent has worked at the school for two years or more.  

Your  local council  can give you information about a school’s criteria. You should also be able to view these on your local council website.   

What if my child doesn’t get a place at her our preferred school?  

If you’re not offered your first-choice school,  you can appeal the decision . Your decision letter will tell you how you can do this.  

However, even if you're appealing a decision, we recommend accepting the offer your child did receive so that they have a school place if the appeal is unsuccessful. Accepting another offer won’t affect your appeal or limit other options available to you.   

Parents or carers who want to appeal a decision should first contact the school’s admission authority, which is responsible for organising the appeal panel.   

Parents and carers can find their school’s admission authority by visiting their local council website.

The appeal panel is independent and will look at the case presented by both the admission authority and the parent before coming to a decision.   

The decision of the appeal panel is binding – if the appeal is upheld, the admission authority must offer the child a place at the school.   

Admission authorities and appeal panels must comply with the statutory School Admission Appeals Code, which is available  here . Guidance for parents on the admission appeals process can also be found  here .   

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Tags: primary school , Primary school admissions , Primary school admissions 2024 , When do I apply for a primary school place , When do you apply for school

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Frequently asked questions about primary school admissions

Select a question to reveal the answer.

Co-ordinated admissions:

• ensure that, as far as possible parents and carers applying for a school place for their child receive an offer of one (and only one) school place on the same day
• remove the problem of some parents and carers holding multiple offers of places whilst others have none.

To ensure that the system is effective, there is a common application form on which six preferences can be expressed in rank order. The schools can be within Royal Greenwich or in other local authorities. We will co-ordinate applications from Royal Greenwich residents, irrespective of which schools they apply for.

We will inform other admission authorities if anyone has applied for a place at their school or schools. For example, if you have applied to a voluntary aided school in Royal Greenwich or a school outside London, we will tell that school or the appropriate local authority. If you have applied to a school in London but outside Royal Greenwich (for example, in Bexley, Bromley or Lewisham), we will inform those boroughs. We will upload the information onto a central database managed on behalf of all London authorities.

Each admission authority considers all the applications for its school or schools in accordance with its own admission criteria. If more than one offer can be made from your list of preferred schools, we will check your application form to see which one is ranked highest and offer you that place.

If only one offer can be made from your list, that of course is the one you will be offered. We will hold only the offer that is the highest preference on your application form and all lower preference schools will be withdrawn so that these places may be offered to other applicants.

If your child is still being assessed, you should continue to apply through this process as well. The Special Needs Service will inform the Admission Service if your child is to be issued with an EHCP with details of the named school.

If your child already has an EHCP the Special Needs Service will lead on the transition to primary school and you need not apply through Royal Greenwich Admission Service.

No, but you are strongly encouraged to list as many as possible - up to six - as this will increase your chances of being offered a place on 16 April 2024.

As any of your preferences may be offered, it is recommended you do not name any school you do not wish to be offered.

Your preferences cannot be changed after the closing date, unless you are able to provide evidence that confirms there has been a significant change in your family's circumstances.

You can list any community, foundation, free or voluntary aided school (usually Church of England or Catholic), or academy.

Schools in the independent sector (fee-paying) do not fall within the scheme.

You are strongly advised to include schools nearest to your home address. If you do not, and it is not possible to offer you one of your preferred schools, your child may be allocated a school much further away. While there is no guarantee that your child will be offered a place at any of your preference schools, the decision not to include schools nearest to your home address could impact upon any entitlement you may have to assistance with home to school travelling expenses.

Although it is for you to decide on your preference schools, we recommend that you do not 'waste' a preference by naming a school at which your child is unlikely to be offered a place. It is important that you consider each school's admissions criteria before making your application.

If you experience any technical difficulties or forget your password, please contact the London Grid for Learning , which administers the eAdmissions portal (Option 1).

If you will be applying for a place as a foundation entrant at a Church of England or Catholic school, you will need to complete a supplementary information form - in addition to the application form.

If you are applying for a place at St Mary Magdalene Church of England School you must complete the school's supplementary information form specifying which site you would like your child to attend.

Links to supplementary information forms are available on this website.

The supplementary information form must be returned to the school by 15 January 2024.

If you feel that there is a chronic medical or social care reason why your child should be offered a particular school, please make this clear on your application and remember to attach supporting evidence, including a professional medical diagnosis. It is expected that a professional, such as a GP or consultant, will write any supporting statements.

These reasons must be stated at the application stage so that full consideration may be given before all the places are filled.

Sometimes parents and carers describe a particular medical or social need that can in fact be met in most schools. You should therefore state why the school is the most suitable for your child and the implications if your application is not successful. Where the need relates to another family member, that family member must live at the same address as the child.

Please bear in mind that work commitments and childcare arrangements do not fall under the category of a chronic medical or social care need.

Please also note that we do not normally consider moderate learning difficulties, such as delayed speech and language or dyslexia, as being an acute medical or social need. We can only consider a request for a place in a school's designated specialist provision (DSP) if it is supported by our Special Needs Service.

The following are considered valid reasons for not being able to provide the required proof of address:

• the applicant has recently moved to Royal Greenwich from another borough or from abroad
• the Council Tax is paid by a private landlord or is included in the rent
• the applicant is not entitled to public funds
• the applicant is in the UK armed forces or is a Crown Servant
• exceptional circumstances, that is, the applicant is fleeing domestic violence, house fire and so on.

If you are not liable for Council Tax or have recently moved, you will need to provide alternative proof of address, such as:

• opening or closing accounts for Council Tax and utility accounts
• a tenancy agreement via a commercial letting agency (the tenancy period must extend beyond the start of the academic year in which your child starts primary school)
• proof of payment of rent to a landlord on a regular basis
• evidence of completion of the purchase of a new property
• for members of the UK armed forces, an official letter confirming the address of your quarters
• Crown Servants will need to provide evidence that they will be residing in Royal Greenwich.

If you are unable to provide any of the above, at least two of the following types of documentation may be accepted:

• a tenancy agreement
• benefit letters
• wage slips or P45
• bank statements
• utility bills
• Home Office letter
• medical card or GP letter
• driving licence.

If you are unable to provide any of the documentation listed above, please seek advice from the Admissions Service about what other documentation could be considered as being acceptable proof. The easiest way to do this is by emailing us at [email protected]

A Crown Servant is employed by the Crown, such a member of the armed forces a civil servant or a diplomat. If a Crown Servant who is oversees provides an official letter or an official posting notice with a relocation date, UK base address and UK home address, Royal Greenwich will be able to accept, process and allocate a place from the UK home address.

The Families Information Service (FIS) offers support to parents and carers who may need support with the school admissions process. The service is available to everyone and provides:

• a wide range of information on local primary schools
• support in making informed and realistic preferences
• help in completing the relevant forms
• information about the appeals process.

If you have questions about which schools will best meet your child's academic and developmental needs, or require support in making your application, please contact FIS at [email protected] .

No, this cannot be guaranteed. Much depends on:

• how many people apply for places at each school
• whether applicants have brothers or sisters already there
• and other factors.

These things can vary from year to year. The more schools you list, the better your chances of getting a place for your child at one of them.

Admission authorities publish information on the number of applications to schools in previous years and how far away schools have tended to recruit from. This can give you some idea of how likely it is you will obtain a place - but it is only a guide, not a prediction. It can help you make a more realistic choice, but you are entitled to express a preference for any school you wish.

Information on the previous year's application rates is available in the Primary Schools in Royal Greenwich booklet .

You can also use our distance measuring tool and interactive maps showing the geographical areas schools recruited from.

No, we will not pass on details to the school of where the school is ranked within your preferences. No school will be told about other schools you have applied for.

The order of preference is only used where it is possible to offer you a place at more than one school. For example, if you list four schools and you could be offered a place at Numbers 2 and 4, you will be offered School 2 - the highest ranked on your list.

No, an 'equal preference' system is used. This means that each preference will be considered on its merits, using the admission criteria for the particular school. For example, someone might list a school first, but live a long way from it. They might be less likely to be offered a place than someone who listed that school as a second (or even lower) preference, yet live closer to the school.

You should put all schools genuinely in the order you prefer them. There is no need for 'guessing games', as all the preferences are treated equally. But do bear in mind the admission criteria for each school, for example the distance from your home.

Remember it is your responsibility to make sure you have ranked your preferences in the order you want them to be considered.

If you have applied online, you can make changes to your application at any time up until the closing date. The online system is open from 1 September to 15 January and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remember that you will need your password.

If you have submitted a paper application form, you will need to advise us in writing of any changes. The best way to do this by email at [email protected]

Late applications, submitted with 'good cause' after the closing date but before 9 February 2024 will be treated in the same way as applications submitted by the closing date. An application may be treated as being late with good cause if it can be demonstrated that family or other circumstances made it impossible to apply by the closing date.

If you submit your application after 15 January 2024, but before 9 February 2024, please state the reason or reasons, providing documentary evidence where possible. This will enable us to assess quickly whether your application may be deemed as late with good cause. Examples of what is considered to be 'good cause' include circumstances where:

• a single parent or carer has been ill for some time
• a single parent or carer has been dealing with the death of a close relative
• a family has just moved into the area or is returning from abroad (proof of ownership or tenancy of a property will be required).

All other late applications will be considered strictly in accordance with the admissions criteria from June onwards. These include:

• late applications received by 9 February 2024 but not deemed as being late with good cause
• all applications submitted after 9 February 2024.

You must notify us of any change of address no later than four weeks from the date of your move and provide the relevant proof. The best way to do this is by emailing us at [email protected] .

A future move cannot be taken into consideration.

Under the primary transfer process:

• If you move to Royal Greenwich from another area before 9 February 2024, your previous home authority will forward your application to us so that we may take over responsibility for processing your application.
• If you move into Royal Greenwich after this date, your application will remain the responsibility of the local authority in whose area you lived when you made your application. We will take over responsibility after the offers of places have been made on 16 April 2024.

It is the admission authority for the school. In the case of community and voluntary controlled schools, the admission authority is the local council. For foundation and voluntary aided schools, and academies, the admission authority is the school's governing body.

Each admission authority has to publish the criteria it uses to decide who will be given a place at the school if there are more applicants than places available. The school is said to be 'oversubscribed' in such cases.

The admission criteria for Greenwich schools are described in the Primary Schools in Royal Greenwich booklet.

If you applied online you will be sent an email informing you of the outcome of your application during the evening of 16 April 2024.

If you applied using the paper form you will not be able to access the result of your application electronically. We will send you a letter by first class post on 16 April 2024 with the outcome of your application.

Offer letters are sent out by first class post on 16 April 2024. This means that you will most probably receive your letter on 17 April 2024, but it may arrive after the weekend. The Admissions Service will inform you of the outcome of your application only if your letter has still not arrived in the post on 19 April 2024. We cannot advise you of your offer over telephone There are no exceptions to this.

If you apply online you will receive your outcome quicker and there is no risk of it getting lost in the post.

If your child is offered a place at a preference school, we will assume that you wish to accept this offer. In the unlikely event that you do not wish to accept this offer, you will need to let us know. You can do this by emailing us at [email protected] .

If you have been allocated a school, you will need to let us know if you wish to accept or decline the offer. This may be done in one of the following ways:

• if you applied online, you can respond via the eAdmissions portal .
• or you can email us at [email protected]

Verbal responses are not accepted. Regardless of which method you choose, you need to respond by 30 April 2024. If you do not respond by this date and it can be demonstrated that every reasonable effort has been made to contact you, the offer will be withdrawn.

If you don't accept the offer, you will be asked to state what alternative arrangements you are making for your child's education.

If you are a Royal Greenwich resident your child will be allocated a place at the appropriate school nearest to your home that has vacancies after offers have been made. Please bear in mind that the allocations process is based solely on distance and so your child may be allocated a place at any school.

Waiting lists

Your child’s name will automatically be added to the waiting list for any school you listed as a higher preference than the school offered. This also applies if you are not offered any of your preference schools. If you do not want your child's name added to a waiting list, you will need to let us know. You can do this by emailing us at [email protected] . Waiting lists are maintained until 31 August 2025.

If you would like your child's name to remain on the waiting list for the following academic year, you will need to re-apply.

Information on waiting lists is available in the Primary Schools in Royal Greenwich booklet .

You have the right to appeal against the decision not to offer your child a place at any of the schools for which you have applied.

The outcome of your appeal will not be influenced by the acceptance of the place offered. However, you should accept the school offered in the event that your appeal is unsuccessful.

Appeal statistics and further information

The law states that infant class sizes must not have more than 30 pupils. This means that independent appeal panels have limited powers to allow an appeal. Out of 25 applications heard there were no successful appeals for entry in September 2023. For more information on these limitations, please see the appeal guidance webpages.

Find appeal forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions about the appeals procedure

If you would rather complete a paper form, these are available on request by emailing [email protected] . A PDF document will then be emailed to you to print off and complete. If you are sending your form back to us, please check that you have used the correct postage so that it does not get delayed in the post and be aware that we cannot acknowledge receipt of your application. If your application arrives after the closing date, it will be treated as a late application.

Reports can be found on the Ofsted website at: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

Guidance can be found on the UK Government website.

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Primary education

What to write in school application.

1wokeuplikethis · 17/10/2016 15:30

All the schools I am applying for for my DS to start next September are out of our catchment area. When applying online there's a box to write your additional reasons as to why your child should attend that school. I'm a bit stuck on what to write. I don't have a sob story, I just really like the schools and the only one in our catchment area is a dump. Do I need to think of something emotive to just state the facts? I don't know if it will really help our application anyway. Does anyone remember or would anyone be able to share what they have written? I can only think to put positive things we know about te school from visiting & reading the ofsted reports. But it has a maximum of 3000 characters which makes me think some people must have a lot to say, so why am I struggling?

Leave it blank and just put your preferences Sounds like you don't have any additional info that would affect the decision Before you submit though have a look at what your chances are of being accepted out of catchment -you may regret not including your local school in your choices

Emotive won't help. You need to state your case based on the admission criteria. I think to get out of catchment without any extenuating circumstances is hard if the school is over subscribed. Our catchment area school was our first choice. I put 4 other schools down just in case and put 'proximity to home' as a reason as they weren't my first choice but being close meant they were next on the list. I didn't think it would give me any priority though.

The only thing that makes a difference in that box is a statement which indicates facts about the application, and how it should be ranked against the criteria, especially circumstances which may get overlooked: eg 'prospective pupil uses a wheelchair and if would be perverse to place her in a school which was not adequately accessible including widths of all doorways. Our 6 preferences are all fully accessible' or 'we have submitted evidence supporting our eligibility of exceptional social need based on parents mobility issues, based on para XX of your guidance published on (date). Our email of (date) to (named official) refers' of 'our elder child was placed at this school by LEA as it was the only one with a vacancy when we moved. Our younger child is therefore to be treated as a qualifying sibling in category B. (named official)'s email of (date) refers'

I second the comment about putting your catchment school down (last) if you are not confident you will get a place at at least one of the out catchment schools. Which would you rather have, your rubbish but local catchment school, or a rubbish school 30 minutes away? If you don't qualify for your listed schools they will do everyone else's allocations according to preferences and then allocate you a school that still has a space. If your catchment school is full (even if only from people who put it last) then who knows where you will end up.

The additional info box is generally used if you have manage to qualify for any special requirements such as church attendance for a church school TBH.

You should leave it blank if there is nothing to highlight on why you qualify for a higher criteria. I echo the point above though that you should put your local school on your application if you are not likely to get a place at any of your preferred school as if you don't you will be offered a place at your nearest school with a vacancy after everyone else's applications have been considered. better a poor school local to where you live, than a poor school 5 miles away !

"The additional info box is generally used if you have manage to qualify for any special requirements such as church attendance for a church school TBH." Only to say when your SIF was submitted. There's (almost?) invariably a Supplementary Information Form required, and without sending that in on time you will not be considered for a faith place, regardless of what you have put in this part of the form.

We were asked to fill in form and send a letter to our local COE school from our vicar in our case

It's not space for a sob story. If you don't have any mitigating reasons just leave it blank.

OP make sure you understand the admissions process. You need to ensure that you put down schools that you have a chance of getting into. If they are all out of catchment and far away and you don't qualify for a place due to demand etc then you could end up in a mess with some thing you hate, You need to put down the catchment school or the nearest one you will get into as a safe bet. Be realistic. The box isn't for saying that you like certain schools. It's to add info that they might not know about otherwise e.g. Special need, why you qualify etc

Not putting at least one school down you may get into could cause you to get any school with space with a 40 minute public transport journey...it's a big risk!

Bump. I hope the OP has read the replies to this because he/she does not appear to understand how the system works. It's not a choice, it's a preference and putting down a list of out of catchment schools because you like the look if them is really really risky. OP, please look at the admission criteria. This is what will determine where you get a place, not something you write in that box, unless there are genuine reasons (social, health etc backed up by professional evidence).

And cake we chose schools with 45 journeys by choice. Don't most dc travel to go to the best school.

AndNowItsSeven - there's a difference between choosing to travel for 45 minutes to a school you want, and having to travel for 45 minutes to a school you didn't want and which may not be very good.

Don't write anything. Makes bugger all difference. I suspect it's there to give the admissions dept a good laugh when they get 3000 word essays on why little jimmy must go to school x because he is amazingly special and the school would be priveliged to have him, and don't you know his nana's hamster died? Because for primary schools the admissions criteria are so strict- if you have a genuine need for a certain school you would be applying under the sen or faith criteria, so the box is competely pointless.

Practical stuff, 'we are x ( insert faith) and want our DD/DS to go to an x school' and ' the school is 5 mins walk from our house and would make pick up/ drop off easy'

Rusty I know it's not the same , it's was the horror of travelling 40 mins when it's the norm where I live.

Sorry for disappearing, I had an emergency. The 3 schools we visited & want to apply for are all out of catchment but ALL have had low numbers in reception for the past 'x' years. All except the school that we dislike that is in catchment. Taking this into account and the advice I've been given above, should I select those three favourites first and then put the local rammed crap school last because I don't want DS being sent to a crap school miles away? Favourite 1 Favourite 2 Favourite 3 Hate but close & in catchment and full every year

Will you get into the one you hate? Are you close enough? If so, then yes that sounds like a strategy. You need one "banker", otherwise you will end up with whatever's left after everyone has been placed. Schools should be in the order you would prefer them.

Sorry chunkyfunkymonkey but writing that a school 'is 5 mins walk from our house and would make pick up/ drop off easy' makes bugger all difference and is not what that box is for.

Hi there, I just moved se9. Dulverton primary school is the closest to my house and I would like to write an email to Bexley local authority and request them 2 places for my kids as I am struggling to do pick up and drop off every day and manage to go to work. The distance from their current school is 5mils which is taking off my 3 hours per day! My writing is useful and I would appreciate if you could help me to write a proper email to them or even if you have a sample that I could edit and send it to admission team. thanks in advance, Arzu

I suggest you make your own separate post @Arzu83

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Hi. I thought I already made my own post! Is there any other option to send posts?! I could find just this one. Thanks

Arzu83 · 06/03/2024 14:22

Up the top of the page, where it says 'Talk > Primary Education', across to the right is a drop-down button, which gets you this menu. (Well, that's what it looks like in both Mobile View and Desktop View on my phone).

Thank you very much. I just posted👍

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In-Year Admissions

The attached information summarises the statutory duties and local arrangements in respect of in year admissions for schools, academies and the local authority, including timescales to respond to applications.

Template letters for use when offering or refusing a child a place and example template letter for process of clearing termly or annual waiting lists (to be amended depending on school's admission policy regarding waiting lists).

Forms for children who are not currently in a Newcastle school, and children who wish to move between Newcastle schools.

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Primary school appeals template: Reception and KS1

Every year, thousands of children fail to secure a place at their chosen primary school. If your child has missed out, you have the right to appeal . 

Many authorities have forms that you need to fill out to appeal, but some require a letter instead or as well. This template will help you formulate your appeal letter.

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In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, class sizes are strictly limited to 30 pupils (or 30 pupils per teacher). You can still appeal, but bear in mind that your chances of success are limited.

You can appeal if you can show that the admission arrangements weren’t properly followed, or that the admission criteria are not legal according to the School Admissions Code, or the decision to refuse your child a place wasn’t ‘reasonable.’

Reception and KS1 admission appeal template

YOUR NAME YOUR ADDRESS

LOCAL AUTHORITY ADMISSIONS SERVICE NAME LOCAL AUTHORITY ADMISSIONS SERVICE ADDRESS

Dear LOCAL ADMISSIONS OFFICER,

SCHOOL ADMISSION APPEAL FOR CHILD’S NAME TO ATTEND SCHOOL NAME

I would like to appeal against the decision of the admission authority not to offer CHILD’S NAME a place at SCHOOL NAME.

I am aware that the grounds for the appeal is limited by the provisions of the Infant Class Size legislation. In support of my appeal, my grounds of appeal area as follows:

The admission arrangements were not correctly and impartially applied in my case.

I believe that the admission arrangements were not correctly and impartially applied in my case and that this has effectively denied CHILD’S NAME a place at SCHOOL NAME.

Here, you can explain what error you believe has been made.

Generally, an error will result from the admission authority not taking into due consideration the information provided with the application form.

Most appeals involve a distance factor not being applied correctly, either as a main criterion or in a tiebreak situation.

You will need to provide written evidence to substantiate this. For example, if the distance criterion was incorrectly applied, you might use mapping software to prove your distance from the school.

The decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.

I believe that the decision not to offer CHILD’S NAME a place at SCHOOL NAME is unreasonable for the following reasons:

Here, you can list the reasons why.

These usually relate to the admission authority not taking into consideration information that was provided with your original application: for example, if the admission authority gives priority to children with medical issues, but these were overlooked.

Additional considerations.

In addition to the above points, I would like the appeal panel to take into consideration the following points:

Here, you can include any additional points that you would like the appeal panel to consider that are not covered by the points made above.

This may include personal circumstances and any logistical difficulties that would be caused by your child attending the allocated school.

Note that the threshold for successful appeals is very high. For an appeal to be successful, the appeal panel will need to be satisfied that the decision to refuse admission was ‘perverse in the light of the admission arrangements,’ i.e. it was ‘beyond the range of responses open to a reasonable decision maker’ or ‘a decision so outrageous in its defiance of logic or of accepted moral standards that no sensible person who had applied his mind to the question could have arrived at it.’

In support of this appeal please find attached the following documents:

These could include a letter from your child’s doctor or consultant, social worker or any other professional who supports your child’s application.

I look forward to hearing from you with the details of when the appeal will be heard.

Yours truly,

YOUR SIGNATURE YOUR NAME

With thanks to John Chard of School Appeals .

Free primary school admissions appeals letter template to download

Download TheSchoolRun's  free sample appeals letter for primary schools and use it as a template to write your own.

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• Education, training and skills
• Running and managing a school
• School admissions

School applications for foreign national children and children resident outside England

Advice for state-funded school admission authorities, independent schools, local authorities and parents.

Applies to England

Children of compulsory school age – broadly those aged 5 to 16 – living in England are required, by law, to receive a suitable full-time education.

This includes foreign national children and, if they are resident in the UK, they will normally have the right to attend state-funded and independent schools in England.

To lawfully enter the country to access a school, foreign national children resident outside the UK will normally need either:

• a right of abode
• an immigration status which otherwise permits them to enter the UK to study at a school

Parents’ responsibility to check eligibility for a school place

It is the responsibility of the parents of foreign national children to check that their children have a right under their UK entry conditions to study at a school before applying for a place. It is not the role of state-funded schools or local authorities to ask for proof of eligibility before offering a place.

If foreign nationals resident outside the UK want to enter the UK to study at an independent school which is a licensed student sponsor they should contact the school directly. If it accepts the application, it will send them a reference number (called a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies ( CAS )). Parents will need a CAS before they can apply for their child’s visa . They cannot enter to study at schools which are not licensed student sponsors.

Parents can find more information at Visas and Immigration .

Local authority responsibilities

Local authorities should not require parents to provide proof of immigration status before allowing them to apply for a school or require proof as any part of the application process.

They should instead advise foreign nationals who do not normally reside in the UK but who wish to apply for a state-funded school place, to check that their children have an immigration status which permits them to enter the UK to access a state-funded school. Checking is the parents’ responsibility, not the local authority’s responsibility. The links on this page should assist parents.

Children may be breaching their UK entry conditions by entering the country in order to attend a state-funded school if they do not have an immigration status that permits such study.

Local authorities can help parents further by adding a reminder of this to their admissions webpage and within their composite admissions prospectus. They can link to this webpage if local authorities find this helpful.

The responsibilities of state-funded schools and their admission authorities

The admission authorities for state-funded schools (maintained schools and academy schools) must not check the immigration or nationality status of foreign national children as a pre-condition for admission.

Admission authorities for state-funded schools:

• must not refuse to admit a child on the basis of their nationality or immigration status nor remove them from the roll on this basis
• must not ask to see passports or other immigration information as a condition of admission (this would be a breach of paragraphs 1.9(a) and 2.8 of the school admissions code )
• with the exception of children who are Irish nationals , must not actively recruit foreign national children who are still resident overseas as pupils

Responsibilities of independent schools which are licensed student sponsors

Independent schools which are licensed student sponsors will need to issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies to any foreign national children they are recruiting from overseas for the parents or young person to be able to apply for a visa.

The rights of children who are citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland to enter the UK to access a school

As long as they remain living in the UK,  EEA and Swiss citizens have a right to continue to attend a state-funded or independent school in England irrespective of their immigration status.    

Until 31 December 2020, European Economic Area ( EEA ), and Swiss national children, had the right under freedom of movement and UK immigration law, to enter the country to access a school. Freedom of movement into the UK ended at the end of 2020.  

Any EEA or Swiss national who arrived in the UK by 31 December 2020 wishing to continue to live, work and study in the UK should have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021. They can still apply after this deadline in limited circumstances. For example, they’re applying as a joining family member, or they have reasonable grounds for why they’re applying now, and not by the deadline or in the time between now and the deadline passing.

Unless they meet the EU Settlement Scheme requirements, EEA and Swiss national children entering the UK will be treated the same as other foreign nationals. This means they will not have the right to enter the country to access a state-funded school unless they fall within the categories of children who can enter the UK and attend a school (see sections below).

But none of the above means that schools should check their applicants or registered pupils’ immigration status and either refuse to admit them or remove children from roll if they are EEA or Swiss nationals whose families have not applied to remain in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme. It is the responsibility of UK Visas and Immigration to enforce the UK immigration system.

Irish citizens

The Common Travel Area arrangements permit Irish citizens to access state-funded and independent schools in the UK. Their rights have not changed as a result of the UK leaving the EU – they still do not normally require permission to enter, live and study in the UK.

Other categories of foreign national children who can enter the UK and attend a school

Children aged under 18 can usually enter the UK as dependants of a foreign national parent and attend a school if their parent or parents:

• have settled status in the UK
• are in the UK on a work or student visa

Families are, however, advised to refer to the Family Visa section of the UK Visas and Immigration website for more detailed information. The right of dependants to join family members in the UK is not automatic, and an application must normally be made.

Specific named UK immigration routes also allow children aged under 18 to enter the UK and attend a school if they are part of a family entering and residing in the UK. At the date this webpage was last updated these routes include programmes for:

• Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) ( BNO ) and their dependants who have applied, at the same time, to move to the UK as a family
• Ukrainian families fleeing the conflict in their country
• eligible Afghan citizens to enable them to resettle in the UK
• eligible people of Chagossian descent

You can find out about rights to enter under these programmes on other UK government websites.

In addition, children who have been recognised as refugees and asylum seeking children (including dependant children of an asylum seeker) in the UK who are still awaiting a decision, are entitled to access a school-based education. The outcome of their claim will not affect their entitlement to attend school. They do not need to ‘prove’ their status as an asylum seeker or refugee to apply for a school: they have the same rights to a school place as any other children resident in the UK.

Categories of children whose immigration status gives them no right to enter the UK to access schools

To comply with their visa terms, unaccompanied foreign national children and young people who are entering on a Child Student visa or Student visa must, when accessing education in England, study at the independent school, sixth form college or further education college which is a licensed student sponsor which has offered them an unconditional place on a course. They cannot lawfully, under their UK entry conditions, study at a state-funded school.

Foreign nationals may also visit the UK for up to 6 months under the visitor route. Those visiting the UK under this route, or the 11-month Short-term Study (English language) visa , are not permitted to enter the UK to enrol as a pupil at a state-funded school but may study a course at an independent school provided this is an accredited institution.

Some short exchange and school visit programmes at state-funded schools may be possible on the visitor route, providing there is no participation in a course of study as part of the programme.

Actions schools and local authorities can take if they are concerned about a foreign national child’s migration status, safety or welfare

If a state-funded school or its admission authority is concerned that a child whose parents are seeking a place may not have a right, under their UK entry conditions, to enter the country to access a school, it must not deny them a place nor remove them from the school roll. Schools should advise parents to check their children’s rights (as set out in this guidance).

If a state-funded or independent school has a concern about a child’s welfare and safety, it should raise the matter with their local authority’s children’s social services as a matter of urgency.

Schools and local authorities can also report an immigration or border crime if they think someone is:

• living or working in the UK illegally
• employing someone who is not allowed to work in the UK
• involved in smuggling
• involved in illegal immigration

Schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

While the same immigration policy applies across all nations within the UK, each country has its own education system, guidance and laws.

Information on applying for schools can be found here:

• Northern Ireland

Processing school applications from parents moving to England

The following advice sets out how school admission authorities and local authorities should process applications for places for children who are living in another country at the point the application is made.

Parents who are not UK or Irish nationals should check they, and their children, have a right to reside in the UK before applying for a school place in England. It is not the responsibility of the admission authority or local authority to check.

A school admission authority cannot refuse to admit a child until the school to which the parents have applied is full – for example, it has reached its published admission number. Parents who are moving or returning to England or the UK and who apply for a place in England must therefore have their applications for state-funded schools considered. Admission authorities cannot, for example:

• require the applicant has a permanent home address either in the UK or overseas before processing an application
• require the submission of immigration documentation proving the applicant’s right to reside in the UK before processing an application

Where a place is refused, admission authorities must offer an appeal to an independent appeal panel.

As is the case with admission authorities more generally, nothing in legislation prevents a local authority from co-ordinating an application from a family living in another country or posted overseas but moving or returning to England or the UK so that the child will be living in the area when they start school.

If a local authority refuses to co-ordinate an application for a school place from parents currently living in another country but moving or returning to England, an admission authority for the school would have significant difficulty in being able to lawfully apply its admission arrangements.

We recommend that determined co-ordinated schemes follow the process set out in this advice.

Applications in the normal admissions round and late applications

If an application is made from another country, local authorities should consider the application as adequate proof of an intention to move or return to the area and include it within the local authority co-ordinated process.

A local authority should not refuse an application made from overseas (or from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands) on the grounds that the applicant does not currently live in its area. A local authority can reasonably request the evidence set out in the following sections, so the admission authority holds sufficient information to determine the application.

In-year applications

Where a local authority co-ordinates in-year applications on behalf of a school, it should not require applicants to currently live in the area (or the country) before passing the application on to the admission authority for it to consider.

Where a local authority does not co-ordinate in-year applications, and applications are made directly to the admission authorities for schools, those schools can only refuse the application based on ‘prejudice’ as defined in legislation (for example, the school is full). The relevant admission authority must not require applicants to currently live in the area before considering their applications.

Establishing ‘home’ address

It is common for admission arrangements to give some degree of priority based on where an applicant lives – for example, where a school has a catchment area or uses distance from home to school as a means of allocating the final available places. In these cases, admission authorities will need an address in order to fully apply their admission arrangements and rank applicants for their oversubscription criteria. However, not every family returning to England from another country will be able to provide this at the point they apply for a school and the application should be processed whether or not the family is able to provide a permanent address.

Admission authorities could ask prospective movers or returners where they will be living (see paragraph 2.5 of the school admissions code ). This might include whether parents:

• own or rent a property in the area to which they intend to return or move
• are UK crown servants or are in the UK military and are returning or moving to the area
• live in temporary hotel or other accommodation in the UK
• have provided other compelling evidence that they are returning or moving to the area

Subject to the special provisions that apply to UK military families and crown servants as set out in paragraph 2.21 of the school admissions code , school admission authorities and local authorities can decide what evidence they require from parents to show that they intend returning or moving to the area, but this might include:

• a mortgage or rental agreement for a property in the area
• deeds for a property in the area
• a letter from an employer showing a transfer date to the area
• registration with a local GP

Admission authorities must consider all in-year applications and should not refuse an application simply because a parent or child currently lives in another country.

If a parent is unable to provide evidence of a return to the area (before the new school year for applications made during the normal admissions round or for late applications, or by the start of the next term for in-year applications), admission authorities could apply a catchment area policy or distance tie-break, if they have such admission criteria, using the parents’ place of residence at the point the application is made. If this is in another country, it might give the child a lower priority for admission if the admission authority operates a catchment area or if the child is tied for the final place available with other applicants.

Asylum seekers, some refugees and migrants (including those from Afghanistan and Ukraine) may not have a permanent home address at the point they apply for a school. Local authorities and admission authorities must not refuse to process the application because the family does not have a permanent address. In such cases, they should use their temporary address as the home address for applying any admission arrangements.

Applications from UK crown servants or military families

As set out in the school admissions code , admission authorities and local authorities must process applications from UK crown servants or UK military families on the basis of evidence from their employers or commanding officers that they are returning or moving to the area ahead of any move. They must not refuse to process an application and must not refuse a place solely because the family does not yet have an intended address, or does not yet live in the area.

Where a family is returning to the UK or the specific area and the parent(s) is in the UK military or is a crown servant, admission authorities must accept the parents’ intended address – if that is what parents prefer – providing some evidence of the intended address is provided by the parents. For example, admission authorities must use a unit or quartering address as the child’s home address where a parent requests this.

We provide further advice in ‘Admission of children of crown servants: explanatory note’ available on the school admissions code page .

Withdrawing offers of places

When an application is made from an address in another country the local authority or school may ask for evidence before the school year or term begins to confirm that the child now lives in the UK. If the child does not attend school on the first day of term the admission authority could, in some circumstances, remove the offer and allocate the place to a child on the waiting list.

Before taking this action, the local authority and admission authority should contact the parent(s) to give them an opportunity to explain why there has been a delay in taking up the place and to find out when the child might begin attending.

Paragraph 2.13 of the school admissions code states that: ‘An admission authority must not withdraw an offer unless it has been offered in error, a parent has not responded within a reasonable period of time, or it is established that the offer was obtained through a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application. Where the parent has not responded to the offer, the admission authority must give the parent a further opportunity to respond and explain that the offer may be withdrawn if they do not.’

The Pupil Registration Regulations 2006 , as amended, permit a child to be deleted from a school register if they have been continuously absent from the school for a period of not less than 20 school days and:

• at no time was their absence during that period authorised by the school
• the school governing body does not have reasonable grounds to believe that the pupil is unable to attend the school by reason of sickness or any unavoidable cause
• both the school and the local education authority have failed, after reasonable enquiry, to ascertain where the pupil is

Safeguarding

If admission authorities or schools are concerned about the safety of children from overseas who are in private fostering arrangements, they should read the keeping children safe in education statutory guidance and act accordingly, which includes informing local authority children’s social services.

Updated advice on the EU Settlement Scheme and the Ukraine migration schemes and added a scheme for Chagossians.

Page updated for EU Settlement Scheme provisions and to include references to Hong Kong, Afghan and Ukraine migrants and refugees, with information reordered to clarify which sections are relevant to different applicants and how the provisions interact with the school admissions process.

Updated with information about dependant children's rights. Updated links to Home Office content on the new immigration system.

Updated information on processing applications from parents moving to England.

Clarifying information about the eligibility of overseas children for state-funded school places.

Updated contact details for the Home Office school referrals team.

First published.

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• Checklist for applications to defer or delay
• Starting primary school

This checklist offers some guidance on how you could structure your application to your local authority for delaying or deferring your child's start to primary school. Including the information in this checklist can help support your application. You might find it useful to use the bullet points as sections for your application letter.

Local authorities and school admissions boards all do things slightly differently across the UK. If you want to defer or delay your child’s primary school place, you should contact your local authority. They will tell you what you need to do and when the application needs to be completed by.

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, it is likely that you will be asked to:

• Explain why your child should be educated outside of their normal age group.
• Provide evidence to support your request.

Remember: admission authorities should consider the age group a child would have fallen into if they were born at full term.

The authority is also required to make a decision based on the circumstances of the case and in your child’s best interests.

1. Explain why your child should be educated outside of their normal age group

Tell the authority why you are asking for your child’s school place to be delayed/deferred and why you think this is the best outcome for your child.

Things you might include:

• Their expected birth date and actual birth date. Your application is more likely to be given serious consideration if your premature child was born:

- 1 June to 31 August (England and Wales)

- 1 April to 1 July (Northern Ireland)

• Information about their premature birth and early life experiences, such as the time they spent in neonatal care.
• Any conditions they have been diagnosed with, such as ADHA or autism.
• Any challenges you have noticed, such as difficulties communicating, poor coordination, or issues with self care (e.g. getting themselves dressed).

2. Evidence (documents) that support your views

• Statements from keyworkers in your child's early life, such as social workers, nursery staff or other early years providers who have cared for your child.
• Copies of letter from any medical professionals involved in their care. This might include:

- Consultant or specialist (e.g. paediatrician or neurologist)

- Speech and language therapist

- Occupational therapist

- Physiotherapist

- Educational psychologist

• Statement or letter from a headteacher, SENDCo or any other staff from the school or schools you would like your child to attend.
• Copy of an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) , Health Care Plan, Coordinated Support Plan or Statement of Special Educational Needs.
• Copy of Bliss' letter of support for delaying or deferring places for premature summer-born or young for year babies.

The 'TIGAR' study based out of the University of Oxford recently published a report about how being born early might affect a child’s health and progress at school. It contains some useful information and statistics that can be used to support your application. You can find the full report using this link and a helpful summary of their findings using this link .

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• Primary admissions

Applying   for   Infant,   Primary   and   Junior   School   Places

Applying for your child’s September 2024 place in the r eception class of an infant or primary school, or their Year 3 place in a junior school.

For In-Year applications, please go to this page .

For the current admissions round, families with children in the following age ranges will need to submit applications:

• Children born between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 should apply for their September 2024 reception class place in an infant or primary school.
• Children who are currently in an infant-only school and will transfer to Year 3 of a junior school in September 2024.

Applications are managed to a national timetable. The admission process is coordinated between local authorities across England.

Apply via our parent portal

The button on the right takes you directly to the parent portal where you can create an account and submit your application securely.

Once in the parent portal you will need to click on the title as shown in the image. This will take you to the application page. If you have not set up an account, it will prompt you do so. Once you have created your portal account, you can continue with your primary school application.

We recommend you read our Admissions to Infant, Junior and Primary Schools Guide 2024-2025 before you submit your application. You can access the guide below.

The Admissions Guide

Please read our guide Admissions to Infant, Junior & Primary Schools Guide 2024-2025 (button below) before submitting your child’s application. The guide provides details on the application process and explains how each school will prioritise your child’s application using oversubscription criteria.

You must apply for a school place through the school admissions team of the local authority where you (and your child) live, even if you intend to list preferred schools in other local authority areas. For example, if you live in the borough of Reading, use our online application form if you wish to list a preferred school located in West Berkshire, Wokingham or any other borough.

Before applying you should:

• read the Infant, Junior & Primary Admissions Guide  for the new school year.
• attend school open days/evenings to help make your decision. Details of open days/evenings are posted on school’s websites.
• check whether you need to provide a supplementary information form (SIF) to meet certain oversubscription criteria for a preferred school. SIFs are not essential but will assist the school in ranking your child correctly. You should post completed forms directly to the schools. Reading schools with SIFs include:
• Christ the King Catholic Primary School Supplementary Information Form
• English Martyrs Catholic Primary School Supplementary Information Form
• St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Supplementary Information Form
• St John’s CE Primary School Supplementary Form
• St Martins Catholic Primary School Supplementary Form
• Community School Early Years Pupil Premium /Pupil Premium Supplementary Form
• read the relevant guide if you are applying for schools outside of Reading.
• consider how your child will get to school.  

You may apply now using our online application form which you can access via our parent portal .

Applying online is the best option; you’ll be sent receipt a receipt to confirm submission and find out which school  your child has been offered on primary offer day, instead of waiting for the post.

For those unable to make an online application, paper forms are available direct from the admissions team [email protected] .

The deadline to submit ‘on time’ applications is 15 January.

Applications received after this deadline are considered ‘late’ and processed after national offer day (16 April)

Click the button below to access the parent portal.

Who should apply?

Children may start full-time at school from the September following their fourth birthday. However, they are not  legally  required to start full-time until the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday (i.e. statutory/compulsory school age).

If you do not want your child to start school in September 2024 the following options are available: 

• Defer their place  up to (but not beyond) the point at which they reach statutory/compulsory school age.
• Request that your child be “offset” to start Reception Class in September 2025, rather than September 2024 (i.e. educated outside the year group suggested by their date of birth).

You may also request that your child start school on a part-time basis. However, this cannot continue beyond the point at which your child reaches compulsory school age.

In each of the above cases, you must still submit your child’s application to start school in September 2024 (as the deferral or offset will be agreed later in the process) .

Further details on deferring and offsetting may be found in the  defer/offset leaflet . If you are a Reading resident and wish to request an offset for your summer-born child to start in September 2025, please read the guidance document here . You must complete an application form as normal, together with the Reading Offset Request form and return it to the School Admissions Team, who will coordinate the request with your preferred schools.

You must apply for a school place even if your child already attends the nursery of your preferred school.

When are school places offered?

Emails and letters offering places are sent out on  16 April 2024 and emails should be received by 5pm. Letters are posted 2 nd class and may take up to 5 working days to arrive.

You may also log into your portal account to view the outcome of your application or to accept or decline a school place. The allocation tables show how places were offered at each of our schools.

What happens after school places are offered?

School waiting lists

In Reading, a child’s name is added to the waiting list of any school listed as a higher preference to the school offered. Waiting lists are always ranked using the school’s oversubscription criteria and not the date the application was received.

If your child has been  refused a place in a school outside Reading , you need to check with the admission team of the relevant local authority to see if your child has been placed on a waiting list. Making a late application

If you have missed the closing date or would like to apply for a different school (or schools) after the closing date, you can submit a late application. The timetable for processing late applications is explained in the admissions guide.

Making an appeal for a school place

If your child is refused a place, you may decide to appeal against an admission decision for a school place.

Oversubscription criteria

Oversubscription criteria are used where a school receives more applications than there are places available. The criteria help to decide which applications are offered places by giving each application a priority. The priorities are based on criteria such as catchment area, home-to-school distance or whether a child is a ‘child in care’ (or had previously been in care until adoption or a child arrangement order/special guardianship order).

The oversubscription criteria are outlined for each school in the admissions guide .

It’s important to make sensible and realistic decisions when choosing which schools to apply for. You should of course apply for schools that you prefer, but we advise that one of your preferences should be for a school at which you have a reasonable chance of being offered a place.

Apply online for a school place.

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CV and cover letter examples for teachers

If you’re struggling to write a CV or cover letter for teaching roles, here are some examples to help you stand out, whether you’re a headteacher or NQT

• More CV and cover letter templates
• Looking for teaching jobs ? View vacancies across all teaching levels at Guardian Jobs

You’ve heard about the school that’s just right for you. What next? What can you do with your application that will make you a certainty for the short list?

If you need some inspiration on what to include in your teaching CV and cover letter, here are our helpful guides – just remember not to copy them as exact templates.

Cover letter example:

Dear Ms Name,

As a [newly-qualified/experienced] teacher with [number] years experience in a [primary/secondary] school setting, I feel I would be well-suited for the role of [job title] at [name of school]. Please find my CV attached.

The nature of my work in education has prepared me for this position. My interest in [...] stimulated me to lead a project on [...] My role here was to […]. As part of this, I had to liaise with [...] meaning that I have developed skills in [...]. I faced some challenges along the way, such as [...] and overcame them by [...]. The impact of the project overall was [...]. This was measured by/ has been evidenced in [...].

In addition, I have successfully employed a [...] approach/ strategy when teaching and found that this led to many positive student outcomes, such as […]. A key part of my career is helping students reach their potential, which I work towards by focusing on [...] when teaching.

As shown by my experience in schools, I am enthusiastic about education and always strive to do the best for my students. I am able to take on responsibility for learning and have experience of successfully managing a class. I also have the enthusiasm and determination to ensure that I make a success of this role.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you in future.

Yours sincerely,

CV template:

This article includes content provided by Scribd. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue' .

CV and cover letter tips:

Always make sure that your CV is up to date, and relevant to the needs of the employer. In teaching, it’s not that you’re going to be one of many recruits shuffled around until you find your niche – you’re a one-off, in your own classroom, responsible for your own pupils from day one. Any CV or cover letter you send, whether speculative or for an advertised position, needs to be sympathetic to each different context.

Your cover letter, the person specification, and the job description are pieces of a complex jigsaw. Sometimes, these pieces need more context and that’s where your research comes in. Look up Ofsted reports, local news reports, school performance information. All these pieces combined make the picture on the box, and you need to take the whole thing into account. Employers know there might be no ideal match, but to get yourself on a shortlist, and be invited for interview, you need to present yourself as close a fit as you can.

If you’re an NQT or RQT (newly or recently qualified teacher), you might think that you don’t have the skills and experience to make strong applications – but this certainly isn’t the case. Schools always need new recruits, and it’s part of their role to develop you. Show them your potential by relating what you have learned from your experiences so far, where the challenges were and how you overcame them, how you’ve made a difference and what you feel you can offer on a personal as well as professional level.

More established colleagues will have more experiences to draw on, but be careful not to fall into the trap of talking about one year’s experience repeated fifteen times – you still need to show a sense of development and further potential. Having a few years’ teaching experience to call on can help your confidence levels, but remember that you’re expected to show that you had an impact, that your own initiatives or methods made changes happen and that those changes became embedded in practice. Explain a problem that you were aware of, how you intervened and what the situation is now like as a result. Be prepared to link this to the ultimate aim of improved pupil outcomes – it’s essentially how all teachers are judged.

The higher up the professional ladder you intend to go, the more guidance and feedback you need on the application you’re about to submit. Friends and contacts in similar positions to the one you’re applying for can offer insights that official descriptions can’t. Don’t stop there, though – talk to people in more senior positions. What would they be looking for if they were recruiting for a similar role? Ask for feedback on your letter, and from people who won’t just give you an easy time. Once you’ve got that feedback, trust it. Be prepared to start again, if necessary, so allow time within the process for this to happen. Dig deep into your motives, your letter needs to reflect the factors in education that really drive you. Think about what makes you smile at work and make sure you put that in.

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How to write a great covering letter

Application and interview, tes editorial.

Writing a good covering letter could make all the difference to your job application. With so many candidates to choose from, first impressions are really important, so it’s crucial to get the covering letter right. 

Education careers expert John Howson recommends beginning the letter with a powerful statement: “Job applicants need to provoke the reader’s interest,” he says. “However, what you leave out is just as important as what you put in, in order to keep the letter succinct and punchy.”

“The competitive nature of the teaching profession means first impressions are imperative,” says James Innes, managing director of The CV Centre. “Many applications may be judged solely on the strength of the covering letter.”

WATCH: What to include in your covering letter

The length of the covering letter is normally specified in the job advertisement. However, if there is no limit set, your letter shouldn’t be longer than two sides of A4 and should be easy to read. Use a standard font and break the main body into chunks so it can be skim-read.

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Get the formalities right

If your covering letter needs to be written and attached, rather than included in an online form, you need to get the formal stuff right.

Include your name and address on the right-hand side. On the left, put the date, name of recipient (if you’re unsure, telephone the school and check the spelling) and the address of the school. It’s better to be accused of being too formal rather than not formal enough, so begin with “Dear Mr/Ms…”.

Start with a strong statement

Your covering letter should begin with a strong statement outlining why you want to apply for the job and why at this particular school. For example, if the school has won a number of awards in certain areas, you could mention this. Or, if you have the skills and experience to address some of the problems the school faces, then highlight them here.

It’s important to open with something that will grab the reader’s attention. Employers probably won’t have time to read every word, so it’s important you start strong.

WATCH: What are the 'must includes' for your covering letter?

Show you know the school

Having touched on some school specifics in your opening statement, now is your chance to really go to town. Show that you’ve done your research and you genuinely think you’re a good fit for the role.

How does the school’s vision align with your own? Look at the language the school uses in the job description and try to include a few buzzwords.

Pick out some CV highlights

Don’t assume that your CV will automatically get read. Pull out some key achievements and link them to specific requirements in the job description.

As well as the career aspects, don’t forget to highlight any volunteer work or personal interests that have relevance. This is your chance to show your well-rounded credentials and elevate yourself above the other applicants.

Go out on a high

If your potential employer has got to the bottom of your covering letter, you’re in with a chance. Finish with something positive and upbeat. Let them know when you’ll be available for interview (and for work), and that you look forward to hearing from them.

Before you hit ‘send’

Make sure that you have carefully checked for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. This is a common complaint from school HR departments, yet is easy to fix. It might be useful to have the opinion of someone who is already in the job role that you are applying for, so don’t be afraid to ask a friend or colleague to read over your letter.