Parents and carers in the Dorset Council area were able to find out on Mon 17 April which place in reception, junior or middle school their children will be joining in September 2023.
Those offered their first preference has increased to just under 97 per cent from just under 95 per cent last year.
96% have been offered their first preference of place in reception
99% have been offered their first preference of junior school
98% have been offered their first preference of middle school
Dorset Council School Admissions Team received 4150 applications. They were able to offer 4,012 families their first choice of school – a total of 96.67 per cent.
Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Early Help, said:
“Starting school, or joining a new one, is a big step in a child’s life so I am pleased that so many families have been offered their first preference. On behalf of Dorset Council, I would like to offer our best wishes to all our children and their families / carers for a successful start in September. I would also like to thank everyone in school admissions and allocations for their hard work in making this happen”.
There are small things parents can do at home to help their child prepare for starting in reception, such as:
- encouraging them to get dressed, undressed and use the toilet independently where possible.
- helping them become familiar with numbers, letters and sounds, in your home and out in your communities e.g. looking at road and shop signs or numbers on houses etc.
- reading and singing nursery rhymes.
More information about supporting your child to start school is available HERE
Parents and carers can log onto their online account to see the outcome of their application. In addition, where an email address has been submitted as part of the application, families will be sent a link to receive their formal outcome letter.
Over 97 per cent of parents and carers chose to complete their applications online, nearly 1.5% more than last year.
Anyone without an email address should contact Dorset Council School Admissions Team on 01305-221060.
You can read the ‘Admissions to schools – a guide for parents and carers’ HERE
More information about schools, education and admissions is available HERE
