Before completing your application you should consider the following:
1. If there are enough places available at a school for all pupils who request entry, then everyone will be allocated a place.
2. If a school receives more applications than there are places available, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to determine who will be offered those places.
3. Arm yourself with the facts and be fully informed:
- Which oversubscription group do you fall into?
- Each school application should be discussed with all those with parental responsibility for the child as only one application per child can be accepted
- Have you read the admissions policy for the school?
- Were pupils offered a place in that criterion group in previous years?
- What is the geographical priority area of the school?
- Were people from outside the geographical priority area offered places in previous years?
- Does your child attend a linked school?
- For religious or faith schools, is your child or family of the particular religion or faith served by the school? Faith schools may ask for confirmation of attendance at a relevant place of worship. For a child to be considered as a Catholic evidence of a Catholic Baptism is required by the school
- No child can automatically transfer from a nursery to a reception class. Where a school is oversubscribed, places in the reception class must be allocated according to the published admission criteria, with children who have attended the nursery being considered on the same basis as those who have not.
- Do you know what will happen if any of your preferences cannot be met?
4. How to apply if you live outside Oldham
The Oldham online admissions process is only for children who live in Oldham.
If you live outside Oldham you can apply for an Oldham school, but you must apply through your local authority.
Names and websites of our neighbouring authorities:
- Tameside Council - website
- Manchester Council - website
- Rochdale Council - website
- Kirklees Council - website
Are non-Oldham residents' applications treated differently?
Applications from residents outside Oldham are treated no differently than applications from Oldham residents.
If residents who live outside the borough have priority for a place over Oldham residents, we cannot refuse a place because they do not live within the borough.
5. Attending a school outside Oldham
If you want your child to attend a maintained school outside the Oldham area, you should include this as one of the preferences.
When completing your online application, search for the school by changing the local authority (using the drop-down box). Then type in the name of the school.
If you are not sure which local authority the school belongs to, please contact Oldham Council on 0161 770 4213.
The decision as to whether a place will be offered at a school outside of Oldham rests with the relevant local authority. If admission is refused, you will have a right to appeal against the decision.
6. One of the best ways to find out more about a primary school is to make an appointment to visit the school.
We would strongly encourage you and your children to attend as many of the schools in which you are interested. Details of these can be found on the individual pages for each school.