Schools your child can go to
- Primary school - Reception to Year 6 (between ages 4 and 11).
- Infant school - Reception to Year 2 (between ages 4 and 7).
- Junior school - Year 3 to Year 6 (between ages 7 and 11).
When to start
In Surrey, a child can start school at the beginning of the school year following their fourth birthday.
By law, they must be in full time education by the start of the school term following their fifth birthday.
Child's birth date | Can start school from | Can defer entry until | Must legally be in full time education by |
|---|---|---|---|
Between 1 September 2020 and 31 December 2020 | September 2025 | January 2026 | January 2026 |
Between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021 | September 2025 | April 2026 | April 2026 |
Between 1 April 2021 and 31 August 2021 | September 2025 | April 2026 | September 2026 |
You may choose for your child to start school full or part time or to defer entry until your child reaches the legal age, but you cannot defer entry beyond the beginning of the final term of the academic year for which you have been offered a place.
This means that if your child was born between 1 April 2021 and 31 August 2021, they must take up their school place by April 2026. If they do not, then the place will be withdrawn and you will have to apply for an in year place for the following year. Please also see: information on admission of children outside their normal age group.
If you wish to defer taking up your child's school place until later in the year or if you wish them to start part time, you must still apply by the closing date, and then discuss this with the school's headteacher once you have been offered a place.
If your child is born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 and is leaving Year 2 of infant school in July 2025, they will need to start Year 3 at a junior or primary school in September 2025.
Junior school or primary school with a Year 3 intake
To apply for a Year 3 place starting in September 2025 at a junior school or a primary school that has a Year 3 intake (these schools are listed separately on our school admissions booklets), you must apply using the standard primary school application form. You may also need to complete a supplementary form too.
You can apply from 4 November 2024. The closing date for applications is 15 January 2025.
Primary school without a Year 3 intake
To apply for a primary school that does not have a Year 3 intake, you will need to apply for an in-year school place for that school and indicate your preferred start date. You may also need to complete a supplementary form too.
If you need a school place for your child from the beginning of the autumn term (September), you can apply from the beginning of July. If the school has a vacancy, they may agree for the place to be deferred until the start of the autumn term. If the school is full you can arrange for your child's name to go on the waiting list.
For more information on which primary schools may have in-year vacancies for children due to transfer from an infant school please contact us.
We strongly advise you to also apply for junior schools and primary schools that have a Year 3 intake, as above.
