AfC Info website - Windsor and Maidenhead

September entry

This covers those children born between September and August annually. Primary school admissions are for those pupils starting at primary, infant, first or junior schools. This is known as primary phase entry in admissions terminology. 

What is the difference between the different schools for primary education? 

You will see a range of school types when looking at primary school education for your child. Each type of school covers a different age range: 

• Primary schools: catering for pupils from Reception to Year 6, or ages 4 to 11. These schools are found all over the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM). After Year 6, pupils tend to move from primary schools to secondary schools.
• Infant schools: catering for pupils from Reception to Year 2, or ages 4 to 7. These schools are found in Maidenhead. After Year 2, pupils tend to move from infant schools to junior schools.
• Junior schools: catering for pupils from Year 3 to Year 6, or ages 7 to 11. These schools are found in Maidenhead. After Year 6, pupils tend to move from junior schools to secondary schools.
• First schools: catering for pupils from Reception to Year 4, or ages 4 to 9. These schools are found in Windsor. After Year 4, pupils tend to move from first schools to middle schools.

When does my child need to start school?

Children in England can take up a full-time school place in a Reception class in the September following their fourth birthday, but there is no requirement for them to be in full-time education until the start of the school term following their fifth birthday.

When can my child start school?

An application must still be made at the correct time even if you wish to delay or defer your child's entry. You must still apply for reception class even if your child already attends the nursery at your preferred primary school. Full details are published in the  Admission into Primary School guide.

Applications are open to submissions between November and January each year, please review the key dates below for this year's specifics.

Key dates for the 2024/25 intake

Applications for September 2024 start

Applications for a school place must be made through your home authority, this is the council where you live and to which you pay council tax. Residents can apply for schools outside of RBWM using this live application process. For example, parents living in RBWM near the river in Maidenhead may choose to apply to schools in Maidenhead, Buckinghamshire, or Slough through RBWM, without having to make a separate application to each local authority.  Similarly, residents near Shurlock Row may wish to apply to schools in Wokingham or Bracknell Forest areas, as well as those in RBWM, all through the same application form.  

RBWM holds two main ‘rounds’ of admissions offers. The majority of offers will be made on National Offer Day, for those applications submitted on time. The second round of offers, including late applications or late changes of preference, are made from Tuesday 22 May 2024. 

After the deadline for the second round, applications will then be processed in the order they are received. Please read the Admission into Primary School guide before applying. 

Please note: 

• Parents must include preferences for all the places available on the application form. This is to ensure every child receives an offer of a school place in their local area. In the case of phases where less than six options exist, you should include all preferences available to you. For example, if you are applying for a junior school, you must include all three junior schools in your application, as only three junior schools exist in the local authority.  
• Where a parent does not include all available preferences, they will be added for you in the nearest appropriate distance order.

Please access the Citizen Portal to apply.