Primary school admissions
Starting Reception in 2025
Pupils usually start primary school in the September following their fourth birthday. If your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 this will be from September 2025. You must make an online application for a reception place, via eadmissions portal even if your child is already attending the school's nursery.
All children are expected to start school in the reception year in September, if they will be five in that school year.
Deferring school entry means that a child begins school later than September, but still joins their own age-peer group. Complete the deferring entry form or get a form sent to you by emailing school.admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
There is no automatic right of transfer from the nursery class to the reception class in the same school, and attending a nursery class does not give any priority for admission to reception class at the same school.
Before you apply
The Starting Primary School in Tower Hamlets brochure contains all the information you need on applying including a step by step guide to making your online applications, plus details of all Tower Hamlets primary schools. You must apply via the e-admissions portal.
Closing date for making applications is midnight on 15 January 2025.
To apply to schools where a SIF (Supplementary Information Form) is required please contact the school to complete this form.
If you miss the deadline you must still submit your late application on the eadmissions portal.
When applying for a school place please remember that it will be your responsibility to ensure your child gets to and from school safely.
The council provides support with home to school travel in exceptional circumstances only, and you would usually be expected to apply for your local schools before any support would be considered.
If you are not sure where your local schools are, please use our school finder tool.
Find out more about the school travel policy.
Parents advice session
Join the the School Admissions Service Team and the Transitions Team for a parents advice session.
Get Set 2025 - Book your place
National offer day
Parents will be able to log into their account on eadmissions to view the outcome of their application on 16 April 2025.
All parents that applied for a Reception school place before 15 January 2025 will be sent an email with the outcome of their application on 16 April 2025. Parents will also be able to view the outcome of their application on the evening of 16 April 2025 by visiting the eadmissions portal.
Waiting lists
If your child is not offered a place at your first preference school or you are offered one of your lower preference schools, your child will be added to the waiting list.You will need to reapply in December 2025 to remain on the waiting list after this time.
How Reception places were offered for Tower Hamlets Schools in 2024
Places were offered in line with the Local Authority’s Admissions policy.
The following table shows a summary of all the offers made to oversubscribed schools in Tower Hamlets that use the local authority’s admissions policy as at 16 April 2024, and the criteria they were offered under.
|
School
|
Number of applications
|
Number of places available (PAN)
|
SEN/EHCP
|
Looked After Child
|
Medical or Social
|
Sibling
|
Children Of Staff
|
Nearest School in Catchment Area
|
Catchment Area
|
Distance (outside of Catchment Area)
|
Tie-break cut off distance (metres)
|
Total Offered
|
|
Bigland Green
|
195
|
60
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
27
|
1
|
20
|
10
|
0
|
491
|
60
|
|
Bonner Bethnal Green
|
86
|
30
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
9
|
0
|
16
|
3
|
0
|
678
|
30
|
|
Bygrove
|
155
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
13
|
0
|
3
|
12
|
0
|
523
|
30
|
|
Cayley
|
144
|
60
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
32
|
0
|
17
|
9
|
0
|
685
|
60
|
|
Chisenhale
|
147
|
50
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
17
|
0
|
3
|
28
|
1
|
716
|
50
|
|
Cyril Jackson
|
130
|
60
|
5
|
0
|
3
|
22
|
0
|
29
|
1
|
0
|
518
|
60
|
|
Globe
|
120
|
45
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
14
|
14
|
0
|
753
|
45
|
|
Kobi Nazrul
|
68
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
0
|
16
|
0
|
0
|
325
|
30
|
|
Marner
|
167
|
90
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
35
|
0
|
28
|
9
|
16
|
881
|
90
|
|
Mayflower
|
277
|
52
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
15
|
11
|
0
|
612
|
52
|
|
Mowlem
|
50
|
30
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
9
|
0
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
479
|
30
|
|
Mulberry Wood Wharf
|
155
|
60
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
19
|
17
|
17
|
2115
|
60
|
|
Olga
|
189
|
60
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
32
|
1
|
11
|
14
|
0
|
801
|
60
|
|
Seven Mills
|
71
|
30
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
1
|
18
|
0
|
0
|
624
|
30
|
|
The Clara Grant
|
109
|
60
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
25
|
1
|
31
|
3
|
0
|
405
|
60
|
Table key
- No of Apps
This is the total number of children that applied for a place at the school.
- SEN / EHCP
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and care Plan.
- Looked After Children
Children who are (or have previously been) a Looked After Child under the care of the local authority
- Medical/Social Need – Children for whom it is deemed there is strong social or medical need for a place at the school.
- Sibling – Children who have a sibling already attending the school.Children of Staff – Children whose parents are a member of staff at the school.
- Nearest School in Catchment Area – Children who live within the catchment area of the school and it is their nearest school.
- Catchment Area
Children who live within the catchment area of the school
- Outside of Catchment Area
Children who live outside of the catchment area of the school.
- Tie-Break Cut Off Distance
This is the distance of how far the last child who was offered a place at the school lives from the school, measured by the ‘shortest walking distance’.
Contact the Admissions Service
By email
You can contact the admissions service by email at school.admissions@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
We can only make changes to an existing application if you email your request - this includes change of address and preference/s.
By telephone - 020 7364 5006
We are a busy service. Please email us if your enquiry is not urgent.
Tower Hamlets Transition Support Service
Tower Hamlets Transition Support Service provides impartial advice, information and assistance to support children, young people and their families during key points of transition.
They can provide help with a range of school issues including school admissions, appeals and home/school communication.
Email: transitions@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7364 1533
Need a school place today?
If your child is of nursery, primary or secondary school age now and does not have a school place, please contact the School Admissions Service or visit our in-year admissions page.
Further information