Children are normally admitted to school at the start of or during the reception year, that is the school year in which they become 5.
You must apply for a place in the reception class that starts in September 2025 if your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021.
Check out our Local Offer website for information on supporting your child to be ready for the transition to school.
Apply online
The deadline to make an application online has now closed.
To apply for a school place you must now use the Starting School 2025 application form (PDF). This form has been designed so that you can fill this in electronically and then attach it to an email and send it back to us at: admissions@bedford.gov.uk.
If you live in Bedford Borough you must apply through us. If we're not your council, you can find out who is on GOV.UK.
Please contact the School Admissions Service admissions@bedford.gov.uk if you need advice about applying for a school place.
Closing date for applications
The deadline for online applications was 15 January 2025.
For more detailed information about the timescales go to Bedford Borough Council Admission Arrangements 2025 (PDF).
National Offer Day is 16 April 2025
If you have applied online, you will receive an email to let you know the outcome of your application. In addition, as the results will be posted to the online system overnight, you can log into your account to access the result of your application. If you have not applied online, we will post a letter to you on this day.
If you have not been offered a place at one of your preferred schools, please see information about the number of offers, places at each school and how to lodge an appeal (PDF).