September 2027 admissions

The application window for children due to start in reception in 2027 is currently closed. The application window will open on 9th November 2026 and will close on 15th January 2027. 

To view our school, please contact the office to arrange a private tour. This is a fantastic opportunity to come and see our amazing school, see pupils in lessons and meet staff.

Admission applications can be made at https://educationportal.essex.gov.uk/CitizenPortal/en

The Admission Process

St Margaret's CofE Primary School is a Voluntary Controlled primary school. Essex County Council is the admissions authority for our school. The Local Authority sets our admissions policy, coordinates the annual admissions rounds, and determines how places are allocated.

Our Published Admission Number (PAN) is 14 pupils per year group.

New Intake Applications (Reception Entry)

Applications for children starting school for the first time in Reception must be made directly through the Local Authority. You can apply online via the Essex County Council Primary School Places Portal.

• Key Dates: The application window typically opens on 9 November and closes on 15 January for entry the following September.
• Admissions Booklet: To read the full details on oversubscription criteria, distance measurements, and how places are offered, please refer to the Primary Education in Essex booklet available on the Essex County Council Admissions Booklets Page.

Mid-Year (In-Year) Applications

If you wish to apply for a school place outside the normal admissions round (for example, if you have moved house or want to change your child’s school during the academic year), applications must be made to Essex Local Authority using the following link: https://www.essex.gov.uk/move-to-a-different-school-mid-year-admission. 

You can find more details on this process on the Essex County Council Move to a Different School Page.

Oversubscription Criteria

In the event that the school receives more applications than the PAN of 14 places available, Essex County Council will allocate places using their statutory criteria in the following order of priority:

1. Looked After Children and previously looked after children.
2. Children with a sibling attending the school.
3. Children living within the priority admissions (catchment) area.
4. Remaining applications, prioritised by straight-line distance from home to school.

Please note: Living within the priority admissions area does not guarantee a place.

Contact & Further Support

If you have any questions about the application process, please reach out to our school office or contact the Essex School Admissions Team directly:

• Telephone: 0345 603 2200
• Email: admissions@essex.gov.uk
• Website: Essex County Council Admissions

Transition arrangements for children joining Reception in 2027

As part of our transition programme, we invite children to attend two sessions in school during the final half term. These sessions are designed to help them feel settled and familiar with their new environment. The details are as follows:

• Wednesday 23rd June 2027, 9.30am – 11.00am
  Stay and play session for children and parents.
  Please note that, unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate siblings at this session.
• Friday 25th June 2027, 1.45pm – 3.00pm
  Stay and play session for children only.
  On this afternoon, we will also be holding our monthly pop-up cafe from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. You are very welcome to join us, meet our friendly FOSMs team and enjoy some delicious refreshments.

In addition, we will be holding a parent meeting on Wednesday 23rd June 2027 at 5.00pm. Where possible, we kindly ask that children do not attend this meeting, as we will be sharing a lot of important information.

Alongside these sessions, we will also be contacting pre-schools with the aim of arranging a visit to give us the opportunity to get to know them in a familiar environment.

Please be assured that we are committed to making this transition as smooth, positive and supportive as possible for the whole family. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at admin@st-margaretscofe.essex.sch.uk, and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Our admissions policy can be found on our  policies page.