Starting school

You can request that your child starts reception in the September following their fifth birthday. This is called delayed entry.

If your request is agreed, your child will start reception in a group of children younger than them. They will be taught outside their age group.

Things to consider

Before deciding on delayed entry, make sure you consider the following:

1. You have to make your delayed entry request to specific schools. You cannot make a delayed entry request that applies to all Bracknell Forest schools
2. Schools can agree to a delayed entry request in principle before an offer of a place is made. Agreement in principle does not guarantee your child a place at the school.
3. If you are not offered a place at one of your preferred schools, you are not guaranteed a reception place in an alternative school.
4. If you are not able to get a school place at a school which has agreed to your request, you will need to make:
   • more delayed entry requests to schools with available places – these schools do not have to agree to your request 
   • an in-year application for a year 1 school place
5. If you can include evidence to support your request, this will help admission authorities see what is best for your child. Make sure the evidence is specific to your child.
6. Consider the possible social, emotional and educational implications for your child.
7. Delaying entry to school is admitting your child outside of their chronological year group. This does not carry through with every school move or transition. If your child moves school, for example to transfer to a secondary school, you will need to request that they are admitted outside of their year group. These schools may not agree to admit your child outside of their year group. This could result in your child missing a year of education, for example, transferring from year 6 to year 8.
8. Agreement to delay your child’s entry does not transfer across local authorities. If another council has agreed this, it does not mean it will be agreed in Bracknell Forest
9. Delayed entry means your child will be admitted outside their chronological year group. If they continue through education outside of their year group, they will be able to leave school before taking exams. Although the participation age is now 18, the statutory school age ends on the last Friday in June in the school year when a child becomes 16.
10. Applications for delayed entry may be rejected if the request is just to get a place at a preferred school.

For more information, read advice for parents of summer born children from the Department of Education. 

How to request delayed entry

The deadline to request delayed entry is the national closing date for primary school admissions. See our primary school key dates page.

To request delayed entry, you must:

1. Make sure you have read and understood the information on this page and on the compulsory school age page.
2. Fill in the online delayed entry request form below.

Request to delay your child's entry to reception

All requests and supporting evidence must be submitted before the national closing date.

Submitting a request is not an application for school.

How your request is considered

We will send your delayed entry request form and supporting documents to the headteachers of the schools you listed. They will consider your request.

The information provided may also be shared with other departments in the council, as well as other councils, admission authorities, schools, and government agencies where relevant.

The relevant parties will take into account:

• the views of the parents
• the child’s academic, social and emotional development
• the child’s medical history and the views of a medical professional - if relevant
• whether the child has previously been educated out of their normal age group
• whether they may have fallen into a lower age group if they had not been born prematurely

The views of the relevant headteachers will also be taken into account.

Once a response has been received from all relevant parties, you will be contacted with the outcome. We will also confirm which application process you must follow in relation to your outcome.

Requests for schools outside Bracknell Forest

If you are requesting delayed entry for schools outside of Bracknell Forest, you need to contact their admission authority. 

Your application for a school place must be made to your home local authority. If you have delayed entry agreements from non-Bracknell Forest schools, you need tell our School Admissions Team so that they can process your application.

Late requests

Late requests can be submitted and will be processed, but be aware that:

1. We cannot process late requests during school holidays because they need to be considered by the headteacher. You will need to wait until the school returns for your request to be processed. This includes the 6 week summer break. 
2. Delayed entry requests are considered before school place applications can be processed. If you submit your delayed entry request after the deadline, you will delay the outcome to your application for a school place.

If your request is refused

More information about the decision for refusal will be provided in your outcome letter. The decision made is final and cannot be appealed.