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All children aged 5-16 are eligible for a school place in England. It's a big milestone starting school, so Twins Trust have put together a useful guide to applying for primary school with twins, triplets and more.
When do I apply for primary school?
Applications for primary schools in England open between September and November the year before they're due to start.
For example, if your child turns five in November 2024, they will start school in September 2024 and you can apply for that place between September 2023 and January 2024.
It's not first come first served - you can take your time to visit the schools, speak to the teachers and make considered choices about the schools that you're applying for. All applications are then considered together by your local authority after the deadline (January) and before the offer day (often April).
If you're applying for primary school outside of these timings, this is called a 'casual' or an 'in year application'.
How do I make sure my twins, triplets and more get into the same school?
It's not possible to guarantee that your children will be given spaces at the same school, however it's something that the local authorities should always take into consideration when allocating places.
To increase your chances of getting the same school, make sure that you note on the application that you are applying for multiples. It's also recommended that you apply for the schools via the electronic submissions platform, so that paperwork can't get separated.
Often, the application form will have a question about whether they are a twin, triplet or more. However, if your local authority doesn't provide this information within the application, it's important that you add this as a note or special consideration so that they're considered together, rather than as individual applicants.
It's also important to ensure that you apply for school before the application deadline, so that you have an increased chance of getting into the school of your choice.
There is more information on Pat Preedy's Twin Education website about applying for schools with multiples.
Can I visit the schools before I apply?
Most schools will offer the opportunity to look around, speak to the early years' teachers and get a feel of whether you think it's a good fit for your children.
These can be in formal 'open day' type sessions, or you can email the school office to see if you can book a visit yourself.
You might find it helpful to talk through your options with the staff at the schools, discuss whether your children would be kept together, or would benefit from being in separate classes. Remember, you are the expert on your own children. You can take advice from the staff, but it’s ultimately up to you how you want your children educated.
What if I want to delay my children from starting school?
Sometimes, you may feel that your children would benefit from starting school a little later than the September before they turn five.
This might be due to them being born in the summer, so they're young for the year; or they might have developmental delays. Multiples are more likely to have been born prematurely, which can have an impact on their development.
Occasionally, children are also born prematurely and into the wrong school year for when they should have been due to start school.
If these are concerns that you are worrying about, we've put together resources to help guide you through these decisions and the process of how to delay or defer their school start.
How to appeal primary school admissions decisions
Occasionally parents can be disappointed with the allocated primary school place for their children. Sometimes multiple-birth children may get allocated to different schools. Depending on these circumstances you may want to appeal this decision.
Preparing your twins, triplets and more for primary school
Starting school is a huge milestone for any child, so we've created resources, guides and advice to help you navigate this big step.
Further help and resources from Twins Trust
We understand that there are a lot of questions around your children starting primary school - especially when twins and triplets are more likely to experience developmental delays and prematurity. The below resources can help you feel confident and supported with this next stage of parenting.
Access downloadable content as a Twins Trust registered user
Personal stories from parents of multiples
Let it go
Whether you're punching the air or weeping into the sink, Twins Trust’s Co-Head of Family Services, Louise Bowman, offers tips on a good start at school.
Over to you
Together or apart can be a vexed question for parents when multiples start school. But what do the children think?