Admissions

At Horniman we follow the admission criteria set out by Lewisham Council. Parents should contact the local authority to find out about your admission and appeal arrangements.

Please click here for LB Lewisham Admission Criteria. If you need any support with completing an application, please contact the school office or email admin@horniman.lewisham.sch.uk.

Starting School- Reception Class 2025- 26

If your child permanently lives in the UK and was born between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021, they are due to start in a primary school in September 2025.

Prospective Parent Tours:

Please see the dates of our Prospective Parents Tours:

Wednesday 8th January 9.15-9.45am

To book, please email admin@horniman.lewisham.sch.uk or call the school office 02086993190. The tours will lasts approximately 30min and will be led by the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher. All family members are welcome.

Applying for primary school

Please click here  for everything you need to know about applying for primary school places, including:

• What schools are in Lewisham and which are closest to you.

• How to apply.

• How decisions are made.

• What happens once you have applied.

• Important dates in the application process.

Deciding which schools to apply for

The first step is to decide which schools you would like to apply for.  There are many primary schools in the Lewisham borough and in authorities outside the borough.  Find out about Lewisham schools, and see which are nearest to you, at www.lewisham.gov.uk/primaryschools

How to apply?

Parents should apply online at www.eadmissions.org.uk.  Advantages of this include:

• it is a secure method of delivery and there is no risk of losing the form in the post

• an automated email confirming receipt of application

• changes to applications can be made up to the closing date

• results are sent by email on national offer day

Is my child likely to be offered a place at a school?

Where there are more applicants for a school than places available (oversubscribed), the admissions criteria is used to decide who should be offered a place. The admissions criteria vary from school to school. Horniman Primary School follows the Local Authority oversubscription criteria and places will be offered to children in the following priority; 

1. A looked after child (LAC) or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption order (in accordance with the Children Act 2002), child arrangements, or special guardianship order (sections 8 or 14A of the Children Act 1989).

2. In exceptional circumstances there is discretion to admit a child on the grounds of their or their family’s severe medical or social need for that particular school and who would not otherwise qualify for admission.

3. Children whose brother or sister is on roll of the school  (excluding Yr.6)

4. Children living nearest to the school.

For further information about admissions arrangements please contact: Admissions and Appeals Team, Third Floor, Laurence House, Catford SE6 4RU. Tel: 020 8314 8282 (lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-12 noon). Email: schooladmissions@lewisham.gov.uk

It is important that parents carefully read the information on the Lewisham website.

• Parents can name up to SIX mainstream schools they want to apply for, which can be within Lewisham or any authority outside the borough. Schools must be ranked in order of preference.

• If a child qualifies for a place at more than one school, parents will receive ONE offer, which will be the highest possible offer on their preference list.

When will I find out which school my child has been offered a place at?

You will receive an email during the evening of National Offer Day.  It will tell you where your child has been offered a place and how to accept the offer.

You can find all the information you need to apply for primary school places at www.lewisham.gov.uk/primaryadmissions.  If you cannot find the information you need or cannot apply online, please contact the Admissions Team for information and advice on 020 8314 8282 (Monday - Friday 9am-12noon) or email schooladmissions@lewisham.gov.uk

Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Most children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities can get the support they need at local mainstream schools.  They need to apply online at www.lewisham.gov.uk/primaryadmissions

If your child has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan, you need to follow a different process.  Find out more at www.lewisham.gov.uk/SENadmissions

If you are interested in applying for a place at Horniman Primary School and would like to have a look around, please contact the school office or email.  

Parent tours at Horniman are being held ever other Wednesday at 9.30am starting in September (with the exception of half term and Christmas break). Please check the school calendar for the upcoming dates or contact the school office. We look forward to meeting you. 

Telephone: 020 8699 3190

E-mail: admin@horniman.lewisham.sch.uk

In Year Admissions

In year applications must be made via the Parent Portal. Lewisham Admissions are no longer issuing paper applications for children wishing to transfer school in-year.

You can apply online by clicking the link below:

https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/schools/school-admission/transferring-your-child-to-a-different-school-during-the-school-year

You will need to provide: 

1. Section 9 - Ensure that your child’s current headteacher has completed signed and stamped the information required in section 9. If this section is not completed, your application will not be considered as complete. The form can be found below. (This does not apply if your child is new to the UK or has been previously educated abroad).

Section 9 form

2. Lewisham Admissions will ask the parent or carer who makes the application to provide:

• two documents confirming their address

• one document confirming their child's address

• one document confirming their child's date of birth.

Confirming the address the parent or carer should provide:

• one document from Section A and one document from Section B.

Confirming your child's address

The applicant must provide one of the following documents to confirm the child’s name and address.

 Confirming your child’s date of birth

The applicant must provide one of the following documents to confirm the child’s date of birth.

If the documents can't be provided

If the parent or carer is unable to provide any of the documents above, a sworn affidavit, statutory declaration or affirmation must be provided. It must state parent and child's full name, address, the date the applicant started living at that address and the child’s date of birth.

The document must be signed by a solicitor holding a current practicing certificate issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Please note that Lewisham Council will not contribute towards the cost of obtaining this documentation.

The person completing the application must be the child’s parent (including adoptive parents) or the person with legal parental responsibility. We cannot accept applications from a grandparent or other family member unless they have legal parental responsibility.

If the applicant applying for a school place is not the child’s parent, they will need to include a letter explaining the relationship is to the child and why they are applying instead of the parent. The applicant must also provide a legal document to prove they have parental responsibility.

Shared care arrangements:

Lewisham is aware that some parents share the care of their child. Lewisham will normally accept that the child lives with the parent who makes the application and is able to provide documentary evidence of the child’s main domiciliary address, ie who the child lives with on school days.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN FOLLOWING PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY DISPUTES

What will Lewisham do if two parents are in dispute and both want to submit two separate applications from two different addresses and both have parental responsibility?

According to: Government Guidance, called Understanding and dealing with issues relating to parental responsibility Updated 3 September 2018

Where a parent’s action, or proposed action, conflicts with the school’s ability to act in the child’s best interests, the school should try to resolve the problem with that parent but avoid becoming involved in conflict. However, there may be occasions when a school needs to decline requests for action from one or more parents.

In cases where schools cannot resolve the conflict between separated parents, they should advise the aggrieved parent to pursue the matter through the Family Court.

Therefore if two parents, submit two separate applications and are unable to agree whose application will be processed, Lewisham will proceed with the parent who is able to provide the appropriate documentation.

If both parents provide the documentation, then neither application will be processed until a resolution is sought.

Lewisham may check its records, as well as those of other external agencies, to confirm a child’s permanent home address.

Providing your application is complete and includes the relevant proofs a letter will be sent via email within 20 school days of the date Lewisham received your application to let you know the outcome.