Primary School Offer Day 2026 - 16th April

The national offer date for Reception entry in 2026 is 16 April, where you will be notified of your school place by your Local Authority. Please follow the advice on the poster to help guide you through a stress-free start to your school journey. 

If you were successful in getting a place at Great Bowden Academy - a very warm welcome to GBA.

Please look for an email from us to the email address you registered on your application. We will be sending you all the details you need for a smooth and successful start to school life with us. Please also see our 'New Starters 2026' page here.

We look forward to meeting you soon. If you have any questions in the meantime, please call us on 01858 463216 or email. [email protected]  

Primary school applications for Reception class (First Time Admissions / FTA or Early Years Foundation Stage / EYFS)

If you are considering applying to Great Bowden Academy, we would be delighted to meet you and show you around the school. Please contact the office on 01858 463216 or email [email protected] to make an appointment, or book into one of our open events here.

The Local Authority has a duty to provide school places to all pupils resident in its area. Leicestershire achieves this by giving high priority to catchment area children and by allowing parental preference wherever possible. Further information about the application process and access to the online application form can be found on the Leicestershire website. 

Parents must apply to their home Local Authority for a school place. Great Bowden Academy’s planned admission number for first time admissions (FTA) starting in Reception is 20 pupils per year group.  

The admissions process takes place during your child's preschool year. The application window for children seeking to start school for the first time from autumn 2027 is open from 1st September until 15 January 2027. The national offer date for FTA entry 2027 is 16 April (or the next working day), where you will be notified of your school place before your child starts Reception in September.

For further details please visit Leicestershire County Council website (or your local authority website if you live outside Leicestershire).

Midterm admissions and transfers 

For midterm transfers, please apply via the Learn Academies Trust admissions portal at apply.learnat.uk. The school no longer processes midterm admissions through the Local Authority. If you have any questions or require assistance with your application, please contact the school office on 01858 463216.

We fully participate in the Local Authority's coordinated admissions scheme. As per the School Admissions Code, all admitting authorities must aim to inform parents of their decision within 10 school days, and it is mandatory that a decision is communicated within 15 school days.

Appeals

The Leicester Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) are responsible for handling all appeals at Learn Academies Trust. They provide an independent, professional Schools Appeals Service dedicated to ensuring that all admission appeal hearings are heard fairly, equally and within the law. More details can be found on their website and the Appeal Service Dates for 2025-2026 can be found below.

Website: https://www.leicesterdbe.org/schools/admissions-and-appeals/
Email: [email protected]
Post: Leicester Diocesan Board of Education, St. Martins House, 7 Peacock Lane, Leicester, LE1 5PZ

If you have any questions, please speak to our office by calling 01858 463216 or email [email protected] .

To see our Trust Admissions Policies for the Trust and for the School, please see below. All policies can also be found here.