COLUMN: Apply now for primary school places

With the festivities of Christmas and the New Year behind us for another year, it's now time for parents to think about applying for school places for their children.

The deadline for primary school applications is Monday January 15, and I would urge those parents who haven’t already got their applications in to make it a priority before next Monday.

If your child will be five years old between September 1 2018 and August 31 2019, they will be due to start school in September this year.

I’m sure you will already have given some thought to which schools to include on your application and it’s essential that you get your application in on time to be considered for these schools.

I’d also like to remind parents that if their child attends a school’s foundation unit, nursery class or early years’ group, it does not guarantee that they will get a place at the main school at reception age, and they must still complete an application for a full-time place.