Applying for a Primary 1 Place

Online applications will open at 12 noon on Tuesday 9 January 2024 and will close at 12 noon on Friday 26 January 2024.

Before starting your child’s application you should:

• Read carefully the admissions criteria for each Primary school that you wish to nominate as a preference.
• All schools will require the birth certificate to verify a child’s name and date of birth. Either a full (long) or short birth certificate may be used or an amended birth certificate or an adoption certificate, where appropriate, is acceptable. If you do not have a copy of your child’s birth certificate, please contact the schools you wish to nominate to see what other documents they may accept.
• You should refer to the admissions criteria to find out if other supporting documents are required by each of the schools you have chosen e.g. proof of address.
• You can scan or take a photo of the documents you require for each school and save them on the device you will be using to make your Primary Application. Make sure the photos or scans are clear and legible.
• For GDPR purposes you should remove personal/sensitive/private information from your documents before uploading e.g. financial details in bank statements.
• You will require an email address to be able to register on EA Connect to submit an application.

Use the ‘Search Schools’ tool below to search for Primary schools in your area and read or download their admissions criteria.

When you find a primary school under ‘Search Schools’ write down the name of the primary school and location as some primary schools have similar names e.g. St Mary’s PS, Omagh, St Mary’s PS, Banbridge

Where a school is listed as Irish Medium or has an Irish Medium Unit all subjects are taught in the Irish language.              

Other sources of information which may be useful to you include:

• Primary school websites
• Primary virtual opening day/evenings
• Primary prospectus 
• ETI Inspection Reports
• Annual Area Profiles 
• Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education
• Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta

Search Schools

All schools have published admissions criteria. If they receive more applications than they have places available, the school will use their published criteria to decide who to offer places to.

Before starting to complete your child’s application you should read carefully the published admissions criteria for each school that you wish to nominate as a preference. 

You should complete your application providing all the relevant details/preference reasons about how your child meets the schools’ admissions criteria.

When making an application it is recommended that you list at least four schools in the order of your preference, as there is no guarantee your child will be accepted into the first preference.

You can list up to 12 schools on the online application. Please note that you cannot list the same preference more than once. The only exception where you can list a school twice in your order of preference is if you wish to apply for a school which offers both English and Irish Medium education. Where there is an option of applying separately to an Irish Medium Unit, EA Connect will indicate this in the school’s name.

If your child’s application is not selected by your first preference school it will then be considered by your second preference school. The process will be repeated until a place has been allocated or all preferences you have listed have considered your application. Places will be allocated to those who best meet the admissions criteria for each school. 

Any queries on the content of a primary school’s published admissions criteria should be directed to the primary school.

Search Admissions Criteria

If you do not supply the documents requested this could lead to the inability of a school to offer a place to your child or the withdrawal of an offer of a place.

If a school has asked for documents which you do not have, or if it is unclear what type of documents are needed, you should email or phone the school directly to find out what they will accept as it can vary from school to school.

Parents have the right to express preferences for the schools they would like their child to attend, but no child can be guaranteed a place in any school.

Please note you cannot list the same preference more than once. The only exception where you can list a school twice in your order of preference is if you wish to apply for a school which offers both English and Irish Medium education. Where there is an option of applying separately to an Irish Medium Unit, EA Connect will indicate this in the school’s name.

The first school you list will consider your application. If they are unable to offer a place the application will then go to your second preference school and so on until a school is able to offer a place or the list is exhausted.

Some schools give priority to applicants who have listed their school as first preference, therefore, applicants who list the school at a lower preference may have less chance of obtaining a place at the school.

It is extremely important that you provide all relevant details on your application as this information will be used by individual primary schools to determine which children will be selected for admission.

Thursday 25 April 2024

If you submitted a punctual application on EA Connect you will receive an email notification to the address you registered with. The email will provide you with basic details on the outcome of your child’s application. For more detailed information you can log in to EA Connect on the same date.

Applicants who submitted a paper application will either be advised of the outcome by email (if supplied on form) or by letter.

The closing date for punctual Primary 1 applications is 12 noon on Friday 26 January 2024. An application received after 12 noon on 26 January 2024 and by 4pm on 31 January 2024 will be treated as a late application.

Having a late application could reduce your child’s likelihood of gaining a place in your preferred school i.e., should the school you are applying to receive more applications than it has places available it will firstly consider all punctual applications (including second and subsequent preference applications) before your application is considered.