Contents
On this page
Merton primary schools
You can check to see where each Merton primary school is by looking at the borough map.
Making your choices
When making your choice we encourage you to consider schools that are nearest to your home address, including schools that may be in other boroughs. As well as being easier to get to, such schools are more likely to be able to admit your child. If you have a number of schools close to you and you are unable to see which is closest by using the map, you can contact the School Admissions Team at admissions@merton.gov.uk for further help. Alternatively you can visit the GOV.UK school page to find further information on schools close to you.
Each applicant in London is limited to a maximum of six preferences. It is recommended that you name at least one school for which your application is likely to be successful, for example, your local community school. Before deciding which schools to apply for, we advise visiting primary schools and looking at their websites in order to gain further information.
You can see how places were offered over the last few years to see if you are likely to be offered a place: How places were offered in recent years.
It is also worth noting that attendance of a school Nursery does not offer an advantage when making a Reception application. If you attend a Merton Nursery, please check whether your address is within range for a Reception application. Many Nurseries offer further than Reception and we cannot give priority to those already attending the school Nursery. Please consider alternative schools in case we cannot offer you a place in Reception at the same school your child attends Nursery. Please do not base your decisions solely on the SAT results, Ofsted reports, or what other people say about a school. We recommend that all families make up their own minds and that your child is involved in the application process. Visit the schools with your child and remember that different children thrive in different environments, not just those that the parents feel are appropriate. Also take into account the accessibility of the school from your home address.
It is also important that you consider the admissions criteria for each school so you understand how places are allocated and who gets priority when a school is oversubscribed. Different schools have different admissions policies, and these may affect the chances of your child being offered a place.
We recommend that you make use of all six preference options available to you. You should be aware of the admissions arrangements for the school, whether there is an Admissions Priority Area and if you live in it. We recommend that you check the furthest distances offered in recent years to see whether you are within average offer distance. We also suggest that you treat the application form as a wish list; name schools in the order you want them – you definitely won't be offered a school if you do not name it – but please ensure that there are schools on your list that you have checked and are likely to be offered and you are happy with. You do not gain any advantage by naming fewer schools, or only naming oversubscribed schools, and local schools you might have secured a place in may not have spaces if you name them as late preferences.
Schools outside Merton
Many families living close to borough boundaries will have their local schools outside Merton. If you are applying for schools which are not in Merton, you still need to name them as one of your six preferences. If you do not name them as a preference, they will be unable to consider your application.
Listed below are links to the websites for our neighbouring local authorities. We advise visiting these websites to obtain further details of the schools available in their boroughs.
London Borough of Croydon
Address: People Department, 4th Floor (Zone G), Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA
Telephone: 020 8726 6400
Email: school.admissions@croydon.gov.uk
Website: Croydon admissions site
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Address: School Admissions, Guildhall 2, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 1EU
Telephone: 020 8547 4610
Email: kingston.admissions@achievingforchildren.org.uk
Website: Kingston admissions site
London Borough of Lambeth
Address: School Admissions Team, 10th Floor International House, Canterbury Crescent, London, SW9 7QE
Telephone: 020 7926 9503
Email: schooladmissions@lambeth.gov.uk
Website: Lambeth admissions site
London Borough of Sutton
Address: Children, Young People and Learning Directorate, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1EA
Telephone: 020 8770 5000
Email: suttonadmissions@cognus.org.uk
Website: Sutton admissions site
London Borough of Wandsworth
Address: Pupil Services, Wandsworth Council, Children's Services Department, Town Hall Extension, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU
Telephone: 020 8871 7316
Email: admissions@wandsworth.gov.uk
Website: Wandsworth admissions site
If you are not a resident in Merton but you are thinking of applying for a Reception place in a Merton school, you will need to apply via your home borough.
How places were offered last year
To maximise your chances of being offered a place, it is important you use all your available six preferences. Please be realistic in your assessment by using the details of how places were offered in recent years and considering schools outside of Merton if you live close to the borough boundaries.
Primary school places
Any change to admission numbers are included in the directory of schools.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose which school I send my child to?
No. You cannot choose the school but you do have the right to express a preference.
Each school has a maximum number of places available and they cannot offer above these numbers. Where there are more applications for places than places available these are allocated in accordance with the admissions criteria.
I live in Merton. Can I apply for primary schools in other boroughs?
Yes. You should name all schools on your application in order of preference whether they are in Merton or in other boroughs You should check with out-of-borough schools to see if a supplementary form is required.
I do not live in Merton. Can I apply for a Merton primary school?
Yes. You must apply through your home authority. If you live in London, your online application will automatically submit to your home authority. All places are considered according to published criteria which cannot, by law, exclude children living outside of the borough.
If my child attends a school nursery, will they automatically get a place in the Reception class?
No. A new application must be made for the main school by the closing date. Schools cannot guarantee places for children who are in their nursery. This is because nursery provision is not compulsory and it is unfair on those families who either choose to keep their child at home or who prefer a different kind of childcare provision until they are due to go to into a Reception class. There are also more spaces in most nurseries than there are in Reception classes. Please be aware that no priority can be given to children attending the nursery, even if your child is settled.
If I already have a child at my preferred school will I automatically get a place for my younger child?
No. You still need to make the application and name the sibling on the application form. For Merton community schools, a sibling in Year 6 will not qualify, as they will not be attending the school at the time of the younger child's admission. Most schools will give some priority to siblings, however you are advised to check the admission arrangements for each school you are applying for to understand where siblings fall within their criteria. Please take extra care to read the admissions criteria for Dundonald and Wimbledon Chase
Do I have to name six schools?
No. You may name up to six schools. We would recommend using as many of your preferences as you can to maximise your chances of being offered a school place on 16 April 2024, as it is not always possible to allocate places later if you add schools or change your mind.
Is it wise to choose schools nearest to my home?
Yes. You will have a greater chance of getting a place at the school closest to your home, although there is no guarantee of being offered a place at your nearest school. Please see the information on how places were offered in recent years to give you an indication of whether you are likely to live close enough to a school for an offer to be made. If you have local schools outside Merton, we recommend you also apply for these.
If you manage to get a place in a nursery that is not the closest to your home, you may not get your child into the Reception class when they are due to start full-time school.
We live in Merton. Do I have a right to a place in a Merton school?
A local authority has a responsibility to provide school places for children in its area. However, the Education Act 1996 (Section 18) does not specify that schools have to be located in that borough. If you are unsuccessful in your preference schools, we will ensure a reasonable school offer is made, taking into account travel time and distance, however this may not be one of the closest schools to your home and we recommend that you consider this when naming your preferences.
Are my preferences confidential?
Yes. Your preference order and the names of the schools you list will not be released. All admissions authorities (the local authority or the school itself) will consider your application without reference to this information. If you are unsuccessful in your application and lodge an appeal, your application and preference order may be shared with the admissions authority and appeals panel.
My child is very young and I do not think they are ready for school, can I start next September?
In some cases this is possible for children to delay entry, please see our page about Delayed entry to reception for Summer born children for further information about when and how to apply and for a downloadable registration form.