Today's story - Think of Environment when choosing school

As the deadline for primary school applications looms, Wiltshire Lib Dems are urging parents to take the effects of the school run into consideration. The advantage of choosing a nearby school is that parents and children can walk to it, so both are healthier. The congestion and poisonous pollution caused outside primary schools by drivers also gets reduced. All primary schools in the county have a problem with that. Of course there are many other factors for parents to consider, and these are mentioned in the official press release. Environmental considerations would of course never cross the mind of Wiltshire Council itself - see below.

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Families of children starting primary school this September are reminded to apply with their school preferences before the 15 January.

The window for primary school applications has been open since September and they can be submitted at www.wiltshire.gov.uk.

Applicants who apply online before the national deadline of 15 January for primary schools and infant to junior transfer, will be able to log back into the online system on the national offer date of 16 April to view the outcome of their application.

Applications can also be submitted using the paper application form. Those who apply by paper will be sent a letter confirming the outcome, but information will not be available on national offer date.

As families look ahead to the next step for their child there are some top tips to bear in mind to make the process as swift and easy as possible:

1. Apply online. You will receive immediate email confirmation that your application has been received and on National Offer Day you can log back in to the system to view the outcome of your application. Please ensure you keep your username and password in a safe place to enable you to do this.
2. The person completing the application must have parental responsibility for the child
3. You can apply for up to three schools. Put these in your order of preference. Naming additional preferences will not reduce your chances of securing a place for your child at your first preference school. Repeating your first preference school in the second and third preference boxes on the application does not improve your child's chance of securing a place at your preferred school. This will only result in wasting your preferences as a school can only be considered once on each application
4. If you live in Wiltshire and want to apply for a school place outside the county, you must still make your application to Wiltshire Council. We pass on your application to the relevant council where it will be considered alongside the other applications for that school.
5. Visit the Wiltshire Council website to find out the designated school for your home address
6. Although we are not able to guarantee an offer of a school place even if you live in the schools designated area, we recommend you name your designated school as one of your preferences.
7. If you do not live in Wiltshire and want to apply for a Wiltshire school, you must make an application to your own local authority. They will then pass on your application details to us. The only exception to this is applications from children of UK Service Personnel.
8. If you apply after the deadlines you are less likely to secure a place at one of your preferred schools.

For more information try to find the school admissions pages on www.wiltshire.gov.uk