Compulsory school age

Most children start reception class in September after their fourth birthday. If your child was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021, they are eligible to start school from 1 September 2025.

The latest time they may start is when they reach compulsory school age. A child reaches compulsory school age on the prescribed day following their fifth birthday (or on his or her fifth birthday if it falls on a prescribed day). The prescribed days are 31 December, 31 March and 31 August.

Key dates

• 15 January 2025 - Closing date for applications
• 16 April 2025 - National offer day when all applicants receive their offer of a place
• May 2025 - Review of allocation of vacancies

Applying for a place at Bowdon Church School

In addition to completing a Trafford application form (Trafford residents Primary Applications), a completed Additional Information Form (below) for Reception children should be received by the school in line with the date set by Trafford Admissions.  

We are often oversubscribed and strongly advise families who are not immediately offered a place to register on the waiting list since places may become available.

In-year admissions

An 'in-year application' is when a child applies to transfer from one school to another during the school year. It includes families who have recently moved to Trafford from another area. 

As a faith school, Bowdon Church School is an 'own admission authority school' and we process our own in-year applications. 

You must still submit an application through the Trafford online portal here: Trafford In-year applications. They will forward your application details to us to process. We also ask families to fill in and submit an 'Additional Admissions Application Form' (see below)to help with processing applications in line with our admissions policy. When a place in the relevant year group becomes available, families will be notified of a potential place and invited to visit school.