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Why parents are panicking about primary school places before their baby can even walk

Why parents are panicking about primary school places before their baby can even walk

Ahead of the primary school application deadline on 15 January, new research reveals why a quarter of parents are losing sleep over primary school places long before their baby's first birthday.

Cute little baby boy, playing with abacus at home, sunny kids room

Hollie Bond

Published: January 9, 2026 at 1:55 PM

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There's less than a week to go for parents with Reception-aged children in 2026 to get their primary school application submitted before the 15th January deadline. But for many parents, this application will be anything but a last-minute panic.

In fact, according to new research from The Good Schools Guide over a quarter of parents will have been thinking about which primary school their child will attend for years already. The research shows that remarkably 23% of parents start thinking about which primary school to send their child to before their first birthday and 5% do so before their child is even born!

So what's all the stress about and why are parents considering schooling options so early in their child's life? Are you already "behind" if you haven't done your research and have your final primary school preferences in order before your baby blows out the candle on their first cake?

We spoke to Melanie Sanderson, Managing Editor at The Good Schools Guide to find out whether parents are right to be so preoccupied with primary school places or whether it's safe to leave the decisions until your child can at least walk and talk!

What's behind the rise in primary school anxiety?

Four year old girl with plaits and blue check dress holds a handwritten chalkboard sign that says, "First Day of School".

The Good Schools Guide data revealed that the cause is due to both practical and emotional reasons, with parents revealing that locality was the most important factor when choosing a school, followed by good teachers. However, for almost a third (32%) of parents the early preoccupation with primary schools was down to the fact that they were worried their child wouldn't fit in or be happy, with another third (33%) describing feeling relief once the decision had been made.

"Parents have always wanted the best start for their children and amongst academically ambitious families the pressure can mount to secure a place at the top-rated schools because they are known to be very over-subscribed," says Melanie.

It appears that the rise in early preoccupation in primary school places is much more down to parental ambition, the need for an easy school commute and love and concern for their children than anything to do with not enough places though.

"In reality, thanks to low birth rates over the last decade and a half, there are fewer children needing school places than in the past," says Melanie. "Also during that time, the overall standard of education available has improved resulting in a reduction in the number of those ‘avoid-at-all-costs' schools.

"That being said, there are always high-flying schools which, beacon-like, draw in families from near and far. At primary level, competition for these schools is fierce and can result in applicants needing to live within a few hundred metres of the school gates in order to land a place. The equivalent distance for popular secondary schools with a comprehensive intake can be as little as half a mile. This kind of information is crucial to families working out their options and should be available from the school or local authority."

Why do parents find the primary school application so stressful?

tired mom with a toddler in her arms at the table working through finances with a laptop and papers, real moments of motherhood in a real interior.

The Good Schools Guide's research also revealed that the actual application process itself was a real point of stress for many parents too. According to the data, parents with a child currently at primary school spent on average 15 hours researching and deciding on which school to send their child, with most spending between two and three hours. And almost half (48%) described the process as stressful with one in 10 admitting to having sleepless nights over it.

If you haven't yet filled your application in, it's a simple form with the option to add up to six primary school preferences (depending on where you live). So why are parents losing sleep over it?

Children are shaped by the schools they attend. It’s not just where they are educated, it’s where they make friends and form their personalities. Choosing the right one is a huge decision. However, we would remind parents that if the fit isn’t right, they do have options. No decision is forever.

Melanie Sanderson, Managing Editor at The Good Schools Guide

If primary school seems stressful you might be wondering how you'll be affected when it comes to the all-important secondary school application process further down the line then!

"Our research indicates parents’ stress spikes at each application stage," says Melanie. "The process itself is similar: schools lay on open days and you are allowed to select a certain number of schools in preferential order according to the rules set out by your local authority. However, because secondary school is seen as holding the key to GCSE and A level success, and therefore entry to university, many parents bring extra anxious energy to the process than they may have done with primary selection."

How often do children miss out on their preferred primary school?

The good news for parents with pre-schoolers who are feeling anxious about the process, is that the percentages of children who end up at their preferred school are very high indeed – higher than secondary schools (but that's something to worry about a few years down the line!).

"The national averages do suggest that families applying for primary places are likely to get their first choice," says Melanie. "93% of primary applicants vs 84% of secondary applicants are left jumping for joy on the national offer days.

"However, when you look at a more local level, you will see that the averages range massively. In 2025 the percentages of applicants receiving their first choice school were anything between 64% and 100%. Search online to find out how people fare in your area."

Are parents still preoccupied by Ofsted ratings?

Historically many parents have relied heavily on Ofsted ratings when it comes to choosing schools, but now that single word ratings have ceased to exist this looks set to change.

"Ofsted stopped awarding single term judgments in November 2025," says Melanie. "Those judgments which were awarded in the last year or two are probably a fairly accurate reflection of the school but if a school is still trading on the glories of a five-year-old ‘Outstanding’, I would take it with a large pinch of salt.

"Ofsted is in the process of moving to a new report card system which will provide different assessments of schools and, we hope, be a bit more parent-friendly. The inspection reports themselves can be quite dense and cover all manner of things some of which may not be a priority for a parent researching schools. It’s definitely worth taking a look at a recent report of a school that’s on your shortlist though."

Parents are now much more likely to rely on the advice and recommendations of other parents and the local reputation, choose a school based on the location or choose a school based on research and how they felt during the open day. However Melanie warns about being too swayed by others parents: "Shut out the community chatter and be confident in your decisions," she says. "You know your child best and will have a feel for which school will be right for them."

Other factors that can make a big difference to a child's happiness at school

Happy smiling little girl walking to school with her Father

Research overwhelming supports the statement that a happy child is a better learner so the 32% of parents who are concerned that their child won't be happy at school have reason to be worried. There are some practical things to look at though that can make a real difference to a child's happiness at school – with location being key.

"[Parents sometimes overlook the importance of] distance from home/ease of commute," says Melanie. "A long walk home from school, or a commute with multiple transport changes may be fine for a sunny June evening but in a cold and wet November it’s the last thing anyone wants. Having local friends is important for many children."

However for a child to be happy their parent needs to be feel stress-free too and working parents will need to ensure they have the balance right between education, location and whether the hours work for the family!

"Provision for wrap around care is also crucial for many families at primary stage," says Melanie.

What happens if you miss the 15 Jan deadline?

If you're not one of the parents who has been planning your child's primary school since they were a mere blob on an ultrasound, don't panic. If you miss the 15th Jan deadline you still have options, although you might miss out on your preferred school if it's popular.

"Some local authorities have a short grace period after the deadline during which parents can submit an application and, providing they give a suitable explanation for the delay, it will be treated as on-time," says Melanie. "However, many local authorities consider any application made after the deadline to be a ‘late application’ which means it will only be considered after all on-time applications have been processed."

And, if you do miss out on your preferred primary school, don't panic, or lose yet more sleep over it.

"Accept the place you’ve been offered. Whatever else, you need to have a school place come September and the local authority is not obliged to offer you a place at another school," says Melanie. "From there you can make it your mission to get on waiting lists of those schools you didn’t get a place at. A lot of moving around can happen in the intervening months and you may find that a place becomes available at a preferable school.

"You also have every right to appeal to the schools which you named on your original application that didn’t offer you a place. But beware, only a small fraction of appeals are actually successful. While you’re waiting for your waiting list place or appeal to come through, don't bad-mouth the school you have been allotted. Worse case scenario, your child goes to school there and you don’t want them walking through the school gates already with negative thoughts."

Authors

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Hollie BondSenior Digital Journalist

Hollie is Senior Digital Journalist at MadeForMums. She writes articles about pregnancy, parenting, child health and getting pregnant. She has written for a number of national lifestyle magazines and websites over the past 12 years including Family History Monthly, You and Your Wedding and Muddy Stilettos. She has two children aged 5 and 8 and hasn't slept since 2017!