Today is the primary school application deadline and here are some tips for parents wanting to get their child into the best school.

The Good Schools Guide provides information on schools in the UK and has the following guidance on applying:

There is still time to research your local schools.

All primary schools have websites and many still produce brochures. Get a feel for the school and look at how they are presented and whether the children seem happy and well behaved.

READ: These are the best performing primary schools in Lewisham for Key Stage 2 results for 2017

You know your child better than anyone else.

What would encourage them to learn, progress and develop socially? Some children love a library whereas some just want to run around outside all day. Find out specifically what the school encourages and nurtures and go with your gut instinct.

READ: Primary schools in south east London performing above national average.

Look at the most recent Ofsted report.

All the reports are available, as are details of SATs results, on the Department for Education Performance Tables website. 

READ: Greenwich primary school league tables have been released

Get the application right.

Your local authority’s admissions guide explains how to apply and lists the admissions criteria for schools in your area. Information from previous years is also published such as whether schools were oversubscribed, how places were allocated and the distance children admitted previously live from the school. If applicable, catchment area maps will also be included. The Good Schools Guide website contains maps for each school based on where pupils have been admitted from in recent years.

A faith school may be an attractive option but there are a lot more forms.

You will need to complete a supplementary information form which will ask for details of your family’s religious adherence. Regardless of its proximity to your home, many faith schools will give priority to children from religious families. Always check the school’s over-subscription criteria to be sure.

Appealing a decision you are unhappy with is unlikely to work.

Successful primary application appeals are rare and are dependent on the Local Authority making a mistake when assessing an application. Long journeys to the school or having siblings at a different school are not grounds for an appeal. However, if you have a genuine case, it's worth getting good advice and challenging the decision.

Other tips

You can apply for up to six primary schools, listing them in order of preference. It is important that you rank them.

You will need to apply through your home authority, for example Royal Greenwich, Bromley, etc.

If you have an older child or children already attending the school, you must make this clear on your application.

You should hear about the decision by April 16.

Don't forget to check our Education section for all the latest information on Ofsted and local establishments.