Admissions
Little Bluebells Pre-School
Little Bluebells is for children aged 2 – 4 years and is run by Bluebell Childcare. The pre-school is open daily, Monday – Friday from 9am to 3.15pm, and offers morning and afternoon sessions.
For further details on admissions, please contact Little Bluebells on 07891 377581 or email [email protected]
Applying for a Place for the first time – September 2026
For children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022.
To apply for a place at Hockliffe Lower School, please visit the Schools Admissions Service, Central Bedfordshire Council or collect an application form and admissions booklet from any Lower School or Pre-School in Central Bedfordshire.
Parents/carers will receive a letter from the Schools Admissions Service on National Offer Day in April to inform on whether the child has been allocated a place.
For further information, contact the School Admissions Service on 0300 300 8037 or email Hockliffe Lower School
The deadline for applications was 15 January 2026.
National Offer Day is 16 April 2026.
Timeline for Admission Appeals for Year R - September 2026
Following national offer day on Thursday, 16 April 2026, if you named Hockliffe Lower School as one of your preferences and were unsuccessful, you have a right to appeal against the decision to an independent appeal panel.
The appeals timetable* for Hockliffe Lower School for students starting in Year R in September 2026 is shown below. Stage 1 hearing and Stage 2 individual hearings will be held virtually, with meeting invites issued by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel nearer the time.
| Friday, 15 May 2026 at noon | Deadline to request an appeal form |
| Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at noon | Deadline to lodge an appeal** |
| Wednesday, 8 July to
Friday 10 July 2026
|
Appeal hearings will be held during this week.
Appellants will be advised as to precise day and time by the clerk. |
Should you wish to appeal against the decision not to offer your child a place at Hockliffe Lower School, please email [email protected] providing the name of the child, their date of birth, and an email address where the appeal paperwork can be sent. Requests for appeal forms must be made by noon on Friday, 15 May 2026.
*Please note it may not be possible to include within this timetable any appeals that are lodged after the deadline.
**This is the deadline by which the completed appeal form must be received by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel.
In-Year Applications
Applying for places in Years Reception – Year 4.
In-Year admissions refer to applications made at any other time after the initial September entry into Reception.
Please note that when a place does become available it is allocated strictly in accordance with the school’s admissions criteria.
How to Apply
In Year Applications for Reception to Year 4
To apply for a place at Hockliffe Lower School for September 2025 onwards, please complete the application form for September 2025-26 see link below.
Hockliffe Lower School Application 2025-26
The application form is an editable PDF. Save the form to the device you are using, then complete the form and press save. The completed form should be emailed with the supporting documentation to admissions@
If the year group is currently full then you will be sent a turn down and you can request for your child(ren) to be placed on the waiting list.
Hockliffe Lower School maintains a waiting list throughout the academic year. The waiting list will be ranked in accordance with the over-subscription criteria and length of time on the list will not be a factor in offering a place. This means that children will move up and down the list as other children are added or removed. Being on the waiting list does not guarantee a place at the school. Waiting lists close at the end of the academic year, July 2026.
Admission Arrangements
Hockliffe Lower School 2026 proposed admission arrangements
The Local Governing Body of Hockliffe Lower School would like to thank those who responded to the recent consultation on the proposed admission arrangements for September 2026.
In response to feedback received, the Local Governing Body has removed reference in the introduction (paragraph 4) to pupils with a Statement of Special Education Need (SSEN) as these have been replaced by Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). No further changes have been made and the Local Governing Body determined the 2026 admission arrangements on 12th February 2025.
The 2026 admission arrangements can be viewed here. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the 2026 admission arrangements, please contact the school office on 01525 210330.
Thank you.
Hockliffe Lower School Local Governing Body
Admission Arrangements 2025/26
Admission Arrangements 2026/27
Admission Arrangements 2027/28
