In the UK, the law states that full-time education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16. In England there is an expectation that children will remain in education, employment or training until the age of 18. You will need to apply for a place for each child, use the registration process do not contact schools direct.
Find out how to apply for a school place.
It is your responsibility to arrange for your child(ren) to get to school. School transport is separate from school admissions. If you are offered a place in a school, it does not mean you will be eligible for free transport; some children are eligible for free transport to take them to school, and some are not. The best way to find out if you are eligible for free transport is to apply.
Find out how to arrange school and college transport.
If you require assistance with applying for a school place, please email schooladmissions@lincolnshire.gov.uk
If you need to contact Children's Services, the Customer Service Centre is available to call Monday to Friday 8am-6pm, on 01522 782111.
Free School Meals
Free School Meals (FSM) will be provided for all school aged children when they start school in Lincolnshire (Reception to Year 13). This will continue until their parents have National Insurance numbers and are registered for Universal Credit or start paid employment. You can make a new application for free school meals via the Lincolnshire County Council Parent Portal.
Your application is means-tested. If you meet the eligibility criteria, free school meals for your child(ren) will continue. If you do not meet the criteria you will need to pay for school meals unless your child is in Reception, Year One or Year Two - all infants receive meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme (UIFSM).
Applications are re-checked every week night, so you may become eligible in future if your circumstances change, in this instance we will send you a letter.
If you need any support with your application, please contact your school or email free_school_meals@lincolnshire.gov.uk
School uniform vouchers
We are able to offer vouchers to children on the Homes For Ukraine scheme to help with costs towards school uniforms. The process is:
- You need to apply for a school place via LCC’s Schools Admissions team. This will result in a place being offered to the child.
- Then you need to ask the relevant school then need to email LCC’s School Admissions team on schooladmissions@lincolnshire.gov.uk to confirm that the pupil has actually accepted the place and enrolled with the school (people don’t always accept the school they’re offered).
- LCC’s School Admissions team will verify that the child is on the Homes For Ukraine scheme.
- LCC’s School Admissions will then email the Lincolnshire Wellbeing team to authorise the release of the voucher.
- The Lincolnshire Wellbeing team will then email the vouchers to the Ukrainian family (not the sponsor). The vouchers come as a set of codes that can be exchanged for cash at a PayPoint shop. The cash must then be spent on uniforms.
- Primary School pupils will receive £250 (this comes as 2 x £100 and 1 x £50 voucher codes). Secondary School pupils will receive £300 (paid as 3 x £100 voucher codes).
School transport
It is your responsibility to arrange for your child(ren) to get to school. Free transport to take children to school is available in some circumstances. You can use the following link to apply for free school transport: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/school-college-transport.
The rules around who does or does not qualify for free school transport are complex – the best way to find out if your child is eligible for free school transport is simply to make an application for it.