National Offer Day 1 March 2027: Didn't Get Your First-Choice Secondary?
Secondary offers in England arrive on 1 March 2027. If it isn't the school you wanted: accept the offer, join waiting lists, and appeal. What each step does, and the deadlines.
Key takeaways
- This applies to England. Secondary offers for September 2027 arrive on Monday 1 March 2027.
- Accept the place you've been offered, even if it isn't the one you wanted. Accepting doesn't affect waiting lists or appeals.
- Many councils put you on the waiting lists for schools you ranked above the one you've been offered automatically; others ask you to opt in. Check how yours works.
- You can appeal for any school that refused you. Admission authorities must give at least 20 school days from the offer to lodge an appeal.
- Waiting lists can move at any time up to September and beyond, so keep in touch with the council.
If 1 March brings an offer for a school you didn't want, or didn't name at all, you're far from alone, and you still have options. This guide covers what to do in the first week and what each route can achieve. It is based on the School Admissions Code 2021 and the School Admission Appeals Code 2022.
First: accept the offer you have
Accept the place you've been offered by the council's deadline, usually about two weeks after offer day. Accepting it keeps your child's place safe and does not stop you joining waiting lists or appealing. If you turn it down, the council doesn't have to offer you a different school instead.
Second: get on the waiting lists
Many councils automatically keep your child on the waiting list for every school you ranked higher than the one offered. Others ask you to opt in, and you can usually add schools you didn't name. Waiting lists are ranked by the school's admission criteria, not by how long you've waited, so your position can go up or down as other families move. Lists must be kept until at least 31 December 2027.
Third: decide whether to appeal
You have a right to appeal for any school that refused your child a place. The admission authority must give you at least 20 school days from the offer to lodge it, and appeals lodged on time must be heard within 40 school days of that deadline. An independent panel first checks whether the admission arrangements were lawful and applied correctly. It then weighs the school's case against your child's need for a place there.
What a strong appeal looks like
Check the cut-off before you plan your next step
Look at how far the school's places went this year and in earlier years on its catchment and last distance offered. If the cut-off was just short of your address, a waiting list place may come up. If it fell far short, an appeal or a different school is more realistic.
If you're moving house
If you move before September, tell the council. A new address can change your priority for waiting lists, and you can apply to schools near your new home. See what to do if a secondary appeal is rejected for the routes after an appeal.
Check the schools before you apply
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