May we store a random visit ID and where you first arrived from, for our own analytics?
Never shared with Google or advertisers. Cookie details
Secondary offers arrive on Monday 1 March 2027 and Reception offers on Friday 16 April 2027, in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland work differently.
Mon 1 Mar 2027
Secondary (Year 7) offers, England and Wales
Fri 16 Apr 2027
Primary (Reception) offers, England and Wales
Thu 18 Mar 2027
Northern Ireland P1 outcomes
30 Apr 2027
Scotland: answer due on placing requests made by 15 March
Key facts
Scotland in more detail: catchments and placing requests.
Read the offer
In England and Wales the council offers the school you ranked highest out of those your child can be given a place at.
Accept it by the deadline in the letter
The rules require your acceptance to reach the council within two weeks of the offer date. An offer you do not accept in time may be withdrawn. Accepting does not stop you joining waiting lists or appealing.
Offered none of your choices?
In England the council must offer a place at another school (gov.uk says this is usually your nearest school with places left).
Join waiting lists
You can join a school’s waiting list even if your child has been offered a place elsewhere. In England a waiting list must stay open until at least 31 December of the year of entry.
Decide whether to appeal
You can appeal for any school that refused your child a place. The timetable is below.
Check how far places went before offer day
Enter your postcode to see your catchment schools and the last distance offered at schools near you, where councils publish it.
In Wales, check your decision letter for the appeal deadline. Northern Ireland’s 2027 appeal dates are above.
Time to lodge an appeal
At least 20 school days from the decision letter
Notice of the hearing
At least 10 school days
When it is heard
Within 40 school days of the appeal deadline
The decision
Usually within 5 school days of the hearing
How to build a case: school admissions appeals. How lists move: school waiting lists.
Apply anyway: the council treats it as a late application, and its scheme says how late applications are handled. For Year 7 in England and Wales, see late applications and changing your choices after 31 October.
See your catchment schools and how far places went in recent years, where councils publish it.
Check a postcode