Fiducia TogetherSchool admissions timeline
The dates for the normal admissions round. Missing them costs choices, not places.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
National closing dates apply: 31 October for secondary applications and 15 January for primary, with offer days on 1 March and 16 April respectively.
Where it applies
Families applying for Reception, year 3 or year 7 entry in the normal round.
How it works
A late application is considered after all on-time ones, which in a popular area means the preferred schools are already full. The place itself is not lost — a place must be offered — but the choice usually is.\n\nAppeals follow the offer, with at least 20 school days to lodge one.
What you can ask for
Diarise the closing date the September before, not the week of it.
List all the preferences you are allowed. Naming only one school does not improve the chance of getting it and does lose the fallbacks.
If your child has an EHCP, the school is named through the plan and the deadlines are different — see transition.
Where to get help
SENDIASS for free local advice, IPSEA and Contact nationally.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.