Parents applying for school places in England
School Application Deadlines and National Offer Day 2027
Applications for a September 2027 secondary school place in England close on 31 October 2026, and offers arrive on National Offer Day, Monday 1 March 2027. For primary places, applications close on 15 January 2027 and offers arrive on Friday 16 April 2027.
These four dates are national and statutory, set by the School Admissions Code, even though you apply through your own local council. The council's online form, and any school open evenings, are the local layer on top of a national timetable.
The 2026 to 2027 admissions timetable
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Autumn term 2026 | School open evenings; check each school's admission criteria |
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close (children currently in Year 6) |
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close (children starting reception) |
| Monday 1 March 2027 | National Offer Day: secondary offers released |
| Friday 16 April 2027 | Primary offers released |
Apply through the council you pay council tax to, even if the schools you want are in a neighbouring area. Late applications are considered after every on-time application, which in practice can mean missing out on schools that fill up, so the October and January deadlines are the ones to organise around.
If an offer disappoints, you have the right to appeal, and you can also join waiting lists. Appeals run through each council or school's own process, with its own deadlines, so read the offer letter carefully rather than working from a general timetable.
If you are home educating
Home-educating families use this same system when a child is returning to school for Year 7 or later. There are a few wrinkles worth knowing, including how councils treat applications from children not currently on a school roll; our guide to applying for a secondary place when you home educate covers the whole process. Applying costs nothing and creates no obligation to accept a place, so some families apply as insurance while deciding. If a move into Year 7 is on the cards, the free Year 7 topic pages show what the first secondary year covers.
The 2028 cycle
The statutory deadlines repeat annually: secondary applications for September 2028 close on 31 October 2027, primary on 15 January 2028. Offer days are the statutory dates of 1 March and 16 April, moved to the next working day when they fall on a weekend or bank holiday.
Sources, verification and updates
Primary source: the School Admissions Code and the application guidance at gov.uk/schools-admissions, which carry the national deadlines and offer dates.
- Last verified: 28 August 2026, against gov.uk admissions guidance.
- Next review: October 2026, before the secondary deadline, and March 2027 around National Offer Day.
- Change log: 28 August 2026, page first published; all four national dates checked against gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
What time do offers come out on National Offer Day 2027?
Councils release offers on 1 March 2027 by email or through their application portal, and each council sets its own release time; many send emails during the day rather than at midnight. Your council's admissions page will say what to expect.
What happens if I miss the 31 October deadline?
You can still apply, but late applications are processed after all on-time ones, so oversubscribed schools may already be full. If you miss it for a good reason, contact your council's admissions team straight away; some accept late applications as on-time in limited circumstances.
Are these dates the same across the UK?
No, they apply to England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own admissions systems with different timetables, so check the national guidance for the relevant nation.
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