Apply for a school place

How to apply for a place at junior, infant, primary or secondary school in Brighton & Hove.

Apply for a place

You can apply online for a school place if you:

  • live in Brighton & Hove and your child needs to start school for the first time
  • live in Brighton & Hove and your child needs to move up to junior or secondary school in September

Find out how and when you need to apply if you're changing schools or want your child to start school during the year.

Find out more about transferring schools outside the normal point of entry (in-year applications).

If you want to apply for a place at a private school, contact the school to find out how you can apply.

You can also apply for a school place by printing and completing a paper form.

School application deadlines

School Deadline Start in
Starting infant or primary (reception) or junior (year 3) 15 January 2024 September 2024
Starting secondary (year 7) 31 October 2023

Other deadlines and important dates:

What happens if you apply late

If you apply late for a school place it's less likely that you will be offered a place at one of your preferred schools and you may have to wait to get an offer of a school place after the National Offer Day.

If you have a good reason why your school application is late, like moving house, we'll consider it on time if we receive it by:

  • 21 January 2024 for secondary school
  • 8 March 2024 for infant and primary school

You must provide independent supporting evidence of a good reason, or your application will be treated as late.

When you’ll hear from us

If you apply online or give an email address on your application, we'll send you an email on the national offer day to let you know which school place has been offered to your child.

If you apply by post and don’t give an email address, we will send you a letter in the first class post on the same day.

School National Offer Day
Infant or primary (reception) or junior (year 3) 16 April 2024
Secondary (year 7) 1 March 2024

More information

View our school application guides for more information about applying for school.