Important dates for secondary school applications
When you need to apply, when school offers are sent out and when children start school.
Important dates in 2024 and 2025
Date | What happens |
---|---|
1 September 2024 | School application process starts. It's time to find out about schools in your area and apply for a school place. |
31 October 2024 | The deadline to apply for a school place is 11:59pm. |
22 January 2025 | The deadline to apply late for a school place with a good reason. |
February 2025 | Applications are looked at and school places are decided. |
3 March 2025 | National Offer Day. If you applied online or gave an email address, you'll get an email from school admissions to let you know the outcome of the application. If you applied by post and don't have an email address, a letter will be sent to you by first-class post. |
15 March 2025 | The deadline to accept or refuse the school place offered. If you don't reply the offer could be removed. |
28 March 2025 | Deadline to make an appeal if your child wasn't offered a place at one of the schools you listed as the first, second or third preference. |
April to August 2025 | Appeals are discussed and decided at meetings called appeal hearings. Children in the reallocation pool are offered school places as they become available. |
September 2025 | Children start school. |
View our school application guides for more information.