Key dates and deadlines for primary school admissions

Prepare and apply: 10 September 2026 onwards

• Read the information on this website carefully
• Visit schools on open days and evenings
• Read school prospectuses
• Contact the Admissions Team if you have any questions
• Read schools' oversubscription admission criteria

​Deadline for applying: 15 January 2027

• Submit your application by the closing date
• Send your supplementary information forms (SIF) if applicable to the preferred school(s) in support of your application
• If we receive your application after 15 January 2027 your application will be considered as a late application and will be processed in our additional rounds of allocation (see below)

​Offers of school place: 16 April 2027

• Offer emails sent or view your offer online (online applicants only)
• Offer letters posted only to those that applied using a paper application form (by the closing date)

​Next steps: 16 April 2027 onwards

We will assume you have accepted the allocated place unless you let us know otherwise (check the rules on acceptance directly with the school if you are offered a school place in another county).

Your child will be automatically added to the waiting list for any school at which they have been refused a place.  You are also entitled to submit an appeal for any school at which a place has been refused.

We will not withdraw a school place solely because you are dissatisfied and decline the offer. We must have notice that your child has a school place elsewhere. This is because we have a duty to ensure that all children are receiving their education entitlement.

How we deal with late applications

Late applications are dealt with in rounds. Each round has a deadline for applications to be included in it.

Each additional round can take a number of weeks, depending on how many applications are received.

Emails will be sent to all late applicants. We will only contact parents of children on a waiting list if we are able to offer a place. Otherwise, their child's name will remain on the waiting list for the next round.

There is no need to contact us after completing a late application form - we will contact you once an offer has been made.

​Additional rounds of applications (late applications)

You do not need to contact us to request the outcome of your late application - once the relevant round is completed in full, we will issue outcomes to all applicants.

Deadlines for applications to be included in each round:

Round 1

10 May 2027 (process starts 19 May 2027 and will take approximately 4 to 5 weeks)

Round 2

11 June 2027 (process starts 21 June 2027 and will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks)

Round 3

7 July 2027 (process starts 13 July 2027 and will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks)

Applications received after 7 July 2027 will be processed as and when received during July to August 2027. Applications received from 1 September 2027 will be processed according to our in year policy.

Last updated 31 August 2026