Key dates and deadlines for secondary school admissions

​Prepare and apply: 10 September 2026 onwards

• Read the information on this website carefully
• Visit schools on open evenings and read school prospectuses
• Read schools' oversubscription admission criteria

​Deadline for applying: 31 October 2026

• Submit your preference form by the closing date
• Send any supplementary information forms (SIFs) if applicable to the preferred school(s) in support of your application(s)

​Offers made: 1 March 2027

• Offer emails sent or view your offer online (online applications only)
• Offer letters posted to people who sent in a paper application by the deadline

​Next steps: 1 March 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.

​Additional rounds of applications (late applications)

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

Each 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.

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

9 April 2027 (process starts 19 April 2027 and will take approximately 4 to 5 weeks)

Round 2

21 May 2027 (process starts 1 June 2027 and will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks)

Round 3

25 June 2027 (process starts 5 July 2027 and will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks)

Applications received after 25 June 2027 will be processed as and when received between July and August 2027. Applications received from 1 September 2027  will be processed according to our in-year policy.

Last updated 31 August 2026