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| Secondary school places: When do parents find out? | Secondary school places: When do parents find out? |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Councils are offering secondary school places to children in England and Wales. | Councils are offering secondary school places to children in England and Wales. |
| What are the options if parents are unhappy with the outcome? | What are the options if parents are unhappy with the outcome? |
| When do parents and carers find out about secondary school places? | When do parents and carers find out about secondary school places? |
| Children due to start Year 7 in England and Wales in September 2023 are finding out about school places on 1 March. | Children due to start Year 7 in England and Wales in September 2023 are finding out about school places on 1 March. |
| In Northern Ireland, emails about post-primary school places will be issued on 20 May. | In Northern Ireland, emails about post-primary school places will be issued on 20 May. |
| In Scotland, no offers are made, as councils decide where children are placed. | In Scotland, no offers are made, as councils decide where children are placed. |
| Primary school offers will be made in England and Wales on 17 April. | |
| How do parents and carers accept a school offer? | How do parents and carers accept a school offer? |
| In England and Wales, parents who applied online will receive an email on 1 March with details of how to accept the place, and the deadline. | In England and Wales, parents who applied online will receive an email on 1 March with details of how to accept the place, and the deadline. |
| Those who did not apply online will be sent a letter. | Those who did not apply online will be sent a letter. |
| If they do not accept by the date specified, the offer could be withdrawn and the place given to someone else. | If they do not accept by the date specified, the offer could be withdrawn and the place given to someone else. |
| What if you do not get the school you want? | What if you do not get the school you want? |
| In England, if your child is not offered a place at your preferred school, you will usually be offered one of the other schools listed on your application. | In England, if your child is not offered a place at your preferred school, you will usually be offered one of the other schools listed on your application. |
| If there is not space at any of your chosen schools, your child may be offered a place somewhere else. | If there is not space at any of your chosen schools, your child may be offered a place somewhere else. |
| You can put your child's name on the waiting list for your preferred school(s) - and these have to remain open for at least the first term of the school year. | You can put your child's name on the waiting list for your preferred school(s) - and these have to remain open for at least the first term of the school year. |
| If you are offered a place at a school after being on its waiting list, you can accept even if your child has already started at another school. | If you are offered a place at a school after being on its waiting list, you can accept even if your child has already started at another school. |
| In Wales, any child not given a place at the school parents have applied for will be added to a waiting list. | In Wales, any child not given a place at the school parents have applied for will be added to a waiting list. |
| In Northern Ireland, if your child is not offered a place at any of the schools you wanted, you will be asked to choose a new preference from a list of schools that still have places. | In Northern Ireland, if your child is not offered a place at any of the schools you wanted, you will be asked to choose a new preference from a list of schools that still have places. |
| In Scotland, your council decides which school in your local catchment area your child will attend. | In Scotland, your council decides which school in your local catchment area your child will attend. |
| You can ask to choose another school, outside your local catchment area, and the council must allow this if there is space - but it is not guaranteed. | You can ask to choose another school, outside your local catchment area, and the council must allow this if there is space - but it is not guaranteed. |
| Can you appeal against the decision? | Can you appeal against the decision? |
| You can appeal against the decision no matter where you are in the UK. | You can appeal against the decision no matter where you are in the UK. |
| In England, if your child is not offered a place at the school you wanted, you can appeal within 20 working days, and the case must be heard within 40 days. | In England, if your child is not offered a place at the school you wanted, you can appeal within 20 working days, and the case must be heard within 40 days. |
| The final decision is made by an independent panel at a hearing where the council or school explains why the application was rejected, and the parent makes the case for why their child should be accepted. | The final decision is made by an independent panel at a hearing where the council or school explains why the application was rejected, and the parent makes the case for why their child should be accepted. |
| Looked-after children are given top priority in school admissions, but, for most pupils, schools have their own admissions criteria. | Looked-after children are given top priority in school admissions, but, for most pupils, schools have their own admissions criteria. |
| Research from the University of Bristol, based on how about 3,250 secondary schools in England admitted pupils in September 2020, found: | Research from the University of Bristol, based on how about 3,250 secondary schools in England admitted pupils in September 2020, found: |
| 96% gave precedence to children with siblings already there | 96% gave precedence to children with siblings already there |
| 88% were more likely to give places to local children | 88% were more likely to give places to local children |
| Only 5% prioritised poorer pupils | Only 5% prioritised poorer pupils |
| The Nuffield Foundation charity said prioritising local children "reinforces geographic inequalities by excluding those who can't afford to live close to the top-performing schools", and urged schools to promote fairer access through their admissions criteria. | The Nuffield Foundation charity said prioritising local children "reinforces geographic inequalities by excluding those who can't afford to live close to the top-performing schools", and urged schools to promote fairer access through their admissions criteria. |
| Some schools give priority to children from a particular religion, or who pass an entrance exam. | Some schools give priority to children from a particular religion, or who pass an entrance exam. |
| To appeal successfully, parents have to prove that the proper admissions process was not followed, or that relevant circumstances about their child were not taken into account. | To appeal successfully, parents have to prove that the proper admissions process was not followed, or that relevant circumstances about their child were not taken into account. |
| Parents and carers should be informed of the panel's decision within five days. | Parents and carers should be informed of the panel's decision within five days. |
| If the appeal is successful, the child will be given a place, but if it is unsuccessful, the child can still be added to the school's waiting list. | If the appeal is successful, the child will be given a place, but if it is unsuccessful, the child can still be added to the school's waiting list. |
| Official statistics for England show that in 2022, 83.3% of applicants were offered a place at their first preference secondary school. That percentage has been broadly static since 2014. | Official statistics for England show that in 2022, 83.3% of applicants were offered a place at their first preference secondary school. That percentage has been broadly static since 2014. |
| Figures also show there were 28,687 appeals (3.9% of new admissions) for the 2021-22 academic year. Of those, 6,055 (21.1%) were successful. | Figures also show there were 28,687 appeals (3.9% of new admissions) for the 2021-22 academic year. Of those, 6,055 (21.1%) were successful. |
| Again, the percentage of appeals made has not changed significantly over the same period, although the proportion which were successful has dropped from 26.3% in 2016. | Again, the percentage of appeals made has not changed significantly over the same period, although the proportion which were successful has dropped from 26.3% in 2016. |
| Official guidance on admission appeals for school places in England | Official guidance on admission appeals for school places in England |
| Wealthy biggest winners from school appeals | Wealthy biggest winners from school appeals |
| In Wales, parents can challenge the admission authority's reasons for refusing their child's application during an initial appeal hearing. | In Wales, parents can challenge the admission authority's reasons for refusing their child's application during an initial appeal hearing. |
| The panel can find in the child's favour at this point, or the appeal can move to a second stage - during which parents set out their argument, and the admission authority responds. | The panel can find in the child's favour at this point, or the appeal can move to a second stage - during which parents set out their argument, and the admission authority responds. |
| Parents should have the panel's final decision within five days. | Parents should have the panel's final decision within five days. |
| Can I get help with school transport? | Can I get help with school transport? |
| Parents and carers across the UK may be able to get free or lower-cost transport if their child's school is far away. | Parents and carers across the UK may be able to get free or lower-cost transport if their child's school is far away. |
| Applications need to go through the relevant local education authority. | Applications need to go through the relevant local education authority. |
| What if my child has special educational needs? | What if my child has special educational needs? |
| If your child has special educational needs and disabilities and you live in England, their Education, Health and Care plan will specify their school. | If your child has special educational needs and disabilities and you live in England, their Education, Health and Care plan will specify their school. |
| It must offer them a place. | It must offer them a place. |
| What if you applied after the 31 October deadline? | What if you applied after the 31 October deadline? |
| If you applied for a place after the deadline in England and Wales, your application will not be considered until after the first round of offers are made. | If you applied for a place after the deadline in England and Wales, your application will not be considered until after the first round of offers are made. |
| This means your child is less likely to get a place at your preferred school. | This means your child is less likely to get a place at your preferred school. |
| However, your child can still be added to the waiting list of the school you wanted. | However, your child can still be added to the waiting list of the school you wanted. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Schools | Schools |
| Secondary education | Secondary education |