Missing a secondary school application deadline can cost your child a place at your preferred school. This guide explains the national timetable, the dates that vary locally and the steps to take at each stage.
The national secondary school timetable
State secondary school applications in England follow a national timetable set by the government. The key national dates are the same each year, though the exact calendar day shifts slightly when dates fall on weekends.
Applications open in September of Year 6. The national deadline to submit your Common Application Form is 31 October. National Offer Day is 1 March, when every family with a child starting secondary school in September receives their offer at the same time.
Grammar school and selective school dates
If you are applying to a grammar or selective school, the 11+ registration deadline is earlier — often in June or July of the year before entry, when your child is in Year 5 or early Year 6. The tests themselves usually take place in September or October.
11+ results are normally released in October, before the 31 October CAF deadline. This means you should receive your child's result in time to decide whether to include the grammar school as one of your preferences.
Registration deadlines vary by local authority and school. Check the specific grammar school's admissions page — do not rely on the national date.
Missing the 11+ registration deadline usually means your child cannot sit the test that year.
- June–July: 11+ registration typically opens and closes
- September–October: 11+ tests take place
- October: 11+ results released (usually before 31 October)
- 31 October: national CAF deadline
- 1 March: National Offer Day
Supplementary information forms
Some schools — particularly faith schools and foundation schools — require a supplementary information form in addition to the CAF. These forms are submitted directly to the school and often have a deadline that matches or is earlier than 31 October.
The school's admissions policy will say whether a supplementary form is required. If you do not submit it, the school may not be able to assess your application correctly, which could affect your child's priority.
After National Offer Day
Offers are sent on 1 March (or the next working day if 1 March falls on a weekend). You must accept or decline the offer by the deadline set by your local authority — this is usually within two weeks.
Accepting the offered place does not stop you joining a waiting list or lodging an appeal for a preferred school. You should accept the offer while pursuing alternatives, as declining it may leave your child without any school place if an appeal is unsuccessful.
Waiting lists are held until at least 31 December of the year of admission. Your position can go up or down as other families accept or decline offers.
Appeal deadlines
If your child does not receive a preferred school, you have the right to appeal. The deadline for lodging an appeal is stated in the refusal letter. Admission authorities must give you at least 20 school days to submit your appeal.
On-time secondary school appeals are usually heard before the start of the new school year in September. Check the specific deadline in your refusal letter — do not rely on general guidance.
- Check 11+ registration deadlines in June if you are considering a grammar or selective school.
- Book open evenings in September and October of Year 6.
- Submit your Common Application Form to your local council by 31 October.
- Check whether each school needs a supplementary information form and submit it on time.
- Accept your offer on 1 March while joining waiting lists or lodging appeals if needed.
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