Guide to moving up to secondary school
If you miss the applications deadline
If you miss the application deadline, you'll need to submit a late application.
If you submit a late application by 21 November, and if you provide independent evidence which we agree explains why you could not apply on time (for example, illness or a family bereavement), then your child’s application will be treated as ‘timely’ (i.e. as if it had been submitted by 31 October).
If you submit your application without supporting evidence by 21 November, or between 21 November and 31 December, it will be included in the main allocation and you will find out your child’s offered school on 3 March, but your application will not be looked at until after we have offered places to all those children whose applications were submitted on time.
Applications submitted after 31 December will not be processed before the second allocation round (you will not find out your child’s offered school on 3 March).
Moving into the area or being unaware of the deadline are not considered exceptional reasons for applying late.
See the Moving home section if you are an armed forces or Crown Servant family. If we receive your application and supporting evidence by 31 January we will treat your application as timely.
| Date we receive your application |
Do you think you have exceptional reasons for your late application? |
Will your application be treated as on time? |
When will you know which school your child has been offered? |
|---|---|---|---|
| By 31 October | N/A | Yes | 3 March |
| By 21 November | Yes - Evidence included and agreed | Yes | 3 March |
| By 21 November |
Yes – Evidence included but not agreed (or no evidence provided) |
No | 3 March |
| By 31 December | N/A | No | 3 March |
For applications submitted after 31 December 2024, see our information about later allocation rounds.