Secondary school places: When is the application deadline for 2025?

Parents applying for secondary school places for 2025 will not have access to the latest performance tables ahead of the deadline.

The Department for Education had to delay publishing the data over concerns about its accuracy.

Teaching unions welcomed the decision not to publish "misleading" data but added it would "obviously be frustrating for parents and young people making decisions about their secondary-school choices".

Parents of children starting Year 7 in England and Wales in September 2025 have until 31 October to apply for their preferred secondary school.

Offers will not be made until early next year.

If you miss the deadline to apply for a place, in England your application will not be considered until after the first round of offers are made.

In Wales, if you have good reason for the delay, such as moving to the area after the deadline, the local authority should consider it alongside on-time applications.

In Northern Ireland, post-primary school places are usually sent out in May.

In Scotland, no offers are made, as councils decide where children are placed.

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Children in care, or who have previously been in care, are given top priority.

Beyond that, schools or local authorities usually set their own admissions criteria.

Some prioritise children from a particular religion, or those who pass an entrance exam.

Research by the University of Bristol into admissions in England found that:

• 96% gave precedence to siblings of current pupils
• 88% were more likely to give places to local children
• Only 5% prioritised disadvantaged pupils.

If your child has special education needs and disabilities (SEND) in England, their Education, Health and Care plan may specify a school, which must give them a place.

The same applies in Wales if the local authority names the school it thinks is most appropriate for the child in their SEND statement.

In Northern Ireland, there is a separate application process.

In Scotland, local authorities have to work with parents and professionals to identify the best option for your child's secondary education.

In England, the offer letter or email you receive at the start of next year will explain what you need to do next.

You may need to accept the place by a given deadline - if you miss that, the offer could be withdrawn and the place given to someone else.

Not all admissions teams in Wales require parents to accept a place - the letter will make it clear whether you need to do anything.

You can appeal against a school's decision, but the process varies across the UK.

In England, appeals are decided by an independent panel. To succeed, parents might have to show that the proper admissions process was not followed, or set out what the school can offer your child that other schools cannot.

If the appeal is successful, the child will be given a place. If not, the child can still be added to the school's waiting list.

The proportion of successful appeals dropped from 26% in 2016 to 21% in 2021.

In Wales, you can challenge the decision during an initial appeal hearing.

If the panel does not find in the child's favour, the appeal can move to a second stage where parents set out their argument, and the admission authority responds.

In Northern Ireland, you can appeal against a decision if you think the school didn't correctly apply its published admissions criteria. An Independent Admissions Appeal tribunal hears the case, and if successful, your child will be offered a place.

In Scotland, most appeals will be dealt with by your local authority. Appeals for children with additional support needs can be made to a tribunal.

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