Primary school places 2024: What to do on national offer day, plus find out how to access the admissions portal

PARENTS of young children find out whether they have been accepted into their first-choice primary school on April 16, 2024.

Known as National Offer Day, here we explain everything you need to know, from what to do next, to how to appeal a decision

How do I accept a school admission offer?

Parents will find out which primary school has offered their child a place for September 2024 on Tuesday, April 16.

They will receive a letter or email.

Some councils allow parents to view their results through the admissions portal or system.

Once you receive an offer, a parent or caregiver must formally accept it by the specified deadline.

What happens after you accept school offer?

Your local authority should have a step-by-step guide on what to do next to accept your offer.

If you miss that, the offer could be withdrawn and the place given to someone else.

Local authorities tend to give offers based on the following:

• Those who live close to the school
• Those who have a brother or sister at the school already
• Those from a particular religion (for faith schools)
• Those whose parent has worked at the school for two years or more

Can I appeal if my child isn’t given a school offer?

You can appeal the decision if you are not offered your first-choice school.

However, it is recommended that you accept the offer you receive in the meantime so they have a school if the appeal is unsuccessful.

Accepting another offer won’t affect your appeal.

To appeal, you should contact the school’s admission authority.

Parents and carers can find their school’s admission authority by visiting their local council website:  Find your local council on www.gov.uk.

Be sure to make a note of the appeals deadline.

In the rare case that you are not accepted into any of your chosen three schools, the council is required to offer you a place at another school.

Be assured that most schools are incredibly warm, friendly, and caring places full of fun and laughter”

Dave McPartlin

This will be the nearest school that still has places available.

According to the Gov website, 92.5% of families received an offer from their first choice in 2023 with 98.3% receiving an offer from one of their top three choices.

Dave McPartlin, headteacher of Flakefleet Primary School, said: “Be assured that most schools are incredibly warm, friendly, and caring places full of fun and laughter.”

He continued: “Most appeals are unlikely to succeed – families need to prove that the admissions criteria were not applied correctly, or that they are illegal.

“Infant class sizes are limited to 30 children (25 in Scotland) and appeals panels are usually reluctant to exceed this number unless there are exceptional circumstances.

“Parents need to be very clear about why they wish to appeal, based on facts rather than emotions.”