Primary school offer day 2023: Everything you need to know

Maryam Zakir-Hussain
·2 min read
Today is national primary school offer day (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Today is national primary school offer day (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Today parents will find out if their children have been offered their first choice for primary school admissions this September.

On national primary school offer day, local councils make contact with families and carers to inform them what schools their three to four-year-olds have been accepted into.

The time of the announcements varies by council area, and parents will be informed via email or letter.

On 17 April, parents will find out if their children have been offered their first choice primary schools for September (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
On 17 April, parents will find out if their children have been offered their first choice primary schools for September (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Will I get my first choice primary school?

If you meet the catchment requirements of a school, you are likely to get your first choice of school.

In 2022, 92.9 per cent of families received an offer from their first choice of primary schools and 98.1 per cent received an offer from one of their top three choices, according to the government.

What do I do after I receive an offer?

When you have been allocated a school, you must formally accept the offer by a certain deadline that the local authority will set.

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

How are places decided?

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

What do I do if I do not get the school I wanted?

If you are not happy with the school you have been allocated, you can appeal.

However, it is advised that you accept the school you are offered even if you decide to appeal, in case your application is rejected.

You are also able to add your child’s name to the waiting list for any school that you have applied to.

Schools keep a waiting list for at least one term.

How do I appeal?

The admission decision letter informing you that your child was refused a place at your preferred school will explain how you can appeal this decision, tell you where to send your appeal to, and the deadline for appealing.

The admission authority for the school must allow you at least 20 school days to appeal from when they send the decision letter.

The admission authority will set a deadline for submitting information and evidence to support your appeal. If you submit anything after the deadline, it might not be considered and may result in delays to your hearing.