- generic [active] [ref=f6e1]:
  - link "Skip to main content" [ref=f6e2] [cursor=pointer]:
    - /url: "#main-content"
  - banner [ref=f6e3]:
    - generic [ref=f6e4]:
      - link "SchoolCompare home" [ref=f6e5] [cursor=pointer]:
        - /url: /
        - img [ref=f6e7]
        - generic [ref=f6e11]: SchoolCompare
      - navigation "Main navigation" [ref=f6e12]:
        - link "Search" [ref=f6e13] [cursor=pointer]:
          - /url: /
        - link "Compare" [ref=f6e14] [cursor=pointer]:
          - /url: /compare
        - link "Rankings" [ref=f6e15] [cursor=pointer]:
          - /url: /rankings
        - link "Admissions" [ref=f6e16] [cursor=pointer]:
          - /url: /admissions
  - main [ref=f6e17]:
    - generic [ref=f6e18]:
      - complementary "On this page" [ref=f6e19]:
        - generic [ref=f6e20]: On this page
        - list [ref=f6e21]:
          - listitem [ref=f6e22]:
            - link "Primary" [ref=f6e23] [cursor=pointer]:
              - /url: "#primary"
              - generic [ref=f6e25]: Primary
          - listitem [ref=f6e26]:
            - link "Secondary" [ref=f6e27] [cursor=pointer]:
              - /url: "#secondary"
              - generic [ref=f6e29]: Secondary
          - listitem [ref=f6e30]:
            - link "Tips" [ref=f6e31] [cursor=pointer]:
              - /url: "#tips"
              - generic [ref=f6e33]: Tips
      - generic [ref=f6e34]:
        - generic [ref=f6e35]:
          - generic [ref=f6e36]: England · Primary & Secondary
          - heading "School Admissions Guide" [level=1] [ref=f6e38]
          - paragraph [ref=f6e39]: Everything parents need to know about applying for a school place in England — from opening dates to National Offer Day, with live countdowns to every key milestone.
        - generic [ref=f6e40]:
          - generic [ref=f6e41]: Days until next milestone
          - generic [ref=f6e42]:
            - generic [ref=f6e43]:
              - generic [ref=f6e44]: Primary · Offer Day
              - generic [ref=f6e46]: 288days
              - generic [ref=f6e47]: Primary National Offer Day
              - generic [ref=f6e48]: Fri, 16 April 2027
            - generic [ref=f6e49]:
              - generic [ref=f6e50]: Secondary · Deadline
              - generic [ref=f6e52]: 121days
              - generic [ref=f6e53]: Secondary applications close
              - generic [ref=f6e54]: Sat, 31 October 2026
            - generic [ref=f6e55]:
              - generic [ref=f6e56]: Primary · Deadline
              - generic [ref=f6e58]: 197days
              - generic [ref=f6e59]: Primary applications close
              - generic [ref=f6e60]: Fri, 15 January 2027
            - generic [ref=f6e61]:
              - generic [ref=f6e62]: Secondary · Offer Day
              - generic [ref=f6e64]: 242days
              - generic [ref=f6e65]: Secondary National Offer Day
              - generic [ref=f6e66]: Mon, 1 March 2027
        - generic [ref=f6e67]:
          - generic [ref=f6e68]:
            - generic [ref=f6e69]:
              - generic [ref=f6e70]: Reception entry
              - heading "Primary school admissions" [level=2] [ref=f6e71]
              - paragraph [ref=f6e72]: For children starting Reception (Year R) in September. Applications are submitted in the autumn of the year before entry.
            - generic [ref=f6e73]:
              - generic [ref=f6e74]:
                - generic [ref=f6e75]: Deadline
                - generic [ref=f6e76]: Fri, 15 January 2027
              - generic [ref=f6e77]:
                - generic [ref=f6e78]: Offer Day
                - generic [ref=f6e79]: Fri, 16 April 2027
          - list [ref=f6e80]:
            - listitem [ref=f6e81]:
              - generic [ref=f6e85]:
                - generic [ref=f6e86]: Research entry criteria
                - paragraph [ref=f6e87]: Faith schools, language units, and distance-based catchments differ by school. Start by reading each school's admissions policy on their website or the council's website.
                - link "Find schools & view their admissions history" [ref=f6e88] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /
                  - text: Find schools & view their admissions history
                  - generic [ref=f6e89]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e90]:
              - generic [ref=f6e94]:
                - generic [ref=f6e95]: September
                - generic [ref=f6e96]: Portal opens
                - paragraph [ref=f6e97]: Apply through your home council's portal, even if your preferred school is in another borough. Most councils accept applications from September.
                - link "Build and compare your shortlist" [ref=f6e98] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /compare
                  - text: Build and compare your shortlist
                  - generic [ref=f6e99]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e100]:
              - generic [ref=f6e104]:
                - generic [ref=f6e105]: 15 January
                - generic [ref=f6e106]: Application deadline
                - paragraph [ref=f6e107]: List up to 3–6 schools (the number varies by council) in genuine preference order. The equal preference rule means all preferences are considered before any offers are made.
                - link "Compare performance to order your preferences" [ref=f6e108] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /rankings
                  - text: Compare performance to order your preferences
                  - generic [ref=f6e109]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e110]:
              - generic [ref=f6e114]:
                - generic [ref=f6e115]: 16 April
                - generic [ref=f6e116]: National Offer Day
                - paragraph [ref=f6e117]: Results are published online. Reception offers are sent on 16 April (or the next working day if that falls on a weekend or bank holiday).
                - link "Look up your allocated school" [ref=f6e118] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /
                  - text: Look up your allocated school
                  - generic [ref=f6e119]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e120]:
              - generic [ref=f6e124]:
                - generic [ref=f6e125]: ~1 May
                - generic [ref=f6e126]: Accept or decline
                - paragraph [ref=f6e127]: Respond by your council's deadline, typically around 1 May. Accepting secures the place while you wait to see if a preferred school's waiting list moves.
                - link "Weigh your offer against your other choices" [ref=f6e128] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /compare
                  - text: Weigh your offer against your other choices
                  - generic [ref=f6e129]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e130]:
              - generic [ref=f6e133]:
                - generic [ref=f6e134]: Appeals
                - paragraph [ref=f6e135]: Infant class-size appeals (Reception to Year 2) have a very narrow legal test and a low success rate. For Year 3+, appeals follow the same process as secondary.
                - link "Gather performance evidence for your case" [ref=f6e136] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /rankings
                  - text: Gather performance evidence for your case
                  - generic [ref=f6e137]: →
        - generic [ref=f6e138]:
          - generic [ref=f6e139]:
            - generic [ref=f6e140]:
              - generic [ref=f6e141]: Year 7 entry
              - heading "Secondary school admissions" [level=2] [ref=f6e142]
              - paragraph [ref=f6e143]: For children starting secondary school (Year 7) in September. Applications are submitted in the autumn of Year 6.
            - generic [ref=f6e144]:
              - generic [ref=f6e145]:
                - generic [ref=f6e146]: Deadline
                - generic [ref=f6e147]: Sat, 31 October 2026
              - generic [ref=f6e148]:
                - generic [ref=f6e149]: Offer Day
                - generic [ref=f6e150]: Mon, 1 March 2027
          - list [ref=f6e151]:
            - listitem [ref=f6e152]:
              - generic [ref=f6e156]:
                - generic [ref=f6e157]: Check entry criteria
                - paragraph [ref=f6e158]: Look at each school's admissions policy — catchment areas, faith criteria, sibling priority, and aptitude tests vary widely.
                - link "Find schools & view their admissions history" [ref=f6e159] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /
                  - text: Find schools & view their admissions history
                  - generic [ref=f6e160]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e161]:
              - generic [ref=f6e165]:
                - generic [ref=f6e166]: September
                - generic [ref=f6e167]: Portal opens
                - paragraph [ref=f6e168]: Your local council opens its online admissions portal. Register early to avoid last-minute technical issues. You apply through your home council even if you prefer schools in neighbouring boroughs.
                - link "Build and compare your shortlist" [ref=f6e169] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /compare
                  - text: Build and compare your shortlist
                  - generic [ref=f6e170]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e171]:
              - generic [ref=f6e175]:
                - generic [ref=f6e176]: 31 October
                - generic [ref=f6e177]: Application deadline
                - paragraph [ref=f6e178]: Submit your ranked list of up to six schools. Councils treat all preferences equally — list schools in the genuine order you want them, not strategically.
                - link "Compare performance to order your preferences" [ref=f6e179] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /rankings
                  - text: Compare performance to order your preferences
                  - generic [ref=f6e180]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e181]:
              - generic [ref=f6e185]:
                - generic [ref=f6e186]: 1 March
                - generic [ref=f6e187]: National Offer Day
                - paragraph [ref=f6e188]: Results are published online, usually from 12:01 am. You'll receive an email or letter with your allocated school.
                - link "Look up your allocated school" [ref=f6e189] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /
                  - text: Look up your allocated school
                  - generic [ref=f6e190]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e191]:
              - generic [ref=f6e195]:
                - generic [ref=f6e196]: ~15 March
                - generic [ref=f6e197]: Accept or decline
                - paragraph [ref=f6e198]: Respond by the deadline your council gives — typically around 15 March. Accepting does not prevent you from keeping a place on a waiting list for a preferred school.
                - link "Weigh your offer against your other choices" [ref=f6e199] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /compare
                  - text: Weigh your offer against your other choices
                  - generic [ref=f6e200]: →
            - listitem [ref=f6e201]:
              - generic [ref=f6e204]:
                - generic [ref=f6e205]: Appeals
                - paragraph [ref=f6e206]: If unsuccessful, you can appeal within 20 school days of the refusal letter. Secondary appeals consider whether prejudice to the school outweighs your case — success rates vary.
                - link "Gather performance evidence for your case" [ref=f6e207] [cursor=pointer]:
                  - /url: /rankings
                  - text: Gather performance evidence for your case
                  - generic [ref=f6e208]: →
        - generic [ref=f6e209]:
          - heading "Three things most parents get wrong" [level=2] [ref=f6e210]
          - generic [ref=f6e211]:
            - generic [ref=f6e212]:
              - generic [ref=f6e213]: "01"
              - heading "Equal preference rule" [level=3] [ref=f6e214]
              - paragraph [ref=f6e215]: Councils rank offers by your eligibility for each school, not by the order you listed them. You cannot game the system — put schools in the order you actually want them.
            - generic [ref=f6e216]:
              - generic [ref=f6e217]: "02"
              - heading "Late applications go to the back" [level=3] [ref=f6e218]
              - paragraph [ref=f6e219]: Submit before the deadline even if your child does not turn the required age until later in the year. Late applicants are only considered after all on-time applications.
            - generic [ref=f6e220]:
              - generic [ref=f6e221]: "03"
              - heading "Waiting lists" [level=3] [ref=f6e222]
              - paragraph [ref=f6e223]: You can go on waiting lists for multiple schools simultaneously. Lists are ordered by admissions criteria, not when you joined. They can move significantly over the summer.
  - contentinfo [ref=f6e224]:
    - generic [ref=f6e225]:
      - generic [ref=f6e226]:
        - generic [ref=f6e227]:
          - heading "SchoolCompare" [level=3] [ref=f6e228]
          - paragraph [ref=f6e229]: Compare primary and secondary schools across England.
          - link "contact@schoolcompare.co.uk" [ref=f6e230] [cursor=pointer]:
            - /url: mailto:contact@schoolcompare.co.uk
        - generic [ref=f6e231]:
          - heading "Product" [level=4] [ref=f6e232]
          - list [ref=f6e233]:
            - listitem [ref=f6e234]:
              - link "Search schools" [ref=f6e235] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: /
            - listitem [ref=f6e236]:
              - link "Rankings" [ref=f6e237] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: /rankings
            - listitem [ref=f6e238]:
              - link "Compare shortlist" [ref=f6e239] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: /compare
            - listitem [ref=f6e240]:
              - link "Admissions guide" [ref=f6e241] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: /admissions
        - generic [ref=f6e242]:
          - heading "Resources" [level=4] [ref=f6e243]
          - list [ref=f6e244]:
            - listitem [ref=f6e245]:
              - link "School Performance Tables" [ref=f6e246] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables
            - listitem [ref=f6e247]:
              - link "Ofsted reports" [ref=f6e248] [cursor=pointer]:
                - /url: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/
      - paragraph [ref=f6e250]: © 2026 SchoolCompare.co.uk
  - alert [ref=f6e251]