Guides for parents

Plain-English guides to applying for a school place, reading admissions figures and appealing.

• How school admissions work
  How applying for a state school place works in England: preferences, oversubscription criteria, siblings, distance, faith schools and waiting lists.
• Understanding school admissions figures
  What PAN, applications, first preferences, offers and last distance offered mean on our school pages, and why last year's figures are a guide only.
• School admission appeals
  How to appeal if your child is refused a school place in England: deadlines, the independent panel, infant class size appeals and waiting lists.
• School admissions key dates 2026 to 2027
  Key dates for September 2027 school entry in England: deadlines, national offer days, appeals and in-year admissions, plus Wales, Scotland and NI.