National Offer Day: What to do if your child doesn’t get a place at their top-choice primary school

On Wednesday 16th April parents will find out which primary school has offered their child a place for September 2025. 

It’s a big day for families of three and four-year-olds, as they find out which primary school has offered their child a place for the new academic year. But what happens if the offer you receive isn’t the one you were hoping for?

Why Has My Child Not Been Offered a Place at One of Their Preferred Schools?

Unfortunately, it often comes down to capacity – some schools simply receive more applications than they have places available.

Schools must allocate places based on their specific admissions criteria, as set out by the Department for Education. Priority is typically given to children who most closely meet those criteria. If the local authority can’t offer a place at one of your preferred schools, they are required to offer a place at an alternative school instead.

The decision will be sent by the local council by either letter or email. Some councils allow parents to view their results through the admissions portal or system. And if you haven’t received any offer by 17 April, it’s important to contact your local authority immediately for further guidance.

What Can I Do If My Child Doesn’t Get Into Their First-Choice School?

1. Don’t Panic

You’re not alone, and there are several steps you can take. Start by contacting your local authority to find out why your child wasn’t allocated a place at your preferred school.

Each school has its own admissions criteria. While all state-funded schools must give top priority to children in care or previously in care, other common criteria include:

• Living close to the school
• Having a sibling already at the school
• Religious affiliation (for faith schools)
• Eligibility for the pupil premium
• A parent working at the school for two years or more

2. Review the Allocation Criteria

Double-check the admissions criteria for your preferred school and compare them to your circumstances. This can help you understand the decision and prepare if you plan to appeal.

3. Consider the Allocated School

Visit the school your child has been offered. Many parents are surprised to find it suits their child better than expected. It’s worth taking the time to explore the environment and talk to staff before making any judgements.

4. Check Your Right to Appeal

If you still feel the decision was unfair, you can submit an appeal to an independent panel. The Department for Education advises parents to accept the offer they’ve received while appealing—this ensures your child still has a school place if the appeal is unsuccessful. Accepting a place will not affect your right to appeal or your position on waiting lists.

Gather relevant evidence, including details of how your child met the criteria or why attending the preferred school would be in their best interest.

5. Join Waiting Lists

You can ask to be placed on the waiting list for your preferred school—even if you didn’t originally include it in your list of preferences. Schools are required to keep waiting lists for at least one term. Places are usually allocated from the list based on the school’s admissions criteria—not the date you joined—so it’s still worth joining even if you’re late to the list.

Places often become available when families relocate, accept an offer from a private school, or successfully appeal for a place elsewhere. Schools may also expand their intake or reallocate places if other children withdraw, so it’s always worth staying on the waiting list.

6. Consider Other Options

Look into other schools in your area that still have spaces available. If a school is undersubscribed, your child should be offered a place there—even if you hadn’t previously listed it as a preference.

7. Explore Future Transfer Options

If, after starting at the allocated school, you feel it isn’t the right fit, you can explore the option of transferring schools later on. Spaces sometimes open up throughout the year, and children can move when places become available.

It’s completely natural to feel disappointed or anxious if your child doesn’t get into the school you had your heart set on. You’ve spent time researching, visiting open days, and imagining your child’s first day—and it can feel disheartening when things don’t go to plan.

But try to take comfort in knowing this: children are incredibly adaptable. Often, they thrive in settings you may not have initially considered. Schools vary widely, and your child’s experience will be shaped just as much by the teachers, friendships and daily environment as by the school’s name or reputation.

Keep in mind that you’re not alone—many families go through this process every year and still find a happy outcome, even if it wasn’t the one they originally expected. You have options, support, and a chance to shape this journey in a positive direction.