Secondary school places: When is national offer day 2024 and how do appeals work?

Year 6 children in England and Wales are finding out which secondary school they will be attending in September.

Last year, 83% of applicants in England got their first choice, but what if parents aren't happy?

Children starting Year 7 in England and Wales in September are finding out about school places on Friday 1 March.

If you missed the deadline to apply for a place, in England your application will not be considered until after the first round of offers are made.

In Wales, if you had a good reason for the delay, such as moving to the area after the deadline, the local authority should have considered it alongside on-time applications.

In Northern Ireland, post-primary school places will be sent out on 18 May.

In Scotland, no offers are made, as councils decide where children are placed.

Children in care, or who have previously been in care, are given top priority.

Beyond that, schools or local authorities usually set their own admissions criteria.

Some prioritise children from a particular religion, or those who pass an entrance exam.

Research by the University of Bristol into admissions in England found that:

If your child has special education needs and disabilities (SEND) in England, their Education, Health and Care plan may specify a school, which must give them a place.

The same applies in Wales if the local authority names the school it thinks is most appropriate for the child in their SEND statement.

In Northern Ireland, there is a separate application process.

In Scotland, local authorities have to work with parents and professionals to identify the best option for your child's secondary education.

In England, the offer letter or email will explain what you need to do next. You may need to accept the place by a given deadline - if you miss that, the offer could be withdrawn and the place given to someone else.

Not all admissions teams in Wales require parents to accept a place - the letter will make it clear whether you need to do anything.

You can appeal against a school's decision, but the process varies across the UK.

In England, appeals are decided by an independent panel. To succeed, parents might have to show that the proper admissions process was not followed, or set out what the school can offer your child that other schools cannot.

If the appeal is successful, the child will be given a place. If not, the child can still be added to the school's waiting list.

The proportion of successful appeals dropped from 26% in 2016 to 21% in 2021.

In Wales, you can challenge the decision during an initial appeal hearing.

If the panel does not find in the child's favour, the appeal can move to a second stage where parents set out their argument, and the admission authority responds.

In Northern Ireland, you can appeal against a decision if you think the school didn't correctly apply its published admissions criteria. An Independent Admissions Appeal tribunal hears the case, and if successful, your child will be offered a place.

In Scotland, most appeals will be dealt with by your local authority. Appeals for children with additional support needs can be made to a tribunal.