If you’ve got a little one who’s due to begin their first year of school in September, Primary School Offer Day is a big milestone – and might feel a little nerve-wracking too! It’s the moment you’ll find out where your child will be heading for their very first year in primary education. Here’s everything you’ll need to know ahead of the big day – how it works, and what happens next.
Choosing a school
Choosing your child’s primary school can be tricky. You’ll need to balance your child’s needs and preferences along with distance, the school’s academic performance, any siblings that might also attend school, and perhaps your own work pattern or daily routine. Lots of information about local schools and their eligibility criteria can be found on websites for schools, which are typically designed by companies such as www.fsedesign.co.uk/websites-for-schools, to reflect up-to-date and accurate criteria.
What is primary school offer day?
Primary school offers tend to be released mid-April, giving you plenty of time to prepare ahead of September. In 2025, for example, offer day was the 16th April. This is when the local authority will contact you by email or by letter, confirming which choice of school your child has been offered. You can also often check via the local authority’s online admissions portal.
Getting your top choice – what are the chances?
The good news is that many families do get their top choice. According to 2024’s data, 93.2% of applicants did get into their first-choice primary school, and with local councils announcing more funding to increase school places, the system is meeting demand.
I’m not happy with the offer
Don’t worry – it’s not the end of the road. You will still need to accept the place you’ve been offered, which will guarantee your child has a school place for September, but that won’t impact your right to appeal. You can appeal the decision by contacting the school’s admission authority, which is typically the school itself or the local council, and a panel will review your case independently.