Education & skills
New to England with school-age children? How to get a school place mid-year
In England, you can apply for a state school place at any time of the year, including if you have just moved here from abroad. Your local council is the starting point: it can tell you which schools have places and how to apply. If you are refused a place, you can join a waiting list and you have the right to appeal.
Reviewed 07/11/2026 · Applies to: England
Who this helps
Parents and carers who have moved to England, or are about to, and need a state school place for a child after the school year has started.
What to do
- Contact the local council for the area where you live, or will live if you are still abroad. Once the school year has started this is called an in-year application. The council can tell you which schools still have places and how to apply. You apply through your own council even if you want a school in a neighbouring council area.
- Have proof of your address ready. You may be asked to show your new address, and to prove you will be living there before the next term starts. A rental agreement, mortgage or property deeds can be used.
- If your child is offered a place, accept it and agree a start date with the school. GOV.UK says children usually start at the beginning of the following term.
- If a school you wanted is full, ask to join its waiting list. You can do this even if your child has a place at another school. Admission authorities must keep a waiting list open for at least the first term of each school year. If a place comes up, you can still accept it after your child has started at the other school.
- If you are refused a place, you can appeal. The admission authority must give you at least 20 school days to appeal, and at least 10 school days' notice of the hearing. You have to appeal against each refusal separately, and you can appeal only once against each one. The appeal panel's decision is binding.
- If your child still has no school place, contact your local council again and ask about schools that have places. Parents are responsible for making sure their child gets a suitable education, so do not leave the gap open.
Before you act
- This guide covers England only. If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, check how admissions work with the local authority there.
- Each council runs its own application process and asks for its own documents. Check the details on your council's website.
- A place at a particular school is not guaranteed. This is general information, not legal advice. If you are preparing an appeal, read the official appeals guidance carefully.
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GOV.UK guide on how to apply for a school place, including in-year applications ↗Destination: www.gov.uk
Sources
- GOV.UK: School admissions, how to apply (including in-year and moving from abroad) ↗
- GOV.UK: School admissions, school waiting lists ↗
- GOV.UK: School admissions, appealing a school's decision ↗
- GOV.UK (DfE): Advice for parents and guardians on school admission appeals (England) ↗
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