School offer day: what time?

[ghqpabks]

Our LA usually updates the portal at midnight, I stayed awake last time I went through it. Last time I want to say the school offer day was a Tuesday so I stayed up on the Monday night. This time it's the 3rd so I assume our portal will be updated on Sunday night, anyone else know for their area?

(Our website doesn't actually say, only gives the date).

It varies by area. London doesn’t update until 5pm (as the team leave the office I guess). It makes the day very long…!

Sorry yes I realise that, I should have said if you get updated at midnight as well, I'm worried I'm going to wait up Sunday but it'll be Monday 😂

I didn't have to go through thisbwith my son as he's at a special school which is primary through to secondary! and have no clue what time derbyshire send there emails

Surrey and London are 5pm.

What area are you? Does staying up until midnight achieve anything? Obviously you know as soon as the details are released but I'm assuming you couldn't contact anyone, if you needed to, until normal office hours.

I've always imagined Surrey and London pressing the button at 5pm and running for the door. It gives everyone an overnight before dealing with the queries.

Luckily we've always got the places we applied for so have never needed to contact anyone the next day.

Thanks. Helpful.

@Lindy2 they release at on March 3rd, and the portal updates at midnight so was curious if those who have areas that do the same if they were assuming that to be Sunday or Monday night (it's only throwing me off as it was midweek last time), that's all.

No it doesn't achieve anything, but that wasn't really the point of the question. I really don't know why someone can't just ask a question on MN without people being awkward about it, I'm anxious about the space, I want to know as soon as I am able.

I checked my portal today (even though I know it’s the 3rd - I thought maybe it had been updated. It hadn’t!
I will check again at midnight & midnight on Sunday too.
We are in catchment and with an older sibling but even still, I find the waiting an anxious time & want to know asap.
To the person upthread who asked what’s the point in checking at midnight or as soon as possible, I can’t answer for the op, but for me, I think it’s best to know as early as I can in case there was an issue. That way I can fire off an email if needed & then get straight on the phone the following day as the offices must get extremely busy.
Also just to add, when I found out last time it was on a weekday & it updated at midnight- hence the midnight checks! There is a slight method to the madness!

@fairydust11 exact same situation, we have sibling link so it should all be fine, but until you see it you just don't know, I've heard of weird things happening at the school before! DS has special needs and this school has completely different term times to the other local schools so it would be a genuine nightmare if they went to different schools. I won't relax until I see it!

I've just logged in and it says "school offer shown here 3/3/25" so I assume midnight tomorrow.

Completely agree. I know it’s probably irrational, but like you I can’t relax until I know for sure. Good luck!

Yeah, our school gets over 1200 applications for 180 places, but hopefully should be fine!

Good luck to you too!

We're in Hertfordshire and had an email from county council to say allocation emails will be sent at 10:00am - but like others I'm wondering if I log in before to the portal if it will show.

First (and only) child here - the nerves are real!

@Elfie23 good luck, no harm doing a few early tries of the system!

I can't believe the stress this causes! Scotland has a way better system, whereby you're guaranteed place at your catchment school, there is only one school in catchment. if you want to put a placing request in for another school, then you can but I know that none of my friends did this.

@MissEloiseBridgerton yup it's a ridiculous system. Where we are you have less than 20% chance of getting the local (very good) school (I crunched the numbers), it's less than 0.3 miles away. It's nigh on impossible to get the other 3 good schools as we don't live close enough and they run on catchment (although one is only 1 mile away, but very residential area) which leaves us with the special measures school 4 miles away that not only is a dire school, but they don't provide transport because it's less than 3 miles as the crow flies (but not by road).

I felt like we won the lottery when we got a space at our local school (that randomly selects). I won't relax until I know my second is in there, even though I rationally know his sibling link should protect him, I have heard urban myths of siblings not being allocated!

This'll be my 6th offer day.... Kirklees is usually about 8.30 am.

I’m wondering this too! It says it should be through by 11.30 so presumably could be anytime from midnight onwards! 24 and a bit hours to go to check then! I can’t even remember what the website is !

If you're in England it'll be your county council website, school admissions x

When I went through this for primary school a few years ago it was on the portal at about 00.05 on the Sunday night/Monday morning. Plus I got an email about then.

I stayed up as I was panicking about my dc not getting into the good school near me and instead getting one of the awful schools. My second choice school went massively down hill between November (when I looked at it) and April which is primary offer day. So I was able to sleep easily knowing that they had the place at the good school. I needed to be able to get onto it straight away the next morning if they hadn't as I needed to do so around my own lessons (teacher).

Thanks I found it!

Do most LA's update the portal at midnight? I'm debating whether to stay awake

I’ve been told by my council that emails will be sent from 10am onwards but wondering the same!

I thought they all did but after reading a few threads I’m not so sure now. I’m staying up anyway though. I neeeeeeeeed to know.

Not long to go now for the midnight crew! Not decided if I am going to stay up or not yet!

I’m so tired but equally it’s only an hour away…