Secondary National Offer Day 2026

[LancreWowhawk]

Is anyone else anxiously awaiting news of secondary school allocations for September 2026? If so, come and bite your nails with me!

We've applied for 4 schools in our London borough, 3 girls schools and then our 4th choice is co-ed. Last year, we'd have got whichever one we put first, which will be down to changing demographics in London, so I'm hoping the same is true this year. As recently as 3 years ago, we wouldn't have got either of our first 2 choices on either faith or distance grounds, so I'm not counting my chickens!

We should be safe with either of our 3rd or 4th choices, as there's no year we wouldn't have got either of them, but still - I just want to know now!

We got the school that we expected, thanks to the 11+ scoring and a confirmed place back in October. None the less, still a relief to see it made official today, as we were still paranoid about somehow messing the application form up

Congratulations to those who have got the offers they have wanted. For those who didn't, I hope that whatever comes next for your children works out well, despite it not being the plan.

Best of luck and positive thoughts to those still awaiting their allocations today. Fingers crossed for everyone on a stressful day.

@prh47bridge I know you are a bit of an expert on this - is it possible to go on a waiting list for other schools even if you got offered your first choice, I know that might sound ridiculous, but circumstances have changed since making the application. Thank you.

Same for Kent! Email at 4 and portal updated at 5 apparently. It's been a long wait!

Also Kent here - but I've just had an email! My son has firmly instructed me to not look without him, which I said was fine as we weren't expecting anything until after school anyway 🤦‍♀️ so I very quickly swiped the notification off my screen and closed the app. But this is going to be a looooong afternoon now waiting. I'm tempted to read it and then mark as unread, but trying to focus on the excitement of finding out together 😬😬😬

Yes it has- i dont know why it has to be end of day- theyve made the bloody decisions already! 😆

you are amazing if you can wait! now i want my email early too

Us too. Probably the same school (a colourful Liverpool one?) I had checked everything a million times, but still stressed about a Council cock-up. Thankfully everything was in order overnight. Hooray!

We're not far from you, up the road in Lancashire in our case. Different schools, but the same fear of a mess-up!

Glad you got your place confirmed as well.

Everyone is telling me to look 🤦‍♀️ which isn't helping.....

Dd got her first choice. I'm so pleased for her as she will really thrive at this school - it's perfect for her in terms of academics and extra curriculars.

I haven't really got anyone to tell irl so just wanted to add it in to here. Big relief to finally know as even though she passed the 11+, because we live in a different LA, a place is not always guaranteed.

You absolutely can go on other waiting lists. It won't happen automatically, so you will need to ask your LA how to do so (or they may have info on their webpage). Obviously accept the place you have too. Admissions will be super busy with queries right now, so no harm in waiting until the end of the week/next week, as they won't start sending out waiting list places immediately.

I've always assumed they don't send the results out until 5pm in London so people can have the evening to digest and think about the information and the council admissions teams aren't bombarded with calls (just at 9am the next morning instead!).

Yes, you can but your LA may not process that straight away.

@prh47bridge
I'm in wales. Send child with IDP.
All parents are being told to apply for mainstream.
Have been offered unsuitable specialist school - we requested ASD base.
Today offered 1st choice mainstream.

Do i accept or reject the mainstream place while the LA finds a suitable send placement? Its 10 days to accept or loose the mainstream place.

Thanks!!

Unless he is totally unbothered about where he goes I would take a quick peek so if he's going to be disappointed you can manage that.

Don't give away you've checked though.

We got our first choice, I’m happy because I think it will be a better fit for him, DS is not as most of his friends are going to the local comp which I think would have been awful for him because they have real difficulty keeping teachers and rely heavily on substitutes which from experience he struggles with. He’s not otherwise worried, just sad about his friends which makes me sad for him but he will be okay, he’s a likeable sociable boy and I have no doubt he will make new friends. Choices here are limited but out of the two choices we had, I’m glad we got the one we did.

Accepting the mainstream place does not relieve the LA of the need to find a suitable SEND replacement. On balance I would still recommend accepting the place so that your child has a guaranteed place somewhere. But keep pushing the LA for an appropriate placement.

Much appreciated! Thank @prh47bridge

First choice for us too in Berkshire. Was slightly nervous as they're a new Academy, and whilst it's the only secondary school DC could get to on their own, their admissions criteria was against us. We were the lowest category (distance), behind: Looked after, Pupil Premium, and Siblings.
A big sigh of relief from us, and means DC won't need to walk/bus for hours to get to school and can safely walk in 15 mins. (Our catchment school is not accessible for us by bus, and would have taken him just over an hour to walk to)

Totally get why they do it but it's such a long wait, finding it very hard to concentrate on anything work related! Good luck to all still waiting, hope it's good news for us all x

Londoner here waiting to hear on DC2. DC1 went to single sex school and DC2 is the other sex so I had to do it all over again.

Expect our nearest school which we like and are happy with but just want to make sure there aren't any curveballs as we applied to a few outliers (although I know having done this a few years ago we are in such a population dense borough where all the "best" schools are massively oversubscribed)

Just want it all confirmed now though!

Does anybody know how the waiting list system works? My DD got her first choice however she now wants a different school & was pretty upset this morning. I’m happy with what she has got but I’ve said she can go on the waitlist for another school. It says to accept your place by the end of next week which I’ve done so I would presume that they won’t start to send out any waitlist places until after that date?

Annoyingly if she had chosen the school she now wants first time, I actually think we would have got it as the catchment has changed.
I hate this system. I’m so glad it’s the last time I have to go through it.
im finding it hard to work today. I just want to go and give her a massive hug.

We got our first choice as expected since it's our top catchment school and not oversubscribed. I've been thinking about starting to get uniform bits but didn't want to just incase for some mad reason he wasn't accepted so now it's nice to have that official confirmation.

He most definitely doesn't seem old enough for this next step but it will be good for him.

Not sure where you are, but in my borough, there is a form you can fill out if you got your 1st choice but change your mind and want your 2nd choice or 3rd. It's called the Lower preference form. Once you fill the form, you will be placed on the waiting list of the school, and then it will be dependent upon how that particular school deals with the waiting list. For example, top selective grammar schools may not go with first come first serve but to go with 11+ results, others may go with distance, or first come first serve. Usually the waiting list offers will be sent out in April.

@Muaodaughter3 thanks that’s helpful.