If you don’t get into your first choice school but do get into your second, you’ll go on the waiting list for your first choice.
If you only get into your third choice, you’ll be on the waiting lists for both your first and second choices.
If you don’t get into any of your original choices, you can apply to a different school. If that school is full, you can ask to be added to its waiting list. So, you might be on the waiting list for several schools.
In-year transfers
If you apply to change schools partway through the year, and the new school is full, you’ll be added to that school’s waiting list.
Checking your place on the waiting list
You can find out your place on a school’s waiting list starting on:
- 1 April 2026 for secondary schools
- 11 May 2026 for primary schools
When a place opens up
Everyone on the waiting list will be considered when a spot becomes available.
Schools use their admissions rules (not first-come, first-served) to decide who gets the spot.
New or late applicants might be placed higher on the list if they meet the criteria better.
That means your child’s position on the waiting list can go up or down over time.
Changes to waiting list length
The waiting list can grow if more children are refused a place and added to the list.
New names go into the list based on priority, not at the end. So a new applicant can bump others down.
The list gets shorter when someone is offered a place and accepts it. If they decline, they’re removed, and the next child is considered.
If you move house
If your address changes, your position on the list might change too.
You need to provide proof of your new address (like a rental agreement or confirmation of a house purchase) for it to count.
You can also ask to have your child removed from the waiting list at any time.
Appeals
Being on a waiting list doesn’t stop you from making a formal appeal for a place at the school.