National Offer Day: When you will know which school your child will attend in September

As pupils prepare to return to the classroom on March 8, parents should also soon receive a letter from their local council, informing them where their child's place at school will be come September.

This is known as National Offer Day and applies to children entering both primary and secondary school in 2021.

What happens on National Offer Day?

National Offer Day is different for primary and secondary pupils, however, with the date falling on or around Monday 1 March for primary pupils and Friday 16 April for secondary pupils.

The offer will come in the form of a letter or email, and will inform you whether your child has been offered a place at any of the schools you applied for. Thereafter, you'll have to respond by either accepting the offer or, if you're unhappy with the offer, considering appealing the decision.

Your email or letter will give you instructions on how to respond to the offer, with a deadline given for responding. If you don't respond in the allotted time, your child's place may be withdrawn and awarded elsewhere.

Every child will be awarded a place at a school. If your child isn't awarded a place at any of the schools you applied for, they'll be offered a place at the next nearest school.

What if you're not happy with your offer?

If you're unhappy with the school offered, you'll be given 20 working days to appeal the decision, submitting evidence by a deadline.

It's estimated that around 20 per cent of appeals cases are a success, with the Good Schools Guide offering a free booklet with advice on how to appeal the decision and what evidence to submit.

You'll also be able to add your child's name to a waiting list for a school if they were not offered a place there in the first instance. Their name can be added even if they were offered a place elsewhere.

A waiting list doesn't guarantee entry, but if children are moved to other schools or parents decide to go private, spaces may open.