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Secondary school offer day, 1 March: what to expect

Secondary school offers for September 2027 arrive on Monday 1 March. Here is what to expect on the day, what the numbers say, and the dates to know afterwards.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 31 Oct 2026 5 min read

Key takeaways

1. Why this week

Secondary school offers for September 2027 arrive on Monday 1 March. It is a big moment for Year 6 families, and it helps to know what will happen before the email lands.[2]

2. What the numbers say

The Department for Education’s figures for September 2026 show that 83.6% of children in England were offered their first-preference secondary school. London is the hardest place to get a first choice: 70.5% in Outer London and 70.0% in Inner London, against 90.9% in the South West.[1]

Most of the rest still get a school they chose. Across England, 95.0% got one of their top three preferences and 96.4% got a preferred school.[1]

Area
Offered first-preference secondary school, 2026 (DfE)
South West
90.9%
England
83.6%
Outer London
70.5%
Inner London
70.0%

3. What happens on the day

If you applied online, your council emails your offer during the evening of Monday 1 March. If you applied on paper without an email address, a letter comes by post.[2]

You get one offer. It is the highest preference on your form that could give your child a place. Any schools you ranked lower are dropped. If none of your choices had room, the council offers the nearest school with a space.[2]

Before you open the email: Decide together when and where you will read it. Plan something nice for the evening, whatever it says.

4. Three dates to know

These are the dates in Kensington and Chelsea’s 2027 guide. Most London councils use similar dates, but check your own council’s guide.[2]

Monday 1 March

Offer day. The email arrives in the evening.

Monday 15 March

The usual London deadline to accept or decline. Do not decline unless you have a place elsewhere.

Late March onwards

Waiting list news follows. If you want to appeal, your offer letter gives the deadline, usually a few weeks away.

5. If it is not the school you hoped for

Take a breath. Accept the place you are offered so your child has a school, then look at your options. Councils usually put your child on the waiting lists of schools you ranked higher automatically, and you can appeal for any school that turned you down.[2]

Visit the offered school with your child too. Many families find it suits them better than they expected.

Whatever the email says, you have options.

Starting Year 7 with confidence: Our teachers help children settle into secondary maths and English, online or in person. Book a free call.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. When is secondary National Offer Day in 2027?

  2. 2. What share of London children got their first-choice secondary school in 2026?

  3. 3. Should you decline an offer while you wait for a better one?

Your next steps

  • Find your council’s reply deadline and put it in the diary.
  • Plan how you will open the email together on 1 March.
  • Read up on waiting lists and appeals, just in case.

Sources

  1. Department for Education. Primary and secondary school applications and offers, academic year 2026/27 (June 2026). explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/primary-and-secondary-school-applications-and-offers/2026-27
  2. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Secondary admissions brochure, September 2027 entry. rbkc.gov.uk/media/document/-rbkc-secondary-admissions-brochure-2027

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.