London Reception application timeline 2026
Everything you need to know about applying for a Reception place at a state primary school in London for September 2026 entry — deadlines, choices, offer day, waiting lists and appeals, in the order they happen.
Last updated 13 May 2026 · For September 2026 entry · Verified against gov.uk and London borough eAdmissions guidance.
Apply by 15 January 2026 · Offers on 16 April 2026 · Accept/decline by 1 May 2026
Who needs to apply
Every child born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 is eligible to start Reception in September 2026 at a state primary school in England. You must apply through the local authority where the child lives, even if you want to attend a school in a different borough. You cannot rely on a sibling, faith or catchment connection alone — you must submit the formal application by the deadline, or your child will not be considered in the main allocation round.
The timeline, step by step
Borough applications open
All 33 London boroughs open their eAdmissions portals from early September 2025. You apply through your home borough's portal, not the borough of the school. Each borough's portal looks slightly different but uses the same underlying London eAdmissions system.
Visit your shortlist
Most London primaries hold open mornings between October and early December. Aim to visit 5–8 schools. Bring a list of questions, but trust your impression of the corridors, classrooms and headteacher's tone as much as the data. Search the directory to build a shortlist, then check each school's website for open day dates.
National application deadline
This is a hard deadline. Applications submitted after midnight on 15 January are treated as late and are considered only after on-time applications have been processed. Late applications massively reduce your chance of getting a preferred school, especially in oversubscribed boroughs like Wandsworth, Richmond, Hackney and Camden.
Allocation processing
The London-wide allocation system runs an equal-preference algorithm that gives each child the highest-ranked preference at which they are eligible for a place under each school's published criteria. It is not first-come-first-served. Listing the same school multiple times does not increase your chance.
Reception offer day
Offers are sent by email and visible on your borough's eAdmissions portal. Roughly 95% of London children receive one of their preferences; the remaining 5% are allocated the nearest school with a place available.
Accept or decline
You must respond to the offer through your eAdmissions portal. Not responding is treated as a decline and your place may be withdrawn. You should always accept the offered place, even if you intend to appeal or join waiting lists — accepting one place does not affect your other preferences.
Waiting lists and appeals
If you didn't get a preferred school, you can join its waiting list (which is reordered each time someone else accepts) and/or lodge a formal appeal within 20 school days of the refusal notification. Reception appeals are typically heard between mid-May and end of June. See our London appeals tracker for borough-level success rates.
Start Reception
Most London primaries have a phased start: half-day for the first 1–2 weeks, then full days. Some schools spread Reception intake across a "rising 5" and "summer-born" cohort.
How many schools should I list?
Most London boroughs allow up to 6 preferences; a handful cap at 4. Always use every preference, even if you are confident about your top choice. The system gives you no advantage for fewer choices, and using fewer leaves you exposed if you are unsuccessful at your top schools.
A sensible structure is: one "stretch" school, two strong "realistic" schools where you are clearly inside catchment, two solid back-up schools, and one safety school where you are almost certain to qualify. Look at applications per place for each school and at the previous-year furthest-distance-offered figure (your borough's admissions booklet publishes this).
Common mistakes to avoid
What about faith schools and grammar schools?
Faith schools (Church of England, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim) typically require a separate Supplementary Information Form (SIF) submitted directly to the school, in addition to your eAdmissions application. SIFs usually require evidence of regular worship attendance and have separate, earlier deadlines (often November or December). Failing to submit a SIF means your faith-criteria priority will not be applied.
The remaining state grammar schools at primary phase are extremely rare in London. Most grammar provision is at secondary (Year 7) level; see our secondary admissions guide when ready.
Frequently asked
What if I move borough between applying and September?
Tell the new borough's admissions team immediately. They will assess whether your application can be transferred. If you move after offer day, your offered place is typically retained, but new waiting list positions may shift.
Does sibling priority still apply if my older child is in Year 6 or has left?
This varies by school. Most schools award sibling priority only when the older child will still be on roll at the start of the September intake. Always check the specific school's published oversubscription criteria.
Can I apply for a school in another borough?
Yes. You always apply through your home borough's portal, but you can list schools in any borough. The schools in other boroughs will assess your child against their own published criteria.
What is "infant class size" and how does it affect appeals?
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes are statutorily capped at 30 children per qualified teacher. This makes Reception appeals harder to win on standard grounds — you typically need to show that the admissions criteria were misapplied or that the decision was unreasonable in the technical legal sense. See our appeals tracker for context.
Next: find your shortlist
Start by entering your home postcode on the London School Directory home page. The directory shows every state primary in London ranked by Ofsted, applications-per-place, KS2 progress, and distance. From there, browse your borough's hub page for borough-specific admissions context.