Who can apply
Children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 are due to start primary school in September 2026.
How to apply
You can apply from 1 November 2025. The deadline to apply is 15 January 2026.
Applications submitted after the deadline
If you submit your application after the deadline it could be treated with a lower priority than applications submitted on time.
If you submit your application:
- by 12 February 2025, most Leeds schools will treat the application as on time (check if this date applies on each school’s admissions policy)
- by 28 February 2025, your application will receive a lower priority than those submitted on time (unless we agree you had exceptional reasons for missing this date)
- on or after 1 March 2025, you will not receive a school offer until May, after all other school places have been given out.
The Local Authority will send out letters reminding parents to apply at the end of October. You can still apply if you do not get a letter.
When you will find out
Leeds Authority offer primary school places on 16 April 2026 (offer day). If you applied through the online application portal you will receive an email with your child’s offer. An email will be sent during the working day.
If you applied in any other way, you will receive an offer letter to your registered home address (a few days after offer day).
Get help with your application
For help with your application, contact the local authority:
0113 222 4414
Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, except Wednesdays when we open at 10am.
Email:
startingprimary@leeds.gov.uk
Application timeline
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1 November 2025
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Applications open
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15 January 2026
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National deadline for applying |
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12 February 2026
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Deadline for late applications and changes (for schools which follow Leeds coordinated scheme)
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16 April 2026
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National offer day |
If your child did not get a place at the school you wanted for September 2026
If your child did not qualify for a place at any of your preferred schools, they will be offered a place at their closest school with available places
You also have the option to:
Check which primary schools still have places
A list of schools with places for September 2026 will be uploaded on 16 April.
Check which junior schools still have places
A list of schools with places for September 2026 will be uploaded on 16 April.
Check which secondary schools still have places
A list of schools with places for September 2026 will be uploaded on 2 March.
Automatic waiting lists and how to apply to make or amend an application
You will automatically be added to the waiting list of any Leeds schools you preferenced that are higher on your application list than the place you were offered.
Find out about how to remove your child from a waiting list and how to apply or amend an application.
Make an appeal
If you are unhappy with your offer, you can make an appeal. In the meantime, you should accept the school place you have been offered. This will not affect your appeal.
You can see how places were allocated at each school by finding the ‘Last child offered a place’ on our check a school’s admissions details tool. September 2026 allocation information will be uploaded on offer days (2 March 2026 for secondary school places and 16 April 2026 for primary school places).
When is offer day 2026
All schools in England make their offers on the same days.
Reception and junior places
Reception and junior places at primary school (September 2026) are offered on Thursday 16 April 2026.
If you want your child to start Reception part-time or at a later date, you should speak to your school.
Find out which school place you’ve been offered
If you applied on our portal, you will be sent an email with your offer. This should arrive by midday on offer day.
You can also log into our online application portal. You will need your email address and password.
If you applied for a school place by paper form, you will receive an offer letter in the post (a few days after offer day).
Accepting your offer
You need to accept your offer with the school directly. You can find their contact details on our school details tool.
You must accept the offer by the deadline given in the offer email or letter. Otherwise, it may be withdrawn and the place given to someone else.
You should accept your offer even if your child is on waiting lists or you decide to appeal (this will not affected either process)
| 16 April 2026 | Offer day |
| 30 April 2026 |
First cut off for changes to be made before our first reallocation of places and deadline for accepting offers
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| 15 May 2026 |
Deadline for submitting an appeal to ensure the appeal hearing will be before September
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| May to August 2026 |
Places allocated from waiting lists
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| June to July 2026 |
Appeals heard by independent appeal panels
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| September 2026 |
Start primary school
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Moving schools (in-year applications)
These are requests to join a school in-year, or for reception places after the start of the school year.
Where any vacancy arises, places will be offered from the waiting list based on the oversubscription criteria within this policy.
Find out more about in-year applications, including current vacancies and apply for a place, on the Leeds application portal at www.leeds.gov.uk/moveschools
Appeals
If you have not been offered a place at a school you applied for, you have the right to appeal.
Appeals submitted for a reception place in the normal round will need to be received by the Council’s deadline to guarantee being heard before the new school year starts. Find our appeals timetable containing deadlines and timescales
Appeals against a decision for an in-year application can be submitted any time during the academic year. Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal request being received (where the application for a place has been refused and the right of appeal has been issued).
Fair Access Protocol
All schools must take part in the Fair Access Protocol arrangements. It is a legal requirement, and the protocol applies to all Leeds schools. The protocol operates outside of the Admissions policy.
The protocol applies to in-year applications and only to children who do not have a current school place. The aim is to make sure the most vulnerable children are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. It also ensures that no school (including those with places) is asked to take a disproportionate number of vulnerable children. Read our Fair Access Protocol.
Admission to RP
To be eligible to join our Resourced Provision Class children need an EHCP (Education Health Care Plan), and are placed in the class by the Leeds SENSAP team. Parents seeking more support for their child in school should speak to their school’s SENCO in the first instance.
Parklands catchment area
