When to apply for a primary school place
Timetable for primary school admissions in September 2027
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Application period opens | 1 September 2026 |
| Application period closes | 15 January 2027 |
| Application results are published | 16 April 2027 |
| Acceptance period closes | 30 April 2027 |
| Appeal period closes | 14 May 2027 |
| Appeal hearings take place | June and July 2027 |
Late applications
If you miss the closing date for applications, you must still apply.
You’re less likely to get a place at one of your preferred schools if you apply late.
Late applications received by 11 February 2027
If we receive your late application by 11 February 2027, we’ll assess whether there’s good cause for the delay. If there is, we’ll treat it in the same way as applications received by the closing date. If we assess that there’s no good cause for the delay, we’ll process it from June 2027.
In your application, state the reasons why it’s late and provide evidence where possible. You’ll need to demonstrate that family or other circumstances made it impossible for you to apply by the closing date.
Examples of good cause include when a:
- single parent or carer has been ill for some time
- single parent or carer has been dealing with the death of a close relative
- family has just moved into the area or is returning from abroad
Late applications received after 11 February 2027
We’ll process all late applications received after 11 February 2027 once we’ve processed all on-time applications.
If you’re moving into Royal Greenwich after the application closing date
If you move into Royal Greenwich from another area before 11 February 2027, your previous local authority will send us your application. We’ll take over responsibility for processing it.
If you move into Royal Greenwich from another area after 11 February 2027, your previous local authority will remain responsible for processing your application. We’ll take over responsibility after the offers are made on 16 April 2027.
If you want your child to be in a different year group than usual
If you're thinking about whether your child should start school later, move up a year, or stay in a lower year group, read our guide on how this works: