The answer parents need first
For a child starting Year 7 in September 2027, apply through the local authority where you live, even if some of your preferred schools are in another council area. Secondary applications generally open around 1 September 2026 and the national closing date is 31 October 2026. National Offer Day is 1 March 2027.
Your Common Application Form, often shortened to CAF, lists your preferred schools in genuine order. The schools don't normally see where you ranked them. Each admission authority applies its published oversubscription rules, and the council then offers the highest-ranked school on your list that can offer your child a place.
What the CAF is
The CAF is the main application used for state school admissions in England. Some councils use different names for their online portal or form, but the principle is the same: you give your child’s details, list your school preferences and provide any information the council requires.
The CAF is separate from registering for an 11 Plus test. If you want a grammar school, you may need to register for the entrance test months before the CAF closes and still list the grammar school on the CAF afterwards.
How to fill it up
Put schools in your real preference order
Do not try to “game” the form by putting the school you think is easiest to get into first. Under the equal-preference system, each school assesses the application using its admissions criteria without giving extra priority because you placed it first.
Your ranking matters only when more than one school could offer a place. The council will then offer the school you ranked highest. Put your genuine first choice first, your genuine second choice second, and so on.
Use every preference you are given
Listing only one school does not increase the chance of getting that school. It removes fallback options. Use all or most of the preference slots your authority provides and include at least one realistic school where your child has a strong chance under the published criteria.
Check previous allocation distances where councils publish them, but remember that last year’s distance is not a guarantee. Applicant numbers, sibling priority and local demand can change each year.
Grammar schools: the CAF is only half the process
For grammar-school applications, check the test registration deadline first. In several areas it falls in June or July, well before 31 October. Taking and qualifying in the test also does not automatically produce a place. The school may still be oversubscribed and apply distance, catchment, pupil-premium or score-based rules.
If you are unsure whether your area uses grammar-school selection, see our guide to regions that use the 11 Plus. If your child narrowly misses the required standard, our guide to resits and review or appeal options explains the next steps.
Do you also need a Supplementary Information Form?
Some faith schools, selective schools and other schools ask for a Supplementary Information Form, or SIF, so they can apply particular admissions criteria. A SIF does not replace the CAF. Submit both when required and meet both deadlines.
Read each school’s admissions policy rather than relying on a general list. The school website and your council’s admissions booklet should say whether extra evidence is needed.
What if you move house?
Tell your local authority promptly. Councils set rules about which address can be used and the date by which a new address can be considered for the main allocation round. They may ask for tenancy agreements, completion documents, council-tax records or other evidence.
Do not assume that changing the address on an online account is enough. Follow the council’s published change-of-address procedure.
What if you miss 31 October?
Submit a late application as soon as possible. A late application can reduce your chance of receiving a preferred school because many councils process it after on-time applications unless there are accepted exceptional reasons.
The exact late-application rules vary. Some councils publish a cut-off date for evidence of exceptional circumstances, so contact the admissions team rather than waiting until Offer Day.
What happens on Offer Day?
For September 2027 secondary entry, National Offer Day is 1 March 2027. If your child is not offered your first choice, it is usually sensible to accept the place offered while pursuing waiting lists or an appeal. Accepting the offered place does not normally prevent you from seeking another school.
Read the offer carefully because the acceptance deadline and waiting-list arrangements are set locally. If no listed school can offer a place, the local authority must secure a school place, usually at a school with available capacity.
Final CAF checklist
Before submitting, confirm that the school names are correct, the preference order is genuinely yours, grammar-test registration has been completed where needed, SIFs and evidence are submitted, and your address is accurate. Save the confirmation email or screenshot after submission.
The form itself takes little time. The important work is understanding how each school allocates places before you press submit.
