Grammar School Application Deadlines 2026: Key Dates
Applying to a grammar school involves more than preparing for the 11+ entrance test. Parents also need to keep track of registration deadlines, school applications, test dates and National Offer Day. Missing an important deadline can create unnecessary complications and, in some circumstances, affect your child’s opportunity to be considered for a place.
The exact dates and application process vary depending on your local authority, grammar school and admissions system, so it is important to check the latest information for your chosen schools. This guide explains the key stages of the grammar school application process, what parents need to complete and when, and what to do if an application deadline is missed.
By planning ahead and keeping all important dates in one place, you can avoid last-minute stress and give your child the best chance of completing the grammar school admissions process successfully.
Page Contents
When Are Grammar School Application Deadlines?
Grammar school application deadline 2026
The grammar school application deadline for 2026 entry is not the same across every area or school. Parents need to keep track of two separate deadlines: 11+ test registration and the secondary school application itself.
The 11+ registration deadline normally comes first. Your child must be registered for the relevant entrance test within the required timeframe before they can be assessed for a grammar school place. The later secondary school application is submitted through your local authority, where you rank your preferred schools.
Because deadlines vary between regions, check the latest dates for your specific grammar schools and local authority rather than relying on a general national deadline. This is particularly important for areas such as Kent, Buckinghamshire and Birmingham, where the testing and admissions arrangements differ.
Top tip: Put both the 11+ registration deadline and secondary school application deadline in your calendar. Registering for the test does not automatically submit your application for a grammar school place.
11+ registration deadlines
11+ registration deadlines are separate from the deadline for submitting your child’s secondary school application. Parents usually need to register their child for the relevant entrance test first, then complete the main school application later.
There is no single national 11+ registration deadline. Dates vary between grammar school areas and testing systems. For example, Buckinghamshire’s Secondary Transfer Test registration for children who need to register themselves opened on 1 May 2026 and closed at 3pm on 2 June 2026. Children attending state-funded Buckinghamshire primary schools are registered automatically. (Buckinghamshire Council)
This is why parents should check the testing arrangements for their specific area rather than relying on a general 11+ date. Missing registration can be particularly problematic because late registrations may only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. Buckinghamshire, for example, states that late registration is normally not accepted unless there are exceptional reasons. (Buckinghamshire Council)
What Parents Should Do
Identify the correct 11+ test for your chosen grammar schools.
Check when registration opens and closes.
Register before the deadline if your child is not automatically registered.
Check the test date and arrangements once registration is complete.
Submit the separate secondary school application through your home local authority.
Remember that 11+ registration and school applications are two different stages. For example, Buckinghamshire requires the preferred grammar school or schools to be included on the secondary school application submitted to the child’s home local authority. (Buckinghamshire Council)
Top tip: Put the 11+ registration deadline in your calendar as soon as you start researching grammar schools. Don’t assume that registering for the test automatically applies for a school place.
Secondary school application deadlines
The secondary school application deadline is the date by which parents must submit their child’s main application for a secondary school place. This is separate from 11+ registration, so registering your child for a grammar school entrance test does not automatically complete the secondary school application.
For children applying for Year 7 places, the national deadline is generally in October of Year 6, but parents should always check the exact date published by their home local authority. Your application is normally submitted through the local authority where you live, even if you are applying for grammar schools in another area.
When completing the application, list your preferred schools in the order required by the application system and make sure you understand each school’s admissions criteria, catchment rules and oversubscription arrangements.
Top tip: Don’t wait for your child’s 11+ result before thinking about the secondary school application deadline. Keep track of test registration, test dates and the school application deadline separately so you don’t accidentally miss an important stage.
Grammar School Admissions Timeline
Year 5: Registration and preparation
Year 5 is the key planning year for grammar school applications. This is when parents should confirm which schools they are considering, check the relevant 11+ registration requirements and begin structured preparation for the entrance test.
Start by researching the testing arrangements for your target schools. Check whether your child needs to be registered separately for the 11+, when registration opens and closes, and which subjects and question types are assessed. Keeping these dates organised early can help prevent a missed registration deadline later in the year.
Preparation should build progressively rather than relying on intensive revision at the last minute. Focus on strengthening Maths, English and reasoning skills before introducing more regular timed practice papers and mock exams. This gives your child time to identify weaker areas and improve them before the 11+.
Top tip: Use Year 5 to get both preparation and administration organised. A simple calendar covering 11+ registration, preparation milestones, test dates and the secondary school application deadline can help keep the whole process on track.
Year 6: 11+ testing and school applications
Year 6 is when the grammar school admissions process moves from preparation to testing and applications. Your child will sit the relevant 11+ entrance test, while you need to complete the secondary school application within the required timeframe.
Once the 11+ has been taken, the result can help you assess your child’s eligibility for your preferred grammar schools. However, meeting the qualifying score does not necessarily guarantee a place, as schools may also apply catchment, distance and oversubscription criteria.
The secondary school application is a separate step. Parents should submit their preferences through their home local authority, making sure grammar schools are listed correctly and that the application is submitted before the deadline.
Key Year 6 Steps
1. Sit the 11+ test
Make sure your child knows the test arrangements and arrives prepared and rested.
2. Receive the result
Use the result alongside each school’s admissions criteria when reviewing your options.
3. Submit your school application
Rank your preferred secondary schools through your local authority’s application system before the published deadline.
4. Check admission criteria
Consider test scores, catchment, distance and oversubscription rules for each grammar school.
5. Wait for the offer
Places are allocated according to the relevant admissions criteria, with National Offer Day providing your child’s secondary school offer.
Top tip: Keep the 11+ test date, result date and secondary school application deadline separate in your calendar. Taking the test does not automatically apply for a grammar school place.
National Offer Day
National Offer Day is when parents find out which secondary school place their child has been offered for September entry. For secondary school applications in England for September 2026, National Offer Day was Monday 2 March 2026. (GOV.UK)
If you applied online, your local authority would normally send your offer by email or make it available through its online admissions portal. The offer is based on the school preferences you submitted and each school’s admissions criteria. Where possible, your child is offered the highest-ranked school on your list that can offer a place. (Redbridge Council)
If your child isn’t offered your first-choice grammar school, don’t assume the process is finished. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to join a waiting list, make further applications or appeal. The exact process and deadlines are set by the relevant local authority or admission authority.
Top tip: When National Offer Day arrives, check your offer carefully and follow the instructions from your local authority. If you haven’t received your preferred grammar school, look into waiting lists and appeals promptly, as response deadlines can be short.
What Happens If You Miss the Application Deadline?
Can you apply for a grammar school after the deadline?
Yes, in many cases you can submit a late application for a grammar school place, but the process and consequences depend on your local authority and the individual school’s admissions arrangements.
For September 2026 entry, the normal secondary school application deadline in England was 31 October 2025. Applications submitted after this date are generally treated as late and may be considered after applications received on time, which can reduce the chance of securing a preferred grammar school. (Lambeth Council)
Late applications can still be accepted after the main deadline. For example, some authorities continue accepting late applications through the spring and summer, while others have specific dates after which an in-year application is required. (Cambridgeshire County Council)
It’s also important to distinguish between late 11+ registration and a late secondary school application. Missing the 11+ registration deadline can affect whether your child is able to sit the relevant selective test, while missing the school application deadline affects when your school preferences are considered. Some areas have separate rules for late test registration. (Wirral Council)
Top tip: If you’ve missed a deadline, apply as soon as possible rather than waiting. Contact your home local authority and the relevant grammar school to find out whether a late application or waiting-list route is available. Never assume that a late application will be treated in the same way as one submitted on time.
Late applications and available places
If you miss the main grammar school application deadline, you may still be able to submit a late application. However, late applications can be treated differently from those submitted on time, and this can affect your chances of receiving a place at a popular grammar school.
If a grammar school has already allocated all of its places, a late applicant may need to join a waiting list rather than receive an immediate offer. Places can become available if another family declines an offer or moves to a different school, but there is no guarantee that a place will become available.
The school or local authority will normally apply the same published admissions criteria when allocating any places that subsequently become available. This means your child’s 11+ result, catchment, distance or other priority criteria may still determine their position on the waiting list.
Top tip: If you’ve missed a deadline, submit the application as soon as possible and contact your local authority and the grammar school to understand your options. Don’t wait for places to become available before applying.
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How to Apply for a Grammar School Place
Register for the 11+ test
Registering for the 11+ test is one of the first important steps in the grammar school admissions process. The registration process is not identical across the country, so parents should first identify which entrance test their chosen grammar schools use and whether registration is handled by the school, local authority or a testing consortium.
Registration normally needs to be completed before the published 11+ registration deadline. Missing this deadline can be more difficult to resolve than missing the later secondary school application deadline, as your child may need to have taken the entrance test to be considered for a selective place.
Before registering, check:
- Which 11+ test your chosen schools use
- When registration opens and closes
- Whether your child is automatically registered in your area
- How and where the test will take place
- Which grammar schools accept the test result
- Whether there are any late registration rules
Remember that registering for the 11+ is not the same as applying for a school place. You will still need to complete your secondary school application through the appropriate local authority and include your preferred grammar schools.
Top tip: Add the 11+ registration deadline to your calendar as soon as possible. Check the arrangements for every grammar school on your shortlist, as registering for one test does not necessarily cover every school you want to apply to.
Complete your secondary school application
Completing your secondary school application is a separate step from registering your child for the 11+ test. Even if your child has sat the entrance test and achieved the required score, you still need to submit your school preferences through the appropriate local authority admissions system.
When completing the application, list your preferred grammar schools alongside any other secondary schools you are considering. Your preferences should reflect both your child’s 11+ result and each school’s admissions criteria, including catchment, distance and oversubscription rules.
Before submitting, check:
- Application deadline – Submit the form before your local authority’s published deadline.
- School preferences – List your preferred schools in the required order.
- Admissions criteria – Check that your child meets the relevant requirements for each grammar school.
- Catchment and distance – Understand whether your home address affects priority.
- Application details – Make sure your child’s personal and address information is accurate.
- Confirmation – Keep a record that your application has been successfully submitted.
Top tip: Don’t wait until the 11+ results are available to think about your school application. Understand your target schools and their admissions criteria beforehand so you can make informed choices when completing the application.
Check each school's admissions criteria
Before submitting your secondary school application, check the admissions criteria for every grammar school on your shortlist. Schools can use different rules when deciding which eligible children receive places, so meeting the 11+ qualifying standard does not automatically mean your child will be offered a place.
Pay particular attention to whether the school considers 11+ scores, catchment areas, home-to-school distance, sibling priority or other oversubscription criteria. Some schools may also have specific eligibility requirements or priority arrangements that differ from other grammar schools in the same region.
It is also worth checking the admissions policy for the correct admission year. Previous years’ rules or entry scores can provide useful context, but they should not be treated as a guarantee that the same criteria will apply to your child’s application.
Top tip: Create a shortlist for each school covering the 11+ requirements, admissions criteria, catchment, distance and oversubscription rules. This will help you make realistic choices rather than assuming that passing the 11+ guarantees admission.
Grammar School Application Deadlines by Region
Kent grammar school application deadlines
For Kent grammar school applications for September 2026 entry, parents needed to complete two separate stages: Kent Test registration and the secondary school application. The deadlines are important because registering for the Kent Test does not automatically apply for a grammar school place. (Kent County Council)
For the main secondary school application, Kent County Council opened applications on Monday 1 September 2025, with a deadline of Friday 31 October 2025 at midnight. Parents could name up to four secondary school preferences, including grammar schools. (Kent County Council)
The Kent Test is a separate part of the process. A child must be assessed as suitable for grammar school before a Kent grammar school can consider them, and the grammar school must also be named on the secondary school application. Passing the Kent Test therefore does not automatically result in a grammar school place. (Kent County Council)
Key Kent Dates for 2026 Entry
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Secondary applications open | 1 September 2025 |
| Secondary application deadline | 31 October 2025 |
| National Offer Day | 2 March 2026 |
| Accept/decline offer deadline | 16 March 2026 |
Kent grammar schools can also have individual admissions criteria, particularly around oversubscription. Kent County Council advises parents to check the criteria for each school because they can differ and may change between admission years. (Kent County Council)
Top tip: For Kent grammar school admissions, keep the Kent Test registration deadline and secondary school application deadline separate in your calendar. Your child must be assessed as suitable for grammar school and have the grammar school listed on your application to be considered for a place. (Kent County Council)
Buckinghamshire grammar school application deadlines
For Buckinghamshire grammar schools, parents need to keep track of two separate deadlines: Secondary Transfer Test (11+) registration and the secondary school application.
For September 2026 entry, the Secondary Transfer Test registration window ran from 2 May to 13 June 2025. Children attending state-funded Buckinghamshire primary schools were registered automatically, while children attending schools outside Buckinghamshire generally needed to be registered by their families. (Buckinghamshire Council)
The main secondary school application deadline was 31 October 2025 at midnight. Your preferred Buckinghamshire grammar school needed to be included on your secondary school application, which is submitted to your home local authority. Passing the Transfer Test did not automatically secure a grammar school place. (Buckinghamshire Council)
| Stage | September 2026 entry |
|---|---|
| 11+ registration | 2 May–13 June 2025 |
| Secondary school applications open | 4 September 2025 |
| Secondary school application deadline | 31 October 2025 |
| National Offer Day | 2 March 2026 |
For future entry, dates can change. Buckinghamshire Council currently states that registration for the 2028 Secondary Transfer Test is expected to open in early May 2027 and close in early June 2027. (Buckinghamshire Council)
If you miss the secondary application deadline, you can still submit a late application, but this can reduce your chances of getting a preferred school because places may already have been allocated. (Buckinghamshire Council)
Top tip: Keep the 11+ registration deadline and secondary school application deadline separate. Registering for the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test does not automatically apply for a grammar school place—you must also name your preferred grammar school on your secondary school application. (Buckinghamshire Council)
Birmingham grammar school application deadlines
For Birmingham grammar schools, parents need to keep track of both the 11+ selective test and the separate secondary school application. Birmingham has one entrance test used across its grammar schools and several West Midlands grammar schools. (Birmingham City Council)
For September 2026 entry, the key dates were:
- 1 September 2025 – Secondary school applications opened.
- 13 September 2025 – Birmingham grammar school entrance test.
- 17 October 2025 – Grammar school test results available by this date.
- 31 October 2025 – Secondary school application deadline.
- 2 March 2026 – National Offer Day. (Birmingham City Council)
Birmingham City Council advises parents to wait for the grammar school test result before finalising their preferences, because results were available before the 31 October 2025 application deadline. However, the grammar school still needs to be listed as a preference on the secondary school application. (Birmingham City Council)
What If You Miss the Deadline?
Applications submitted after 31 October 2025 were classed as late and considered after on-time applications, meaning late applicants were less likely to receive one of their preferred schools. For September 2026 entry, late applications remained open until 31 July 2026; after that, applications had to be made directly to schools through the in-year process. (Birmingham City Council)
Top tip: Birmingham parents should treat the 11+ test and secondary school application as two separate steps. Sitting the grammar school test does not apply for a school place—you must still list your preferred grammar school on your secondary school application by 31 October.
Common Grammar School Application Mistakes
Missing the 11+ registration deadline
Missing the 11+ registration deadline can be more serious than missing the later secondary school application deadline because your child may need to be registered for and sit the entrance test before they can be considered for a grammar school place.
There is no single national late-registration rule. Each grammar school area or testing provider sets its own arrangements. Some may accept late registrations in exceptional circumstances, while others may not accept them after the deadline. This means parents should contact the relevant testing authority or grammar school as soon as they realise a deadline has been missed.
It is also important to remember that 11+ registration and the secondary school application are separate steps. Registering late for the test does not replace the need to submit the main secondary school application.
Top tip: If you’ve missed an 11+ registration deadline, don’t assume your child is automatically excluded. Contact the relevant testing authority immediately, explain the circumstances and ask whether a late registration or alternative assessment route is available.
Confusing test registration with school applications
One of the most common mistakes in the grammar school application process is confusing 11+ test registration with the actual application for a secondary school place. They are separate steps, and completing one does not automatically complete the other.
11+ test registration allows your child to take the relevant entrance test. The secondary school application is the separate application where you list the grammar schools you want your child to be considered for. This application is normally submitted through your home local authority.
For example, your child could be successfully registered for and sit the 11+, but if you don’t include a grammar school on your secondary school application, the school may not be able to consider your child for a place.
Keep the Two Stages Separate
11+ registration:
Register your child for the relevant entrance test before the testing deadline.
11+ test:
Your child sits the entrance assessment and receives their result.
Secondary school application:
Submit your school preferences through your local authority before the application deadline.
School offer:
The relevant admissions criteria are applied and your child receives their secondary school offer.
Top tip: Keep 11+ registration and secondary school applications as two separate deadlines in your calendar. Passing the test is only one part of the process—you still need to apply for the school place itself.
Leaving your application until the last minute
Leaving a grammar school application until the last minute can create unnecessary stress and increases the risk of missing an important deadline. Parents may need to manage several separate stages, including 11+ registration, the entrance test and the secondary school application, so waiting until the final days can make the process harder to manage.
Last-minute applications also leave less time to check important details. A small error in your child’s personal information, home address or school preferences could cause complications, particularly when grammar schools use catchment, distance or oversubscription criteria.
Instead, start preparing your application well before the deadline. Research your preferred schools, check their admissions criteria, gather any information you need and make sure you understand how the application system works. This gives you time to resolve any issues before the deadline rather than trying to fix them at the last minute.
Top tip: Aim to complete your grammar school application several days before the official deadline. Keep confirmation of your submission and double-check your school preferences, contact details and address before submitting.
Grammar School Application Deadlines: Final Tips
Keeping track of grammar school application deadlines is just as important as preparing your child for the 11+. The admissions process involves several separate stages, so knowing what needs to be completed—and when—can help you avoid unnecessary stress or missed opportunities.
Before the application period begins, make sure you:
- Check the 11+ registration deadline for your chosen grammar schools.
- Check the secondary school application deadline with your local authority.
- Keep test registration and school applications separate—registering for the 11+ does not automatically apply for a school place.
- Research each school’s admissions criteria, including catchment, distance and oversubscription rules.
- Submit your application early rather than waiting until the final day.
- Keep confirmation of your application after submitting it.
- Check National Offer Day and understand your options if your preferred school is not offered.
- If you miss a deadline, contact your local authority as soon as possible to ask about late applications or alternative options.
The most important thing is to plan ahead. Grammar school admissions can involve different deadlines depending on the region and testing system, so don’t rely on a single national date.
Final tip: Create one simple admissions calendar covering 11+ registration, test dates, school application deadlines and National Offer Day. Having every key date in one place makes it much easier to stay organised and complete the process on time.
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