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Apply online - late applications and changes of preferences

The closing date for primary school applications was 11:59pm on 15 January 2024.

Late applications opened on 16 January 2024.

All applications are now considered as late applications, no matter what the circumstances are.

Applications received after the statutory closing date (15 January 2024) for primary applications will only be considered after applications received on time have been processed.

Late applications will be processed after 16 April 2024.


Apply online

You must list three different primary schools, in order of preference.

Application guidance

For a step-by-step guide to the application process, download our parent’s guide to online applications, change of preferences and password resets.

Make sure you have read the admission arrangements fully for the schools you are interested in and know how likely it is that your child will be offered a place there.

It is important to include at least one realistic preference for a school that your child would have met the criteria for in previous years.

If you have included preferences for any schools that require you to submit extra documents, you must submit these directly to the school.

For example, they may need you to:

  • complete a supplementary information form
  • send evidence of social or medical needs

If you do not send the requested information, your child’s application may be assessed by the school under a lower criterion. This could mean that they are not offered a place.

Sibling details

You must include details of any siblings attending your preferred school(s) in the field (box) provided for sibling details.

Sibling details included in the incorrect field (box), will not be counted and may prevent you from gaining a place at your preferred school.

If you fill in the online application incorrectly, you are liable for not completing the form correctly, not School Admissions and Fair Access Service.

Submit your online application form

Submit a late application for a primary school place

You will receive email confirmation that you have submitted your application form. Check this to make sure everything is correct.

Be aware that if you change your preferences, you must re-submit your application form. Otherwise your application will not be processed.

We will take your final submission as the application to process.

Do not use this form if your child has an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). Information about the secondary transfer process for children with special educational needs is available on Birmingham's SEND Local Offer website.


Late changes of preference

Late changes of preference are where you have previously submitted an application and have then later made changes to the order of preferences after 15 January 2024.

Late changes of preference will be processed after 16 April 2024.

Late changes of preferences are less likely to get a place at one of their preferred schools for their child as most schools in Birmingham fill to their published admissions numbers with on time applicants that met their admissions criteria.

When your late application is processed, we will try to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools. If we are not able to do this, you will be added to the waiting lists for your preferred schools where relevant.

We strongly recommend that you do not refuse the school your child is offered.

If you refuse a place there is no guarantee that your child will be offered a place at one of your new order of preferences from the waiting list or via the appeals process. There is a risk that your child may be without a school place in September.

Important information about changing your preferences

You can only have a maximum of 3 live preferences at any one time. If you wish to change your preferences, you must carefully consider what your new set of preferences should to be.

Decide which preferences you would like to keep (which must be included again in the new set of preferences submitted) and which preferences you would like to remove.

This is important because you will be taken off the waiting lists for any schools that you remove from your new set of preferences.

Any appeals that you have previously sent for schools that are no longer on your list of live preferences will be withdrawn accordingly.

Any offer of a school place that has already been made will not be lost due to a change of preferences, unless a new offer for a higher preference is made due to places being available or due to waiting list movement.

You will receive an email confirmation that you have submitted your application form. Check your spam or junk folder. It is important that you check your confirmation email to make sure everything is correct.

If you amend your preferences, you must re-submit your application form otherwise your application will not be processed.

We will take your final submission as the application to process.

Late applications close on 31 July 2024 at 11:59 pm.

If you have not made a late application by 11:59pm on 31 July 2024, you will need to apply directly to your preferred schools using the In-Year application form.

Example of late preference change

Archie’s family submitted the following preferences before the deadline:

  1. School A
  2. School B
  3. School C

At National Offer Day on 16 April 2024, Archie is offered a place at School B. He is automatically placed on the waiting list for School A and his family submit an appeal for that school.

Later Archie’s family submit an updated set of preferences as follows:

  1. School D
  2. School E
  3. School F

Archie will no longer be on the waiting list for school A, and his appeal will be withdrawn. His offer for a place at School B will remain, unless he is offered a place at School D, E or F.

If Archie’s parents would like to stay on the waiting list for School A and retain their right of appeal for that school, their new set of preferences should be:

  1. School A
  2. School D
  3. School E

Other useful information


Page last updated: 23 January 2024

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