Waiting lists and improved offers

If you do not receive an offer of a place at your higher preference Birmingham schools, your child's name will automatically be placed on the waiting lists for those schools.

Waiting lists are compiled in the same order as the school's oversubscription criteria, for example, siblings first. For further details view the Primary School admissions arrangements.Late applicants are also added according to this order, so your child's name could move down as well as up a waiting list. Having a place on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available.

Information on waiting list positions will not be available until Wednesday 7 May 2025.

From 7 May 2025, you can phone children's services on 0121 303 1888, who will let you know who holds the waiting list for the school you want. This will be either school admissions or the school itself.

Waiting list advice will not be available before 7 May 2025 to allow time for offers to be accepted and refused.

The admissions team will send you an offer letter if a school place becomes available for your child from a waiting list.

If you have been offered a school place previously and you subsequently receive an offer letter for an improved school offer from a waiting list, once you receive your offer letter you will have 7 days to contact us to keep the school place offered to you previously. If you do not contact us within 7 days of receiving your offer letter, your original offer will be withdrawn automatically.

For schools outside of Birmingham, check the relevant local authority's website for information about their waiting lists.

Page last updated: 20 March 2025