Waiting lists

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 made in the same order as the school’s oversubscription criteria, for example siblings first. Late applicants are also added according to this order, so your child’s name could move down as well as up a waiting list.

Being on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available.

Information and advice on waiting list positions will not be available until Thursday 7 May 2026 to allow time for offers to be accepted and refused.

From Thursday 7 May 2026, you can contact Children’s Services on 0121 303 1888 to find out whether our School Admissions team or the school itself holds the waiting list for the school you want.

Our School Admissions team will contact you if a school place becomes available for your child from a waiting list.

For schools outside Birmingham, it is important that you contact the relevant local authority for advice and guidance on their waiting list procedures, as these may be different to ours.

Page last updated: 25 March 2026