School admissions: a realistic timeline for September entry

Miss one date in the London schools calendar and the whole housing plan moves. Here is the sequence, backwards from the first day of term.

Families usually arrive at us with the equation reversed — a house chosen, schools hoped for. The London admissions calendar rewards the opposite approach, and it starts earlier than most people expect.

Eighteen months out: the shortlist

For state primary and secondary entry, the national application rounds open in the autumn before the September a child starts; for independent schools, registration for competitive entry points closes twelve to eighteen months ahead, and some senior schools expect pre-testing in Year 6 for Year 9 places. Build the shortlist before the property search, then let catchments shape the house brief rather than the reverse.

Twelve months out: applications and viewings

State applications close on 31 October for the following September (secondary) and 15 January (primary), with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Independent school entrance assessments and interviews cluster in the winter. If you are abroad, registrations can be made in advance, but assessments usually need a visit — we plan viewings around them so one trip does both jobs.

The offer window: decide calmly

When offers land in spring, you may hold a state place and an independent offer at once. Accept deadlines are strict, deposits are not always refundable, and waiting lists move for months after term starts. Our rule: take the place you would choose if the move were already done — then let the lease follow the school.

Start the calendar before the search, and nearly every deadline becomes a formality instead of a crisis.