Grammar school admissions.One step at a time.

The admissions sequence most families follow

1. 1

   Check the school’s entry rules

   Use the determined admissions policy for the September your child starts Year 7. Establish the relevant exam, eligibility rules and priority categories.

2. 2

   Register for testing

   Apply to the test organiser by its deadline. Follow separate instructions for access arrangements, evidence and any score-sharing options.

3. 3

   Complete all required stages

   Attend the assessment and any second stage. Check the result: it may show qualification, a score, a rank or eligibility for further testing.

4. 4

   Apply for school places

   Submit the home local authority CAF by the published deadline, normally 31 October. Complete required supplementary forms as well.

5. 5

   Receive the allocation

   The coordinated process offers the highest preference that can offer a place under its rules. Respond by the stated deadline.

These steps normally concern the main Year 7 round. In-year entry and applications for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan need their own instructions.

What to check before you register

1. The correct entry year and intake

   Check the age group, Year 7 boys/girls/mixed intake, and any out-of-age-group application process.

2. The academic requirement

   Identify the subjects, assessment stages and meaning of a qualifying result. Schools can change providers or formats.

3. Priority and address rules

   Read catchment, residence dates, score order and any defined priority groups. Being allowed to sit a test does not prove that a place is likely.

4. Support for testing

   Ask about access arrangements early. The organiser decides what evidence and deadlines apply; arrangements are not automatic simply because school support is already in place.

5. The full set of forms

   Separate test registration, the CAF, supplementary forms and supporting evidence. Save confirmation of each submission.

How the local authority preference form fits in

The Common Application Form brings your school preferences into the coordinated admissions process. Apply through the local authority where your child lives, including schools across a council boundary.

Each admission authority considers your child against its own published rules. Putting a grammar school first does not improve their test score or admissions priority. Your preference order determines which offer you receive if more than one listed school could offer a place.

For a worked example, see grammar school CAF strategy.

Where parents usually get stuck

If a child does not qualify, read the result guidance for any review process. A selection review and an admission appeal are different procedures. The appeals hub explains the distinction and links to local rules.

A better admissions workflow

Create a short school record with the entry year, policy link, test organiser, admission priorities, forms and journey. Add deadlines only when the correct-year authority has published them.

After each submission, save the confirmation and check the child’s details. After results, revisit school eligibility before finalising CAF order. On offer day, read acceptance, waiting-list and appeal instructions separately.

For a child with an EHC plan, speak to the local authority’s SEND team about secondary transfer. Do not assume the ordinary CAF is the sole application route or that the plan removes every selection requirement.