Confirm the deadline with your home council
Apply through the local authority where you live, including for state schools in another borough or county. Use the correct September entry year and check the final submission time as well as the date.
The usual secondary deadline is 31 October, but rely on the published instructions for your round. Kent, for example, gives 2 November 2026 for September 2027 entry. Do not assume that date applies to a different home council.
Allow time to resolve a login or document problem. If something fails, contact the admissions team promptly and keep a record; an unfinished portal session is not confirmation of an application.
Check every named school against its policy
Before submitting, confirm:
- the exact school and entry point selected in the portal;
- which test result or further assessment the school requires;
- any residence or other eligibility condition;
- a separate supplementary form or evidence requirement, where applicable;
- whether the daily journey works for your child.
A second-stage test can take place after the CAF deadline. Follow that school’s guidance about naming it while an outcome is pending. Do not assume that a test organiser passes every required detail to every school automatically.
If your child has an EHC plan, the placement process is different; follow your local authority’s SEND instructions rather than treating the ordinary CAF as the placement decision.
Put schools in the order you actually prefer
The equal-preference process considers admission priority separately from your preference order. Putting a grammar school first does not reduce your priority at a lower preference, but you receive only the highest available preference.
Include realistic schools you would accept. Listing only grammars with uncertain eligibility or highly competitive allocation may leave the council to allocate an unlisted alternative.
Use the CAF worked example if you are unsure how the order changes the eventual offer.
Submit, reopen the confirmation and save it
Check the child’s details, home address and any relevant priority information. Read the council’s rules for a planned move rather than substituting an address that cannot yet be used.
Submit the application and save the receipt, reference and final school order. If you make a later edit, check whether you must submit again and keep the updated confirmation.
Read changing a submitted CAF before altering preferences after the deadline. A portal allowing an edit does not by itself establish how the council will treat that change.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Is the secondary school deadline always 31 October?
31 October is the usual national secondary application deadline, but check your home council’s published date and submission time for the relevant round. For example, Kent publishes 2 November 2026 for September 2027 entry.
Can we submit before a second-stage test result?
Yes, and some school timetables require this. Follow the named school’s instructions and your home council’s guidance; do not miss the CAF deadline while waiting for a later assessment outcome.
Should we repeat our favourite school in every preference?
No. Repeating a school does not improve your child’s admission priority. Use the available preferences for distinct schools you would accept, including realistic alternatives.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026