Apply for a secondary school place

You will be able to make a late application for a secondary school place from Saturday 2 November.

What happens if my application is late?

On-time applications closed at midnight on Thursday 31 October 2024. All applications received after this date are usually treated as late and will be considered for a school place after the initial offer of places on 3 March 2025. You are less likely to be offered a place at one or more of your preferred schools if your application is submitted after the deadline.

Under exceptional circumstances, we may consider late applications as if they were received on-time.

Exceptional reasons for applying late

If you have an exceptional reason for applying late for example a significant house-move, and the application is received before 14 January 2025, we may consider it as if it was received on-time. Evidence will be required to support your application.

If we agree that your reasons are exceptional, we will consider it as an on-time application. Otherwise, it will be treated as late and we will write to you to confirm this.

Use all your preferences

It is important to get lots of information before deciding on your preferred schools and the order you would like to put them on your application. We will offer you the highest preferred school if your child qualifies for a place here, so please consider your order of preferences carefully. We recommend including your catchment school as one of your preferences.

What happens next?

You should receive an email once you have submitted your application. It is important to check carefully that you have received this and that it confirms your application has been fully submitted. If your application is not fully submitted, it may be considered as late.

• We will send offers of places to those who applied on time between 2 September 2024 and 31 October 2024, on 3 March 2025.
• Late applications received between 1 November 2024 and 28 February 2025, will be considered after 17 March 2025.
• Late applications received from 1 March 2025 will be considered after 7 April 2025

Further information on school place offers

Making changes to your application

You can make changes to your application right up to the deadline, 31 October 2024, but if you do make a change you must remember to re-submit your application. If you do not your application may be considered as late.

For any changes in preference received after the closing date, we will only treat these as an on-time application if this is received before 14 January 2025 and if this is due to an exceptional change of circumstances – for example, a house move.

If you change any of your preferences, or their order, after the closing date, without an exceptional reason, this will not be considered until after 7 April 2025.

What if I need help?

If you need help with making an application, please email us at [email protected] or call us on 0116 454 1009 (option 1) and we will do our best to assist you. Your child’s current school may also be able to help with applying.

The choice advice service

The choice advice service offers free impartial guidance, support and information to parents choosing a school for children in Leicester. 

They are also running a number of free support sessions across city primary schools to help parents apply for a school place. More details can be found on their website. 

This service cannot guarantee school places or influence the allocation process. However, they can guide you through the admissions process, and help you to make an application for a school place. They can also support you with the admission appeal process.

Contact details

• Choice advice service website
• Email: [email protected]  
• Telephone: 0116 482 0862