Key dates finder

• The school year in England runs from 1 September to 31 August. A child starts Reception in the September after their fourth birthday: a child born on 1 September 2022 starts in September 2027; a child born on 31 August 2022 starts in September 2026.
• Year 3 (7+) is three years after Reception, Year 7 (11+) seven, Year 9 (13+) nine and Year 12 (sixth form) twelve.
• State school closing dates are fixed nationally: 31 October in the year before entry for secondary, 15 January in the year of entry for primary. Offers are sent on 1 March and 16 April, or the next working day when those fall on a weekend or bank holiday.
• Dates for September 2027 entry were read on GOV.UK on 9 October 2026. Dates for later years follow the same national rule and are confirmed by councils each year.
• Independent school timings are described from the dated events schools published for 2027 entry in our data (the middle 80% of schools). They are typical, not a rule.
• Your child's date of birth is used once to work out the Reception year. It is not stored and is not in the address of this page.

Sources: GOV.UK: school admissions, how to apply; GOV.UK: school starting age; School Admissions Code 2021; GOV.UK: summer-born children.