National Offer Day & the CAF: Your School Preferences Timeline Explained (2026-27)
Two dates get conflated constantly in 11+ parent groups: the day you submit your school application, and the day you find out the result. They are not close together. One falls in October. The other falls the following March. Mixing them up doesn't just cause confusion — it can lead a family to relax about a deadline that's actually a few weeks away, or panic in October about a result that isn't coming until spring.
This guide separates the two events clearly, explains how many school preferences you actually get (it's not a fixed national number — despite what you might assume), and — the part that matters most for 11+ families specifically — how grammar school test results line up against the application deadline, with real dates from two different areas to show just how tight that window can be.
Quick summary
Quick tips:
- Check your own council's exact number of preferences — it's genuinely not the same everywhere.
- Compare your specific 11+ test's results date against your CAF deadline now, not in October.
- Ranking a grammar school as a preference doesn't commit you to anything if the result later goes against you.
The two events, side by side
The single most useful thing to internalise from this timeline: nothing about your outcome is known or communicated in October. October is purely about submitting your ranked list; the actual news arrives in March.
How many preferences do you actually get?
There is no single national number, which surprises a lot of parents used to hearing "you get 6 choices." The real figure is set by each local authority, and it varies:
| Area | Number of preferences |
|---|---|
| Kent County Council | 4 |
| Many other local authorities | Commonly up to 6, but confirm locally |
Whatever your own council's number is, the general advice holds everywhere: use every preference slot you're given, ranked in genuine order of preference, including a realistic non-selective fallback — not just your top-choice grammar schools. Leaving preferences unused doesn't improve your chances at your first choice; it only reduces your options if that first choice doesn't work out.
Where 11+ testing actually fits into this timeline
For families targeting a grammar school, the 11+ test itself happens before the CAF deadline — but exactly how much buffer you get between your result and the deadline depends entirely on your area. Two real examples show how differently this can play out:
| Area | Test date | Result date | Buffer before 31 Oct deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent Test | 12-13 September 2026 | Results sent 15 October 2026 | About 2 weeks |
| Sutton SET (Stage 2) | 26 Sept or 3 Oct 2026, depending on school group | Historically arrives close to end of October | Can be very tight, sometimes almost no buffer |
This is exactly why checking your own test's results date against your own council's deadline early matters — a two-week gap (Kent) gives you time to think through your ranking with a known result in hand; a same-week gap (Sutton, in some years) may mean submitting your preferences before you have full certainty.
Parent advice
Put the two dates in your calendar now, not in September. 31 October 2026 and 1 March 2027 — both nationally significant, four months apart. Treat them as two separate to-do items, not one.
Rank in genuine order of preference, not perceived "safety." Admissions systems are generally designed so that ranking your true first choice first doesn't disadvantage you if you don't get it — you're still considered for your second preference exactly as if you'd ranked it first. Artificially ranking a "safer" school above your real first choice can work against you rather than protect you; check your specific local authority's system to confirm how it handles this before assuming otherwise.
Always include at least one realistic non-selective preference. Even strong candidates can be affected by an unusually competitive year — a thought-through fallback preference is not pessimism, it's just good planning.
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing the October application deadline with National Offer Day — they are different events, months apart.
- Assuming your council allows exactly 6 preferences without checking — some, like Kent, allow fewer.
- Leaving preference slots unused because you're "sure" about your first choice.
- Waiting for 11+ results before starting the CAF, if your own area's timing is tight — start the form early and finalise ranking once results land.
- Missing the appeals deadline after a disappointing National Offer Day result by not reading the specific guidance sent with the offer letter.
Tutor notes
- Confirm your families' specific council deadlines and preference counts individually — with test dates, results dates and CAF deadlines all varying by area, a generic national timeline can mislead a family in a tight-buffer area like Sutton.
- Help families draft their preference order in September, before results land, so the only decision left once results arrive is confirming rather than starting from scratch under time pressure.
- Flag the appeals process early for borderline candidates, since appeal deadlines are typically short and set independently by each school/authority — this isn't something to research for the first time after a disappointing offer.
Frequently asked questions
When is the secondary school application deadline for September 2027 entry?
31 October 2026, at midnight, for online applications in England. This date falls on a Saturday in 2026, but online council portals accept applications right up to midnight regardless of the day of the week. If you're applying by paper form, check your council's specific guidance, since paper submission logistics can differ.
When is National Offer Day for secondary schools?
1 March 2027 for September 2027 entry (a Monday). This is four months after the 31 October application deadline, not the same event — a common point of confusion. National Offer Day is when councils email or post the outcome of your application, not when you submit it.
How many school preferences can I list on the CAF?
It varies by local authority — there is no single national number. Kent, for example, currently allows 4 preferences, while other councils commonly allow up to 6. Always check your own council's application guidance for the exact number, and use every preference slot available to you rather than leaving any unused.
Do I find out if my child passed the 11+ before the CAF deadline?
It depends on the area, and the gap can be tight. In Kent, Kent Test results are typically sent in mid-October, roughly two weeks before the 31 October CAF deadline. In the Sutton zone, Stage 2 results have historically arrived close to the end of October, which can leave very little buffer before the deadline. Check your specific test's results date against your council's CAF deadline early, rather than assuming there will be time to spare.
Should I rank a grammar school as my first preference if I don't know the 11+ result yet?
In most areas, yes — ranking a selective school as a preference does not commit you to anything, and most admissions authorities only apply grammar school selection criteria if your child has met (or is expected to meet) the required standard. However, exact rules vary by council and by school, so confirm directly with your local authority's admissions guidance rather than assuming this applies uniformly everywhere.
What happens if my child doesn't get any of our preferred schools?
You can ask to be added to the waiting list for preferred schools and you have the right to appeal a refused place, usually within a set deadline after National Offer Day. Appeals processes and deadlines are set by each local authority and school, so check the specific guidance sent with your offer letter rather than relying on a generic timeline.
Related SharpY Mind resources
Where to go from here
Whatever your council's deadline or preference count, the run-up to it is exactly when consistent daily practice matters most. SharpY Mind is free, with no account needed to start.
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