Step 7: You accept or decline the in-year place

When you should accept or decline a place

You must accept or decline any place offered. You have two weeks to do this. Your offer will explain how to accept or decline the place.

The offer may be withdrawn if you fail to accept the place in time.

We recommend you accept the offer unless you have made alternative arrangements for your child.
Accepting an offer does not affect your child's position on any waiting lists or any appeal for a higher preference school.
You will need to contact the school directly to make arrangements for your child to take up the place.
Schools will arrange to admit a child as soon as possible, normally within 10 school days of you formally accepting the place. If it is not possible for your child to take up the place within 10 school days, perhaps because they are not yet living in the area, the school can agree a later start date.
Alternatively, you may have good reason for wishing to defer your child’s start date, such as where they are due to take exams at another school. In such cases a school may agree to defer the start date, but the maximum deferral period is usually four weeks.
Where your child is available to take up a school place straight away and there is no good reason for deferring their start date, they must start on the date provided by the school. The place may be withdrawn if they do not start then.

If you decline a place, you are responsible for finding another school for your child.
The place may be offered to another child, so there is no guarantee that it will still be available if you change your mind later.
If we are aware of any child without a school place, we will make our Inclusion Service aware and they may contact you directly.