London school admissions: catchments, Ofsted and applying from abroad

London's state schools are free and often very good, but you don't just turn up and enrol. Places are handed out by the council, by the rules, and usually by distance from your front door.

The short version

• Children of parents on a work or student visa can usually attend state schools free. Children on a visitor visa can't [1].
• For the normal start dates, you apply through your home council for up to six London schools. Secondary deadline is 31 October, primary is 15 January [2][3].
• Moving mid-year? You make an in-year application. Councils shouldn't refuse it just because you're still overseas [1].
• Popular schools fill by criteria such as siblings and distance. Many London schools have no fixed catchment, just a distance that changes every year [2].
• English year groups run 1 September to 31 August by birth date. Your child may land a year "ahead" of their Australian year label.

Can your kids go to a state school?

Yes, in most cases. GOV.UK says children who come to the UK as dependants of a parent on a work or student visa, or a parent with settled status, can attend state-funded schools [1]. That covers families on Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Student dependant and similar routes.

Two groups can't:

• Children in the UK as visitors, or on the short-term study visa, can't enrol at a state school. They can only attend an accredited independent school [1].
• Children on a Child Student visa without their parents must go to a fee-paying independent school or college that holds a sponsor licence [1].

State schools don't charge fees. Expect to pay for uniform, some trips and after-school clubs.

How the London system works

All 32 London boroughs and the City of London run their admissions together through a shared pan-London scheme, with most applications made online through the eAdmissions website [4]. You apply to your home council, even for schools in a different borough [5]. You list up to six schools anywhere in London, in order of preference [2][3].

Each school publishes its own admission criteria. A typical order looks like this:

1. Looked-after and previously looked-after children
2. Children with exceptional medical or social needs
3. Siblings already at the school
4. Children of staff (some schools)
5. Distance from home to school, measured in a straight line or by walking route

Lambeth, for example, says its community schools have no catchment areas [2]. Instead, the "catchment" you hear parents talk about is really the last distance offered last year. At popular primaries in places like Clapham, Dulwich or Islington that can be very short.

Faith schools

Many English state schools have a religious character, most often Church of England or Catholic. Many of them prioritise children from families who practise the faith, sometimes with proof of church attendance over a set period. If you're interested, read the school's supplementary form early. Attendance requirements can start well before the deadline.

Academies, free schools and grammar schools

Many London secondaries are academies, run by trusts outside council control but still free and still in the coordinated process. Some use banding tests, which sort applicants into ability bands so the intake is mixed [3]. A handful of outer London boroughs, such as Sutton, Kingston, Bexley and Barnet, have selective grammar schools with entrance tests sat in Year 6. The test registration deadline is usually much earlier than 31 October.

Key dates for September 2027 entry

These are the dates London councils are using for the 2027 intake, taken from Lambeth's booklets [2][3].

You'll need proof of address with the application. Lambeth asks for two documents for the parent and one for the child, and says an application may be withdrawn if the address can't be verified [2]. Councils take false addresses seriously, and can withdraw a place even after it's offered.

Moving from Australia: applying from abroad

Most Australian families arrive mid-year, so the dates above don't help. You'll use the in-year admission process instead, run by your borough or by schools directly.

GOV.UK guidance is on your side here [1]:

• Admission authorities can't require a permanent UK address before they process an application.
• A council shouldn't refuse an application made from overseas just because you don't live in the area yet.
• They should consider in-year applications even if you're still in another country.
• Evidence of a future address can include a signed lease, a property purchase, an employer's letter with your transfer date, or GP registration.

Where a family can't prove a future address, councils may apply distance criteria using the address at the time of application [1]. In practice, that means sign a lease before you apply if you can.

Step by step for an in-year move

1. Check your child's English year group using their date of birth.
2. Choose a borough and sign a lease in an area with schools that have spaces. Council websites often list current vacancies by year group.
3. Read each school's latest Ofsted report. Since late 2025 these are report cards with five grades, from "exceptional" to "urgent improvement", across areas like achievement, behaviour and inclusion, rather than one word like "outstanding" [6].
4. Apply in-year through your new borough, attaching your lease, visa or eVisa details and your child's passport.
5. Join waiting lists for schools that are full. Waiting list position is usually by the admission criteria, not by how long you've waited.
6. Accept a place even if it's not your first choice. You can stay on other waiting lists.
7. Appeal if refused. Every refused applicant has a right to appeal to an independent panel. For secondary, Lambeth's appeal deadline is 29 March 2027 for the main round [3].

Year groups: Australia vs England

England places children in year groups strictly by date of birth, with the year running 1 September to 31 August. Children start Reception in the September after they turn four, and compulsory school age starts the term after their fifth birthday.

Because English children start earlier, the English year number is often one higher than the Australian one at the same age. English schools rarely move children out of their age group, so your Year 2 kid from Brisbane may become a Year 3 in Brent. Primary runs to Year 6 and secondary starts in Year 7, as it now does across Australia, but the English Year 7s are often a year younger than your child's Australian classmates would be.

Planning to go home: state or international?

If you're in London for two or three years, a local state school is usually a great choice. Children adapt fast, and the English primary curriculum isn't so different that coming home is hard.

The timing to watch is secondary school. GCSEs (Years 10 and 11) and A levels (Years 12 and 13) are exam-heavy and don't line up neatly with Australian senior certificates or the ATAR. Families planning to return before Year 12 often aim to move during primary or the first years of secondary.

Some families choose a fee-paying international or independent school offering the International Baccalaureate, which is recognised by Australian universities. Fees are high and vary widely, so get them direct from each school. Children on a parent's work visa can attend either type of school.

Before you move back, request reports and work samples, and read our guide on schooling Australian kids abroad and coming home.

Australian parents in London compare boroughs, waiting lists and appeals in Cooee UK, our Facebook group for Australians in the UK.

Sources

1. School admissions: applications from overseas children – GOV.UK
2. Primary school admissions booklet 2027–28 – London Borough of Lambeth
3. Secondary school admissions booklet 2027–28 – London Borough of Lambeth
4. eAdmissions – London local authorities
5. Apply for a secondary school place – GOV.UK
6. Understanding Ofsted report cards and grades – GOV.UK

Keep reading

• Childcare in London: nursery costs, funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare
• Renting in London as an Australian
• Moving to London from Australia: the complete guide
• Schooling Australian kids abroad and coming home