Service personnel and crown servants
You can apply for a school place in advance of a forces move. If you have a posting order, your new address can be used, or a unit address if you prefer
You can apply within the usual deadline for reception, year 3 or year 7. At any other time, you can apply six weeks in advance.
Primary or junior school applications dates
Admission opens on 17 November 2025 and closes on 15 January 2026, the national closing date.
Lincolnshire has a final closing date of 12 February 2026 for late applications and changes, but your application may not be accepted if you apply to schools outside of Lincolnshire. Therefore, we recommend that you apply by the national deadline on 15 January 2026.
If you do not get your application in by the final closing day of 12 February 2026, or you want to change your application after this date, you will have to wait until admission reopens on 17 April 2026. It will then close again on 16 May 2026.
Secondary school application dates
Admission opens on 8 September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025, the same as for all other school applications.
The national closing date is 31 October 2025. Lincolnshire has a final closing date of 12 December 2025 for late applications and changes, but your application may not be accepted if you apply to schools outside of Lincolnshire. Therefore, we recommend that you apply by the national deadline of 31 October 2025.
If you do not get your application in by the final closing date of 12 December 2025, or you want to change your application after this date, you will have to wait until admission re-opens on 3 March 2026. It will then close again on 23 March 2026.
You must send proof of your posting when making your application if a future address is being used on your application.
If you have been posted, we will ask the schools you apply for if they wish to offer you a place, even if they are full. You can apply using a unit postal address, forces address or private address.
If no school can offer a place, we will find you the closest one to your new address with a space if you have sent a posting order.
For further advice, please email schooladmissions@lincolnshire.gov.uk.