--- type: "Article" title: "What happens after my child passes the 11+?" description: "Passing the 11+ qualifies your child but does not guarantee a place. What to do next: complete the CAF by 31 October, offer day, and waiting lists." resource: https://pip11plus.com/what-happens-after-my-child-passes-the-11-plus tags: ["11+", "pip"] timestamp: 2026-10-13T19:50:09Z image: https://pip11plus.com/info-hub-cards/results-pip.jpg --- 🎓 After the Exam # What happens after my child passes the 11+? ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) **By the Pip team** Updated June 2026 Passing the 11+ is a big moment, but it is not the finish line. A pass qualifies your child for selective entry; it does not, on its own, reserve a place. The crucial next step is completing the Common Application Form with your local authority by 31 October, listing your preferred schools in order. Offers then arrive together on National Offer Day, usually 1 March. If your first choice does not come through straight away, waiting lists often move in your favour. **TL;DR** - Passing qualifies your child but does not guarantee a place. - Complete the Common Application Form by 31 October, listing schools in order. - Offers arrive together on National Offer Day, usually 1 March. - Most grammar schools keep waiting lists, which often move after offer day. ## What passing actually means A pass means your child has met the school's academic standard and is eligible for a selective place. It is genuinely worth celebrating, but it is a qualification, not an offer. Popular schools can receive more qualified children than they have seats, so a strong result still has to clear admissions rules. This is exactly why a child can [pass the 11+ but not get a place](https://pip11plus.com/can-you-pass-the-11-plus-but-not-get-a-place), and why the next steps matter. _A pass qualifies your child but doesn't enrol them. Complete the Common Application Form by 31 October, then offers arrive on National Offer Day, around 1 March._ ## Complete the application form Passing does not enrol your child anywhere. You still submit the Common Application Form to your local authority, due 31 October, listing your preferred secondary schools in order. This is the step that turns a pass into a real chance of a place, so it is worth understanding [how the Common Application Form works](https://pip11plus.com/what-is-the-common-application-form-caf) and getting the order of preferences right. It usually arrives just after [results come out](https://pip11plus.com/when-are-11-plus-results-released), so you can choose with the score in hand. **The 31 October deadline is the one to protect** A pass is wasted if the application is late. Put 31 October in your calendar the moment results arrive, and submit your preferences in good time rather than at the last minute. ## Wait for offer day After the form is in, there is a wait. All secondary school offers in England are released together on National Offer Day, usually 1 March, rather than trickling out one by one. Knowing [how National Offer Day works](https://pip11plus.com/what-is-national-offer-day) takes some of the uncertainty out of those quiet months between application and offer. ## Waiting lists If your first choice does not come through on offer day, it is not necessarily over. Most grammar schools keep waiting lists, and positions can shift a good deal as families who hold several offers release the ones they do not take. Stay on the list for any school you really want, and keep your contact details current so the school can reach you quickly if a place opens up. _A no on offer day isn't always final: most grammar schools keep waiting lists that move afterwards. Stay on the list and keep your details current._ ## Keep things steady in the meantime The months between results and starting secondary school are a chance to exhale. There is no need to keep drilling, but a light routine keeps skills warm for the step up to a new school. A few minutes of [daily practice with Pip](https://pip11plus.com/index#get) is a gentle way to keep maths, English and reasoning ticking over, so your child arrives in September confident rather than rusty. ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) Written by **The Pip team** The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers. ## Keep reading [What is the Common Application Form (CAF)?](https://pip11plus.com/what-is-the-common-application-form-caf): School Choice The secondary application and the 31 October deadline. 4 min read · School Choice [What is National Offer Day?](https://pip11plus.com/what-is-national-offer-day): School Choice When secondary offers land, usually 1 March. 3 min read · School Choice [Can you pass the 11+ but not get a place?](https://pip11plus.com/can-you-pass-the-11-plus-but-not-get-a-place): Results & Scoring Why passing does not guarantee a seat. 5 min read · Results & Scoring ## From pass to a confident start Pip keeps maths, English and reasoning ticking over in five calm minutes a day, so your child steps up to secondary school ready. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [More 11+ guides](https://pip11plus.com/info-hub) Free forever · no sign-up