Admission to Secondary School (2025)

Applications by non-Gateshead residents

If you do not live in Gateshead, you must apply direct to your home local authority. They will forward a copy of your application form to Gateshead. If you are not offered a Gateshead School, your home local authority will ensure your child is offered a school place in your area.

Likelihood of a place at your preferred school

To assess the likelihood of gaining a place at your preferred school, look at the School Admission Policy to see how high up the admission criteria your child will be. You can then look at the statistical information for the school in section 2 of this booklet. This information will give you an idea of the number of applications, offers and appeals received for the last 2 academic years. However, these figures can change significantly from year to year.

Purpose of applying to more than one school

If you only list one school on your application form you cannot be certain that your child will be offered a place there. If you do not let us know about other schools on your application form that you might have considered as a second or third preference then you may run the risk of leaving it too late to obtain a place at one of these schools if your application for a first preference school is unsuccessful. We strongly recommend you use all three preferences, doing so does not reduce your chance of gaining a place at your first preference school.

Application address information for shared custody arrangements

If you share custody of a child for whom you are processing an application, you must contact The School Admissions Team on 0191 433 2756 or 433 3909 before completing your application form and you will be given individual advice on this issue. It is expected that where there is shared parental responsibility for a child, that parents will agree which parent has the main responsibility before completing their application form. Documentary evidence will be requested.

If you are unable to provide evidence of shared responsibility the local authority will use the address of the parent/carer who receives the child benefit.

Applications for children with Special Educational Needs

If your child is being assessed for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or already has an EHCP you should still complete a secondary school application form. The School Admissions Team will liaise with the Special Educational Needs Team, who will inform them of your child's final school placement when it is named on their EHCP.

Applications submitted after the closing date of 31 October 2024

Your application will be classed as late and you will reduce your chances of gaining a place at your chosen schools. You must give a reason as to why your application was submitted late. For applications received after 31 October 2024 but on or before 3 January 2025 we may be able to consider your application for exceptional reasons. For example, you may have just moved into the area. In such circumstances proof of ownership or tenancy of your address will be required. Each late application will be decided on its own merits. You need to be aware that if we agree to consider a late application as on-time for exceptional reasons this does not in itself mean that we can offer your child a place. It simply means that your application will be considered in accordance with the admission criteria along with all other applications that were received on time.

Late applications received after 3 January 2025 will not be processed until after 3 March 2025 however an offer will be made for your catchment school or next nearest school in Gateshead with places available measured as the crow flies from the main entrance of the school to your home address.

Changing preferences after the closing date of 31 October 2024

Change of preferences will only be considered if you can demonstrate that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the reasons for the change. You need to think carefully about the initial preferences you rank on your application form as the majority of change of preference requests for oversubscribed schools are not considered to be exceptional.

If we cannot consider your change of preference we will proceed with the preferences you gave on your original application form for determining the offer of places on 3 March 2025. Any change of preference request received after 3 January 2025 will not be processed until after 3 March 2025.

Moving house after the closing date of 31 October 2024

Please refer to Section 1 - Co-ordinated admissions - September 2025 for information on how your application will be considered if you move house after the closing date.

Offers without a complete application form

If you do not complete an application and are a Gateshead resident, a place will still be offered to your child at your catchment school or next nearest school with places available. However, this offer may be made after 3 March 2025.

Unsuccessful applications for preferred schools 

If you are not offered a place at any of your preferred schools your child will be offered a place at your catchment school or next nearest school depending upon the availability of places. 

If you are refused a place you have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel and may also request that your child's name is placed on the schools waiting list. Waiting lists are maintained according to the schools admission criteria with no regard to the ranking the school was given on the application form. A child's position on a waiting list may change due to additions or deletions of children on the list.

Over-subscription for preferred schools

If a school or academy has too many applications for the places available they are known as an over-subscribed school. Places will be allocated using the schools admission criteria set out in their admission policy. The admission criteria for Gateshead schools can be found from page 11 of this booklet.

You must read the Admission Policy for every school you apply to, even if it is outside Gateshead.