Apply now for a primary school place - deadline 15 January 2025

You can apply for a primary school place in County Durham for your child for September 2025 now.

Who is eligible to start school in September 2025

Children born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 will be eligible to start in reception year.
Children born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018 are eligible to transfer from infant to junior schools.

Apply for a place

Apply using our Parent Portal:

Parent Portal - Create a new account - if you have not used the Parent Portal before, you will need to create a new account.
Parent Portal - Log in with an existing account - you can log in with your existing account if you have registered previously to partially complete or submit an application (for example, you might have used the portal to apply previously for a school place or for a 2 year old Play and Learn place). Please note that this is a new portal - account and child details are still available, however applications from previous years will not be available.

Applications will close on Wednesday 15 January 2025.

We strongly advise you to read the guidance on our Primary school places page as it explains everything you need to know about obtaining a school place for your child for September 2025.

You can also use our guide Applying for a school place on the Durham Parent Portal (PDF) [1MB] to help you use the Parent Portal.

Apply by post or email

If you are unable to apply online you can contact Contact School places and admissions and we will send you an application form. If possible, you should return your completed form by email to schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk.

If you return your form to us by post we strongly advise you sending it by "Royal Mail Signed For" or "Royal Mail Special Delivery". Your receipt will have a tracking number and you can track your application. This will confirm that we have received your child's application form.

Application deadline

Applications will close on Wednesday 15 January 2025.

A late application received after 15 January 2025 greatly reduces your chances of getting into your preferred school.

If you are applying online, as we near the closing date for applications our team will download your information from the Parent Portal. Once this information has been downloaded to our admissions database you will not be able to amend your application on the parent portal. If your application has the status 'Received by the LA' then you will not be able to make any further changes by using the Parent Portal. If you do still wish to make changes then you must Contact School places and admissions to advise us of these changes. You must include your child's name, date of birth, address and outline the changes needed in any correspondence sent to us.

Offer of a place

The offer of a school place will be made on Wednesday 16 April 2025.

How we use your personal information

Find out how we use your personal information and what happens if you give false information on your application form.

Unfortunately, children lose places every year due to parents giving false information on their application forms, this includes appeal forms. We therefore reserve the right to seek proof of address. We will withdraw an offer of a school place if it was obtained through a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application.

Parents will be asked to sign a declaration to state that you:

have read, understood and agree to abide by the conditions as set out on Primary school places or Secondary school places.
confirm that you have parental responsibility for the child (or have care and control of the child), and in seeking to apply for your child a school place, you have no knowledge of any opposition to this application from any other person who has parental responsibility for the child. (If applicable, you must inform us of the individual who opposes the transfer and supply their contact details)
will contact us immediately to let us know of any change of address details after the submission of your child's application
understand that your child's school place can be withdrawn even if he/she has started at the school if the place was fraudulently obtained
agree and consent to us checking the details you have provided on your child's application against Council Tax, Electoral Registration and other council records to confirm that your child is resident at the address in Section A
agree and consent to us sharing your data with other agencies, where it is necessary to do so and where the law allows, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (see our Privacy notices and data protection page)
understand that if you have provided information that is incorrect or incomplete, you may be investigated and action may be taken against you (including court action)