Offers of a secondary school place
Offers of a secondary school place for September 2025 were sent out on 3 March 2025.
Your child should have received one offer of a school place. If they could not be offered a place at one of your preferred schools, they have been offered a place at the nearest school to your home address that has places available.
How you will receive your offer of a school place
An offer of a school place will be sent to parents and carers during the morning of Monday 3 March 2025.
If you applied for a school place online:
- you will receive an email with a link to download your offer of a school place
- you will be able to check your offer of a school place by logging into the Parent Portal - Parent Portal - Log in with an existing account
If you applied for a school place by paper application you will receive an offer of a school place by letter.
Accept your offer
If you wish to accept the school place offered, you need take no further action.
Only Contact School places and admissions if you do not wish to accept the offer of the place made.
What to do if you are not happy about the school place offered
Appeal against a school place offer
To appeal for a place at the school you want your child to attend Contact School places and admissions to speak to an appeals officer.
Go on a school's waiting list
You can Ask to be put on a school's waiting list at an over-subscribed school.
What to do if you still have not applied for a secondary school place for 2025
The closing date to apply for a secondary school place for this September was Thursday 31 October 2024. If you have not yet applied, Contact School places and admissions for an application form.
School Admissions Guide
Our admissions guide is now online - Secondary school places explains everything you need to know about obtaining a secondary school place for your child.
Report from local authorities to the Schools Adjudicator
Every year we are asked to submit a report to the Schools Adjudicator in order to provide an overview of school admissions in our area. This is our latest report:
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)
- Email schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk
- Telephone 03000 265 896