Ask to be put on a school's waiting list

Information about school waiting lists including checking your child's current position and how waiting list places are ranked.

Add your child's name to a waiting list

If you are not offered a place at your most preferred school, your child's name may be added to one or more waiting lists for other schools and you will be notified if a place becomes available (for example, if other people decline their offer of a place at those schools).

If you are offered a place that was not your first preference, your child's name will automatically be placed on the waiting list for any community or voluntary controlled schools you named as higher preferences than the school your place has been offered at.

If you aren't offered a place at any of your preferred schools, your child's name will automatically be placed on the waiting lists for all the community or voluntary controlled schools you applied for.

Waiting lists for community and voluntary controlled schools are maintained by our admissions team.

Waiting lists for academies and voluntary aided schools are normally maintained by each of those schools - please check their waiting list policies for details.

If you would like your child to be considered for a school you didn't originally apply for, write to us (even if the school is in another council area) so we can add it as a preference.

Your child's position on waiting lists

Waiting lists are ranked according to each school's admissions criteria, not the date the application was received or when the child's name was added to the list. They are ranked according to an individual school's over-subscription criteria. They are maintained throughout the school year and your position on a list may change as children are added or removed from it. Vacancies can arise at short notice and you should be prepared to take up a place as soon as it is offered.

Your child's position on a waiting list can go down as well as up. This is because other children who have greater priority against the school's admission criteria may be added to the list (for example, a child who moves into the area).

If you have moved since originally applying and your child is ranked on the waiting list according to distance, then your new address will usually be used to determine your child's place on the waiting list. You must let us know as soon as you have moved as it may affect your position on the list. You should do this in writing, by email or post.

How to make sure your child remains on the waiting list after the end of the school year

If you want your child to remain on a waiting list for next school year (2025/26) you must inform us in writing or by email to schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk between 7 May 2025 and 30 June 2025. If you do not contact us, your child's name will be removed from the waiting list at the end of the school year (July 2025).

A significant change may take place to waiting list positions at the start of the autumn term. This may be due to:

the volume of applications received during the school holidays
removal of any children who have not reapplied to remain on waiting lists for the new academic year

Travel to school

If the school is now not your nearest suitable school, you may be affected by our home to school transport policies.

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)