Apply to change school during the school year

Apply to change primary school or return to primary school following home education

Apply to change primary school because of a house move

We deal with school transfer requests in order of receipt. It can take up to ten school days from the date of receipt for the process to start, however during peak times it may take slightly longer. Please allow ten school days before chasing up your application. 'School days' do not include weekends, bank holidays or school holidays.

Whilst some school staff may access emails intermittently during school holidays, we cannot guarantee that we will receive a response from them before they return. This means that if your request is received just before or during a school holiday period, you may not receive your outcome until the school restarts. As a school place can only be held for two school weeks, if your request is not for an immediate transfer, the 'ten school day' period advised above will begin ten school days before the start date you asked for.

Transfer requests for the start of the following academic year are dealt with from the last week of June onwards.

Apply to change primary school for reasons other than a house move or to return to primary school following home education

Before applying to move primary schools, please read the  Why change schools? - information leaflet for parents and carers (PDF, 128.1kb) . Once you have read this, if you still want to move schools, you should contact us for an application form.

You will need to tell us that the application is for a transfer of primary school so that we can make sure we send you the correct form. You will need to complete Sections A-G, and then forward the whole form to your child's current school (or most recent previous school if they are not currently in education or are being educated at home) for them to complete Section H. Once completed, you can email it to schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk.

We deal with school transfer requests in order of receipt. It can take up to ten school days from the date of receipt for the process to start, however during peak times it may take slightly longer. Please allow ten school days before chasing up your application. 'School days' do not include weekends, bank holidays or school holidays.

Whilst some school staff may access emails intermittently during school holidays, we cannot guarantee that we will receive a response from them before they return. This means that if your request is received just before or during a school holiday period, you may not receive your outcome until the school restarts. As a school place can only be held for two school weeks, if your request is not for an immediate transfer, the 'ten school day' period advised above will begin ten school days before the start date you asked for.

Transfer requests for the start of the following academic year are dealt with from the last week of June onwards.

Apply to change secondary school or return to secondary school following home education

Before applying to move secondary schools, please read the  Why change schools? - information leaflet for parents and carers (PDF, 128.1kb) . Once you have read this, if you still want to move schools, you should contact us for an application form.

You will need to tell us that the application is for a transfer of secondary school so that we can make sure we send you the correct form. You will need to complete Sections A-G, and then forward the whole form to your child's current school (or most recent previous school if they are not currently in education or are being educated at home) for them to complete Section H. Once completed, you can email it to schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk.

We deal with school transfer requests in order of receipt. It can take up to ten school days from the date of receipt for the process to start, however during peak times it may take slightly longer. Please allow ten school days before chasing up your application. 'School days' do not include weekends, bank holidays or school holidays.

Whilst some school staff may access emails intermittently during school holidays, we cannot guarantee that we will receive a response from them before they return. This means that if your request is received just before or during a school holiday period, you may not receive your outcome until the school restarts. As a school place can only be held for two school weeks, if your request is not for an immediate transfer, the 'ten school day' period advised above will begin ten school days before the start date you asked for.

Transfer requests for the start of the following academic year are dealt with from the last week of June onwards.

Successful applications

Your child will be expected to start at their new school within two school weeks of the offer being made. If there are going to be significant delays in your child starting, we may have to remove the offer. In such instances, you will need to reapply, and it may be the case that there is no longer a place that can be offered at your preferred school.

Unsuccessful applications

If we cannot offer you a place at your chosen school we will add your child's name to the school's waiting list if you want us to. You can also Appeal against the offer of a school place decision. Please note, some schools are their own admissions authority and will need to be contacted directly for waiting lists and appeals. We can tell you if this is the case with any of the schools you have applied for.

Travel to school following a change of school

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

Apply for a school place if your child is due to start Reception year, Junior school or Year 7 at the beginning of the next school year

If your child is due to start primary or secondary school, you should check Timelines and important dates for primary school applications or Timelines and important dates for secondary school applications for when school place applications open.