The closing date to apply for a primary school place for September 2025 is midnight on Wednesday 15 January 2025. See Primary school places for more information on how to apply for a place.

Our online payment services and 24 hour telephone payment line will be unavailable on Tuesday 14 January 2025 due to essential system maintenance. You will not be able to make a payment during this time.

News-Reminder for parents to apply for primary school places

Published January 06, 2025 10.24am

Parents in County Durham are being reminded of the upcoming deadline to apply for a primary school place for their child.

Applications for the next academic year, which starts in September, must be submitted by Wednesday 15 January 2025.

Apply by the deadline

For a child to be eligible to start school in September 2025, the child's birthday must fall between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021.

Cllr Ted Henderson, Cabinet member for children and young people's services, said: "For parents, the decision of which primary school to send their child to is, understandably, a big one. We would urge parents to make sure they apply by the deadline as a late application greatly reduces the chances of getting into a preferred school."

Applications can be made online on our School places and admissions page, or by post. If posting, the form should be sent back using signed for or special delivery services.

Application forms can also be requested by phoning 03000 265 896 or by writing to the School Places and Admissions Team at Education Development Centre, Enterprise Way, Spennymoor, DL16 6YP.

Receiving an offer

Offers of places will be made to parents on 16 April 2025.

For applications completed online, offers will be received by email. For applications sent by post, offers will be received by letter. These should arrive by no later than 18 April 2025.

Related information

Apply for a primary or secondary school place