Latest updates during the admissions process will be posted within this section.
If you received an offer of a school place to transfer to middle, secondary or high school in September 2013, it is essential that you contact us and confirm you accept the offer. Otherwise places in popular schools will be removed and reallocated to families on the waiting list. Please also tell us if you do not want the place.
Phone us on 0191 278 7878 or email admissions.education@newcastle.gov.uk providing your child’s name and date of birth.
Transfer places in middle, secondary or high schools in Years 5, 7 and 9 are now being offered from waiting lists as and when they become available. If you are new to the city and want a school place in a transfer or any other year group, you must apply to the council not directly to the school. Please contact us by phone or email.
We’ve now completed the first waiting list process to reallocate reception class places that have become available since offer day on 15 April. We have emailed revised offers to parents who applied online, or posted letters second class to parents who applied on paper. Only a very small number of parents have received new offers.
If you have received an offer of a school place, it is essential that you contact us and confirm you accept the offer. Otherwise places may be removed and reallocated to families on the waiting lists. Phone us on 0191 278 7878 or email admissions.education@newcastle.gov.uk providing your child’s name and date of birth.
Our next reception class waiting list process will be run on 24 May to include all late applications and changes notified to us by 17 May
Offer day for school places in reception class for September 2013 is 15 April 2013. If you live in Newcastle and applied on time for a reception place for your child, you will receive an offer of a school place.
You must accept your offer by 29 April or it may be removed and reallocated to another child. You can accept it online, return the paper acceptance form, or email us at fis@newcastle.gov.uk.
If you applied late, your application will be processed on 24 May and we will contact you after this date with a school offer. If you still haven’t submitted an application and your child is due to start school in September, please phone us on 0191 278 7878.
If you have been offered a school place which was not at your preferred school and you have any concerns or questions, we suggest you contact the school and arrange to visit and talk to them to find out how the school can meet your child’s needs. Please be aware that many schools are full for September. Alternative places are limited and may be a further distance from home.
You are on the waiting lists for any school that you ranked as a higher preference than the one you were offered, and we will contact you after we run our waiting list processes if a preferred place becomes available. Waiting lists will be run on 3 May and 24 May. Please do not contact us to ask about positions on waiting lists as we will not provide this information. Rankings on waiting lists can go up or down as new applications are received and processed. By law, admission authorities cannot treat an application less favourably because it is received late.
You do have the right of appeal for higher preference schools but please note there are very limited grounds that an appeals panel can consider due to infant class size legislation. See our appeals page for information.
Please be aware that phone lines are likely to be very busy and we apologise for any delays you may experience in getting through to speak to our team. We suggest you use our automated voicemail, online or email services where possible.
National offer day for transfer places in middle, secondary and high schools for September was 1 March 2013. Since then, we have run two waiting list processes to reallocate places which became available after offer day, and we have also processed all late applications. All children living in Newcastle who are eligible to transfer to middle, secondary or high school in September should now have been offered a place.
If you live in Newcastle and your child is due to transfer schools in September and you have not received an offer from us, please contact us on 0191 278 7878.
If you received an offer and have not yet confirmed you wish to accept it, please contact us on 0191 278 7878 or the place may be removed and reallocated.
If you have been offered a school place which was not at your preferred school and you have any concerns or questions, we suggest you contact the school and arrange to visit and talk to them to find out how the school can meet your child’s needs. Please be aware that many schools are full for September and alternative places are limited. If you ask to change to a school further away than the one we have offered you, your child is unlikely to be eligible for free home to school travel.
From 15 April, transfer places that become available will be allocated as and when they occur. You are on the waiting lists for any school that you ranked as a higher preference than the one you were offered, and we will contact you if a preferred place becomes available. Please do not contact us to ask about positions on waiting lists as we will not provide this information. Rankings on waiting lists can go up or down as new applications are received and processed. By law, admission authorities cannot treat an application less favourably because it is received late.
You do have the right of appeal for higher preference schools. See our appeals page for information.
Please be aware that phone lines are likely to be very busy and we apologise for any delays you may experience in getting through to speak to our team. We suggest you use our automated voicemail, online or email services where possible.
The application process for a school place in a reception class for the school year starting in September 2013 closed on 15 January 2013.
If you missed the closing date and your child is due to start school in the academic year beginning in September 2013 you still need to apply for a school place. Your application will be treated as late and will be processed after those that are received on time. If there are exceptional circumstances why your application is late, you should enclose this information with your application and where appropriate provide supporting evidence (for example proof of a house move if you have moved into Newcastle after the closing date). Exceptional circumstances will be considered on an individual basis. Please note that 'exceptions' will not be possible after 5 February 2013 as the school place allocation process will have begun.
Contact the Family Information Service, phone: 0191 278 7878 or email: fis@newcastle.gov.uk for an application form.
The application process for a school place in a Middle, Secondary, Trust School or Academy for the school year starting in September 2013 closed on 31 October 2012.
If you missed the closing date and your child is due to transfer school in the school year starting in September 2013 you still need to apply for a school place. Your application will be treated as late and will be processed after those that are received on time. If there are exceptional circumstances why your application is late, you should enclose this information with your application and where appropriate provide supporting evidence (for example proof of a house move if you have moved into Newcastle after the closing date). Exceptional circumstances will be considered on an individual basis and may be processed as though the application had been received on time. Please note that 'exceptions' will not be possible after 1 January 2013 as the allocations process will have begun.
Contact the Family Information Service, phone: 0191 278 7878 or email: fis@newcastle.gov.uk for an application form.
The closing date for secondary applications is midnight on 31 October 2012.
Did you know we can help you complete your online application? Contact the Families Information Service for one to one support.
Before applying we suggest you make an appointment to visit the schools you are interested in. Take a look at our school pages to read further information about Ofsted reports and performance tables. Most secondary schools hold open days/evenings for parents and carers to visit. Please contact the school direct for more information.
The majority of parents in Newcastle are offered a place in a reception class at one of their preferred schools. Take a look at last year's data for allocation of places and appeals data. To increase your chances of gaining a place at one of your preferred schools there are some important points you should remember.
Back to: school admissions and transfers
Page last updated: 9 May, 2013
