Applying for Transfer places

Applying for Transfer places

This page has information about making a Transfer application. If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), please see Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support, Assessment and Review Team  

Key dates 

Applications open: 1 September 2026 

Applications close: 31 October 2026 

National offer day: 1 March 2027 

Check which transfer group your child is in

First school to Middle school applications

Starting: Year 5 in September 2027

Date of birth: 01 September 2017 - 31 August 2018

• Newcastle has four middle schools. We advise you apply for all of them
• You can't apply for primary schools in this process

Primary school to Secondary school applications

Starting: Year 7 in September 2027

Date of birth: 01 September 2015 - 31 August 2016

• You can't apply for middle schools in this process

Middle school to High school applications

Starting: Year 9 in September 2027

Date of birth: 01 September 2013 - 31 August 2014

• Newcastle has two schools which have intakes into Year 9. Great Park Academy and Gosforth Academy. We advise you apply for both schools.
• You can't apply for secondary schools in this process

What you need to do 

• Check if you can apply and which address to use 
• Read the rules each school uses to decide who gets a place (called oversubscription criteria) 
• Use all four school preferences  
• Put your favourite school first – read the equal preference information below 
• Apply on time – if you apply late there is less chance of being offered one of the schools you apply to  
• Watch the video below to help you 

Making the right choice 

 It is important to apply on time. Please make sure you submit your application by 31 October 2026. 

Apply online 

Read: 

1. Important information about Transfer 2026 
2. Legal information - School Admissions 

Help with choosing a school 

Find and compare schools

Use the school search tool to: 

• Look for schools near you 
• Check Ofsted reports 
• Filter by religion 

Find and compare schools 

Visit the School

Visiting a school helps you decide.  

You can talk to teachers and ask questions. 

Schools may have open days or you contact them to arrange a visit. 

Will your child get a place? 

Getting a place at a specific school is not guaranteed. 

Each school has their own rules to decide who gets a place. These are called oversubscription criteria. You can find them on each school’s website.   

If more children apply than there are places, the school uses these rules to decide. 

You can see how places were given out in past years using the link below.  

How reception and transfer places were allocated  

If you child can be given more than one school place, we use equal preference to decide which school. 

What is equal preference? 

When you apply for schools, you can choose up to four preferences.  

You must put them in the order you like best – your favourite first.  

All the schools look at your application without knowing which number you gave them. This means they treat all your choices the same at first. 

Each school checks if your child meets their rules (oversubscription criteria). 

If more than one school can offer a place, the council will give you the one you put highest on your list. 

Oversubscription criteria example 

• Read the oversubscription criteria for each school. 
• Check which category your child comes under (see individual school's website) 

Example

Ahmed chose North East Secondary as his first choice school. However, his child was not offered a place there, even though they live close to the school. 
This happened because there were more applications than places available. The school had 100 places and had to use its oversubscription criteria to decide who would be offered a place. 

The 100 places were given as follows: 

• 1 place was given to a child who had been adopted. (category 1) 
• 60 places were given to children who attended a feeder school. (category 2) 
• 20 places were given to children who have a brother or sister at the school. (category 3) 
• 1 place was given to a child with exceptional medical needs meaning they could only go to that school. (category 4) 
• The remaining 18 places were given to children who lived closer to the school than Ahmed's child. (category 5) 

As a result, Ahmed's child was not offered a place at North East Secondary.
 
Instead, Ahmed's child was offered a place at North Academy, which was his second choice school. 

North Academy also had 100 places available. These places were given as follows: 

• 70 places were given to children who attended a feeder school. (category 2) 
• 10 places were given to children who have a brother or sister at the school. (category 3) 
• 20 places were given to children who lived near the school, including Ahmed's child. (category 5) 

Because there was a place available for Ahmed's child under this category, they were offered a place at North Academy.