We are required by law to operate an equal preference system for admission to schools. This means that all school preferences are assessed equally and in accordance with the oversubscription rules regardless of the order they appear on the application form. Where a place is available at more than one of the preferred schools, the local authority will offer a place at the school listed highest by the parent.
How many schools can I list?
Do I have to list more than one school?
In which order should I list the schools?
Can I apply for an independent school?
Does attendance in the nursery class give my child the right to a place in reception at the same school?
You can list up to four schools on your application. Each school listed counts as a separate application so this increases your chances of getting a school you would like. Please do not apply for only one school and assume your child will be offered a place.
If you only name one school on your application, and we are unable to offer your child a place there, you will be offered an alternative school with spaces. Be aware that this might not be near to your home.
Listing more than one school does not affect your chances of being offered your first preference. We would strongly advise you to use all your preferences so that you are considered for other schools if your first preference school is not successful.
It is important that you list your schools in order of preference, with the school you most want first. It is important to understand that:
Demand for places at particular schools varies from year to year. It is not possible to give firm indications of your chances of being offered a place. If your neighbour’s children were given a place last year this does not mean you will definitely get a place this year or vice versa.
| Reception - Y6 | Y7 - Y13 |
|---|---|
| Primary school | Secondary school |
| Reception - Y4 | Y5 - Y8 | Y9 - Y13 |
|---|---|---|
| First school | Middle school | High school |
Newcastle has both a two-tier and three-tier school system as explained below.
Elsewhere, first schools are referred to as primary schools for ease of reading.
Each primary and first school that operates under the Local Authority admission policy has a designated feeder link school to which their pupils usually transfer.
First schools (the three tier system)
In the Gosforth, Great Park and Dinnington areas of Newcastle children are educated in first schools (age 4 to 9) and transfer to a middle school at the end of Year 4 (age 9 to 13). From middle school children transfer to the Gosforth Academy at the end of Year 8 (age 13).
We have 9 first schools:
Primary schools (the two tier system)
In Newcastle children are educated in a primary school from age 4 to 11 before transferring to secondary school at the end of Year 6.
From September 2012 we will have 62 primary schools:
If your child attends a feeder school they are not guaranteed a place in the receiving school if there are more applications than places available. But attendance at a feeder school is one of the rules we apply in Newcastle when allocating places at transfer age.
Nursery class attendance is not taken into account when places are allocated for reception. This is because there can be more applications for reception places in a school than there are nursery places. The admission arrangements have to be fair to all parents including those without a nursery place.
Independent schools set their own curriculum and admission policies. They are funded through fees paid by parents. The School Admissions and Appeals Codes do not apply to them. If you want to apply to an independent school you should contact the school directly.
Please be aware that if you do not apply for a state school before the closing date, and your child is not offered a place at an independent school, you reduce your chances of obtaining a place at your preferred state school.
If you apply for a state school and an independent school and are offered a place at both, please tell us which school place you are accepting.
School fees vary drastically from school to school and will increase as the child moves through the school. On average it costs £4,090 per term (three terms per year) and more for boarding.