Starting School
Apply now for a primary school
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent or carer for your child. The guidance on these pages is designed to help you to apply for a school place.
- Children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023 will be eligible to start in reception year.
You must make an application for your child’s school place as there is no automatic transfer from either nursery school to infant or primary school (Reception intake).
The closing date to apply for a primary school place for September 2026 is midnight on Thursday 15 January 2026.
Applications will close on Friday 15 January 2027.
How to apply for a place
- Parent Portal – Create a new account – if you have not used the Parent Portal before, you will need to create a new account.
- Parent Portal – Log in with an existing account – you can log in with your existing account if you have registered previously to partially complete or submit an application (for example, you might have used the portal to apply previously for a school place or for a 2 year old Play and Learn place). Please note that this is a new portal – account and child details are still available, however applications from previous years will not be available.
Applications will close on Friday 15 January 2027.
Apply by post or email
If you are unable to apply online you can Contact School places and admissions and we will send you an application form. If possible, you should return your completed form by email to schooladmissions@durham.gov.uk.
If you return your form to us by post we strongly advise you to send it by “Royal Mail Signed For” or “Royal Mail Special Delivery”. Your receipt will have a tracking number and you can track your application. This will confirm that we have received your child’s application form.
Application deadline
Applications will close on Friday 15 January 2027.
A late application received after 15 January 2027 greatly reduces your chances of getting into your preferred school.
If you are applying online, as we near the closing date for applications, we will download your information from the Parent Portal. Once this information has been downloaded to our admissions’ database you will not be able to amend your application on the parent portal. If your application has the status ‘Received by the LA’ then you will not be able to make any further changes by using the Parent Portal. If you do still wish to make changes then you must Contact School places and admissions to advise us of these changes. You must include your child’s name, date of birth, address and outline the changes needed in any correspondence sent to us.
A copy of our School Admissions Policy can also be found in the School Policy section of this website.
School Admissions – Special Educational Needs (SEND)
We are committed to meeting the needs of all children including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We would ask parents to discuss the identified needs with the school prior to starting so that appropriate intervention and support can be planned and implemented. Advice from the LA or other agencies may be requested to ensure any school can meet any needs appropriately.
Full details of the admission arrangements can be found in the Primary and Secondary Admissions brochure produced by Durham County Council. http://www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions
Offer of a place
Applying for a school place if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan or a Statement of SEN
Children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (or Statement of Special Education Needs) follow a different admission and transfer process for a new school. Please continue to complete Durham County Council’s parental preference form, as part of the admission process to a new school. You continue to have a right to request a particular school and this will be considered alongside the information that we have about your child’s special educational needs. The information would have been provided as part of the Education, Health and Care assessment or following the review meeting.
Key Policies
Admissions and Appeals Policy and Guidelines 2026
Admissions and Appeals Policy and Guidelines 2027
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