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.
- If your child’s birthday falls between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 your child will start Reception at an infant or primary school in September 2026.
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) or infant school to junior school (Year 3 intake).
The closing date to apply for a primary school place for September 2026 is midnight on Thursday 15 January 2026.
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 Thursday 15 January 2026.
All admissions to St. John’s Primary School are co-ordinated by Durham County Council, please visit the Durham County Council website for information regarding the School Admissions. To appeal against an admission decision visit: School admissions-appeals.
A copy of our School Admissions Policy can also be found in the School Policy section of this website.
Timelines and important dates for primary school applications
These are important dates if your child will be starting Reception in September 2026 or is currently attending Infant School and will be starting Year 3 in Junior School in September 2026. It is very important that you make sure your application is submitted before the closing date.
For most schools in County Durham, an “on-time” application is given priority over a “late” application. This may also be the case for schools located in other council areas (you may wish to contact them directly to check).
Starting Reception in September 2026 or currently attending Infant School and will be starting Year 3 in Junior School in September 2026
| Date | Stage in application process |
|---|---|
| Monday 1 September 2025 | Applications open. |
| Thursday 15 January 2026 | Closing date for applications. |
| Friday 6 March 2026 |
Last date for submitting late applications. This is the last date for submitting late applications or making changes to your application. We cannot make any changes received after this date. Any changes or late applications received after this date will be processed on re-allocation day. |
| Thursday 16 April 2026 |
National offer day – offers made. If you applied for a place online, you will receive an email on the morning confirming our offer of a school place. If you applied by post, you will receive your offer letter in the post. You can ask for your child’s name to be added to a school waiting list for the 2024/2025 academic year. |
| Thursday 7 May 2026 |
Re-allocation day. Any places that become available at schools within County Durham will be offered to pupils at the top of a school’s waiting list. |
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
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
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