Timetable for middle, high and secondary schools
Y4 parents and Y8 parents need to apply for their child’s place at either Middle or High School. The application process is now open.
| Thursday 12 September 2019 | Application process opens
Online Admissions Portal can be accessed here |
| Thursday 31 October 2019 | Closing date for all applications to be received by the Local Authority |
| Monday 2 March 2020 | National Offer Day. E-mails sent to those parents who applied online and who requested to be informed by email. Parents who applied on a paper form will have a letter sent out to them today |
| Monday 16 March 2020 | Deadline for parents to refuse the school place. |
| Monday 23 March 2020 | Any places that become available are allocated in criteria order (on time applicants) |
| Friday 17 April 2020 | All remaining places allocated on a first come first serve basis |
| Thursday 31 December 2020 | No waiting lists held by the Local Authority after this date. |
FAQS
Frequently asked questions about school admissions (entry years) in Northumberland
Q. How do I apply for my child’s school place?
A. From 12 September 2019 (Middle, High, Secondary) and 1st November 2019 (Reception)
onwards you can apply for your child’s school place online at www.northtyneside.gov.uk. If
you have any difficulties in applying please note that the Citizen Portal only works with
Windows Explorer Version 10 and above, or Chrome, or Firefox or on mobile devices. If you
are having difficulties please make sure your device has the most up to date version If you
do not have access to a computer you can complete a paper application which is available
on the School Admissions website.
Q. How important is it for me to ensure my application is received by the deadline?
A. Very important. If you don’t make an on-time application, there is a risk that all available
places in your preferred school will be taken and your child will be offered a place at an
alternative school. You must tell us why your application is late. We will consider your
reasons and if they are exceptional we may consider your application along with those
received on time.
Q. Do I have a right to a place at the school of my choice for my child?
A. No. Parents do not have an absolute right to choose the school they want for their child.
Parents have a right to state a preference for a school and the Local Authority and other
admission authorities have a duty to comply with that preference.
Q. How can I assess the likelihood of securing a place for my child?
A. From the school’s admission policy – available in the ‘School Admissions Handbook’ you
will be able to work out how high up the list of admission criteria your child will be. You can
find information about the number of children the school can admit in September, as well as
the number of children admitted within each admission category last year. However, you
must treat the information about previous years with some caution because circumstances
can change from year to year. For example, if a new housing development opens in the
catchment area of a small First or Primary School, it may affect the number of catchment
and out of catchment applicants the school can admit.
Q. Will my child be guaranteed a place in the catchment area school?
A. The Local Authority or admission authority cannot guarantee places in any school. If you
apply to your catchment school the chances are usually high that you will be offered a place,
but this cannot be guaranteed. Changes in the pattern of parents’ preferences and changes
in local population may mean that some schools will be oversubscribed from within their
catchment area.
Q. How do I find out the catchment area school for my address?
A. By logging onto
http://northumberland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8aa658f92b2a4237834519c4330fc07c
Please note that your child’s permanent address determines your catchment school and it is
this address which must be used on the application form.
Q. Will my child be guaranteed a place in a school that their older sibling already
attends?
A. The Local Authority or admission authority cannot guarantee places in any school,
especially if you want your children attend a school that is not your catchment school.
Q. My child lives at different addresses during the week. Which address do I use when
applying?
A. When considering your application the admission authority will use the parental home
residence of the Parent/Carer who receives the child benefit or child tax credit. If the address
on your application form is not your child’s normal address, you must provide a child
arrangement order issued by a court if you wish that address to be considered. Admission
authorities will not accept any other arrangements e.g. where parents delegate parental
responsibility to a grandparent or other family member unless you have court documentation
that supports their living arrangements.
Q. What if I move house after the deadline?
A. If you move into a particular schools catchment area and do not notify us by 9 January
2019 for Middle and High School applications and 1 March 2019 for First and Primary
applications, your new address will not be considered before the ‘offer day’. If you move or
send evidence after 9 January and 1 March it will not be possible to process your child’s
application using your new address because the allocation process will have already started.
However, please let us know because we can send your allocation letter with the offer of a
school place to your new address.
Q. What if I move into rented property?
A. You must have a rental agreement of 12 months or more or ends in the Autumn Term in
2020 (31 December 2020). We will require proof of your new address i.e. rental agreement
and copy of council tax statement. Please note we will not accept tenancy agreements for a
sixth month period.
Q. Can the offer of a place be withdrawn?
A. The Admission Authority reserves the right to withdraw places in certain circumstances
i.e. where a parent uses fraudulent or intentionally misleading information such as a false
address.
Q. Will medical, childcare arrangements or social reasons be considered?
A. Where a school is oversubscribed places are allocated according to the published
oversubscription criteria which may not take into account individual reasons.
Q. I live outside of Northumberland and want to apply for a Northumberland school
which form do I use?
A. You must apply to your home Local Authority. This is the Authority where you pay your
council tax. Your home Local Authority will pass your information to us securely using a
government approved secure computer system. We will treat your request in the same way
as applications from Northumberland residents. However, we will not offer you another
Northumberland school if we cannot offer you a place in one of your preferred school(s).
Q. What happens if I do not apply?
A. Your child will be allocated a place at your catchment area school if a vacancy exists, or
at the nearest appropriate school with a vacancy.
Q. What happens if I want to change my school preferences after the deadline?
A. You cannot change your preference(s) without a genuine reason i.e. you have moved
address. You should send us a copy of your council tax statement to confirm you are
residing at your new address.
Q. What happens if I want to change my preferences after ‘Offer Day?’
A. Parents can have a maximum of 4 preferences including schools in and outside
Northumberland. If you are not happy with the school you have been offered and want to
apply for a school that was not on your original application you must complete a new
application. Amended preferences will overwrite your initial application. Therefore if you wish
to retain any of your original preferences they must be included in your new application.
Q. How is the distance measured?
A. In a straight line from a single fixed central point of the home address (including flats) to
the central point of the school using the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and the
Council’s Geographical Information System (GIS/ONE).
Q. My child has a cousin attending the school I am applying for. Will this be
considered as a sibling link?
A. No a sibling link is an older brother or sister residing at the same address (including
adoptive siblings, half siblings, step siblings, and long term fostered children).
Q. My child already attends the school nursery, will I be automatically allocated a
place in Reception?
A. No, you still need to apply. Being in the nursery does not guarantee a place.
