More information about main round school admissions
If you have a question about school admissions, please check the answers on this page before you contact us.
If you cannot find what you're looking for, you can email the school admission team on SchoolsAdmissions@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a school place online? Can I see my child’s allocation school online?
Yes, you can apply for a Primary or Secondary School place online, but not mid-year currently.
To apply you can follow this link [link to apply online page]. You'll need to register your details before you can apply online.
On the day that notification letters are sent, you will be able to log into the website and see your child's allocated school.
What happens if I do not apply for a primary or secondary school place for my child?
We strongly advise that you apply. If you don't apply, your child will be offered a place at the nearest appropriate school which has places left only after all other applications have been dealt with.
Can I apply for just one school?
We strongly advise that you apply for 3 different schools. If you only apply for one school, and that school cannot offer your child a place, your child will be offered a place at the nearest appropriate school which has places left only after all other applications have been dealt with.
My child's sibling already attends my preferred school. Will I automatically be offered a place?
No, every child must apply for a school place. Everyone's preferences are then considered against each school's oversubscription criteria.
How are school places allocated?
Allocations operate an equal preference system. Each school has a set number of places available, and an admissions criteria. If there are less applications than the admission number, than all applications will be accepted and offered a place at that school. If there are more applications than places, the applications will be treated in the following manner:
- All preferences for a school, whether they are first, second or third preference, will be considered equally
- The published admissions criteria for the school is applied to all preferences to rank the applications in order
- This ranked list of applications is then used to allocate places at the school up to the maximum admission number
- Parents are then offered a place at the school with the highest preference that can be met
What does consider preference mean?
Each school has an maximum number of children it can admit. If the number of preferences exceeds the admission number, the admission authority will consider a parent's preferences against the school's published admissions criteria.
What happens if I'm not offered my first preferred school for my child?
Your child will be offered a place at your highest ranked preference school which has places available. You'll also have the right to appeal the decision. If none of your preferred schools have places available, your child will be offered a place at the nearest appropriate school which has places available.
What is a school admission appeal?
Every parent or carer has the right to appeal against a decision not to offer their child a place at a particular school. Appeals are heard by independent appeals panels. The panel will make a decision based on the case presented by the admissions authority and the parent or carer.
Is the school admission appeal decision binding?
Yes, both the admission authority and the parent or guardian must do what the panel says.
You can only contact the Local Government Ombudsman if you think that your child was refused a place at a school because of a mistake by the admissions authority, or if your appeal was handled incorrectly. Find out more about complaining to the Local Government Ombudsman.
What happens if I submit an application after the closing date?
All applications submitted late will be looked at after those which were submitted on time. If your application is late then your child may not get into one of your preferred schools. This applies even if you live in the school admission zone, or have another child already attending the school at the time of applying.
Can I appeal for more than one school at one time?
Yes. You are entitled to appeal for every school your child has been refused a place at.
What happens if I am not offered any of my school preferences?
If we cannot offer your child your first choice of school, we'll try to offer them a place at your second or third choice of school respectively. This is why it's very important to submit 3 choices.
If we're unable to offer a place at any of your 3 choices, we'll offer your child a place at the nearest suitable school to your home address which has places available.