Co-ordinated secondary admission arrangements
All local authorities are required by regulations as described in the School Admissions Regulations 2012 to have co-ordinated admissions for all schools within its area for each academic year.
Co-ordination establishes a mechanism that ensures that, as far as practical, every child living in a local authority area who has applied in the normal admissions round receives one and only one offer of a school place on the same day.
The Local Authority co-ordinates the admission arrangements for all schools within its area in the normal admissions round. This involves receiving all applications then writing to parents/carers informing them which school place has been allocated.
Pupils transferring to Secondary school in September 2025/26
Children who were born between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014 will transfer to secondary school in September 2025.
Parents/carers have a right to express a preference for a secondary school(s) they prefer but there is no guarantee that a place can be allocated at one of them.
Do you live in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council area?
- YES - Then you must apply on the Redcar and Cleveland Secondary Application Form. No matter which secondary schools you are interested in, whether located in the Borough of Redcar or in another local authority area.
- NO - If you don't live in Redcar and Cleveland then you must apply on the application form supplied by the local authority area that you live in.
How to apply
The online portal opens on 6 September 2024.
The easiest way to apply is to complete the online application form. If you do not have access to the internet, then an application form can be obtained from the Schools Admissions Team by emailing schoolsadmissions@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk.
Paper forms should be returned directly to the School Admissions Team by 31 October 2024. It is important that you read the guide below in conjunction with your application.
Applications received after 31 October 2024 (late applications) will only be considered in exceptional circumstances (such as families who have moved into the area after the closing date). These applications will be considered up to and including 9 November 2024. Please find the application form below:
Please return the completed form to the Schools Admissions Team by emailing schoolsadmissions@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk.
Where a family intends to move into the Borough, a request for a school place based on the new address cannot be considered until a letter is provided from a licensed conveyancer or solicitor confirming exchange of contracts.
All applications determined as "late" will only be considered once the process for allocating places has been applied to those applications received by the deadline.
If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, you DO NOT need to complete a School Admissions form, the SEN Link Officers are your main point of contact if you have any questions about the arrangements and provision for your child/young person.
You can contact SEN Services by calling 01642 304503 or 01642 304561 or by emailing SEN@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
Expressing your preference of school
The law allows parents/carers to express a preference for the school(s) they wish their child to attend but must do so on the application form for their local 'home' authority. All local authorities talk with each other for applications received for schools in their authority area.
Although all applications for Redcar and Cleveland schools will be considered on an equal weighting basis, should a child be eligible for a place at more than one school, parents/carers are requested to rank their order of preference on the Secondary Application form in order that only one offer will be made.
The relevant admissions criteria will be applied to all schools that are oversubscribed by the governing body of the school(s) requested.
Before you make your final decision you are strongly advised to read the Local Authority's Secondary Admissions Guide for Parents which will be available in September 2024, as it contains all the information you need to make an application.
You should also find out which school(s) you prefer by attending the school open evenings and meeting the Head Teacher and staff.
Each school will hold open evenings during the application process.
Offer process
The Local Authority will comply with parental requests where a place is available in the requested school. It is however a good idea to list more than one school.
If you only state one preference and we cannot offer your child a place at that school, there may be few schools left with places available, should you choose to go through the appeals process and you are not successful.
The national offer date is 1 March each year or the next working day if it falls on a weekend or bank holiday. Parents will have an initial 14 working days to respond to the offer to accept/decline the school place offered. You are required to reply to the offer by 20 March 2025.
If you do not respond you will receive a reminder letter and after 21 working days from the offer being made, the Local Authority will then look to withdraw the offer.
Should your child be unsuccessful in gaining a place at your preferred school(s), parents/carers will receive a single offer of a school place at the nearest school to the parental address with available places.
The Head teacher cannot offer your child a place or guarantee that a place will be available at the school.
For any enquiries regarding the process, contact the team by emailing schoolsadmissions@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk