Secondary school admissions

We co-ordinate the admission arrangements for all secondary schools maintained by us, which includes foundation schools and academies whose governing bodies/academy trusts are the admission authorities

Parents should note that attendance of a child at a particular primary school does not entitle him/her to a place in a particular secondary school.

Places at secondary school are offered in accordance with the procedures outlined below.

The secondary schools in the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council all now have academy status. As academies they are now responsible for setting their own admission arrangements.

Applying for a secondary school place

You can apply for a place in Year 7 at secondary school online at  the Secondary School Admission portal. Paper application forms will be available for parents/guardians who do not have access to the online system. 

Applications can be made by parents of children living within the Redcar and Cleveland area for a secondary place in September 2024.

Applications can be made for school/academies located in either the Redcar and Cleveland area or for schools located in other Local Authority areas.

Parents living outside Redcar and Cleveland who wish to apply for a school maintained by us should apply to their home local authority. 

When making the application parents can:

  • Express up to three preferences for schools/ academies in rank order.
  • Give reasons for their preference.
  • Provide supplementary information in support of their preferences.

Paper application forms should be returned to the School Admissions Section and not to either the pupil’s current primary schools or secondary for which they are applying

Information about applications will be sent to all residents whose children are eligible for admission to Year 7 in the 2024/25 school year.

If you want to apply for Sacred Heart RC Voluntary Academy or St Peter's RC Voluntary Academy you will need to complete a supplementary form to provide further information depending on the academy’s trust admission criteria. This form should be returned to the school for which you are applying and not to us.

Please contact the school admissions team by email to request these forms.

You can also ask for a form by calling 01642 837740 or 837730. 

Closing date for making applications

Completed applications, including supplementary forms, must be made by no later than 31 October 2023.

Failure to apply by the closing date may reduce your chance of receiving a place in your preferred school.

Every parent/guardian must make an application. This applies even if your child lives in the admission zone for your preferred school or your child has a brother or sister attending the school in the 2024/25 school year.

If you would like help with your application or guidance on choosing a school call School Choice Advice Service at 01642 444539

Where applications are received after the national closing date for the secondary school admissions process. Applications will be classed as late preferences unless there are exceptional circumstances as to why the application was not submitted on time.

Late applications will only be considered after applications received on time.

Allocation of school places

When considering applications all expressed preferences are considered equally, regardless of their ranked order.

The admission arrangements for foundation status schools and academies for 2024/2025 are published in Secondary Education - A Guide for Parents, available to download below:

Please contact the school admissions team to request the guide.

Schools which are not maintained by us will consider the applications according to their own admission arrangements.

The Secondary National Offer Day is the 1 March 2024 where applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications.  

Waiting lists

Some schools in the borough may be over-subscribed. 

If parents have not been successful in gaining a place at their preferred school, their child's name is placed on a waiting list. Should places become available, they will be allocated in accordance with the over-subscription criteria. 

Waiting lists will be maintained until the end of the Autumn term 2024.

Admissions outside normal dates

This includes both in-year admissions for pupils moving into our borough and wishing to apply for admission into a school/academy in the area and also mid-year transfers where pupils wish to transfer between schools/academies in the area.
 
Where a parent wishes to apply for a place in a secondary school after the end of the Autumn term for Year 7 or anytime during the year for another year group, they should contact the School Admissions Team who will provide information and advice. 
 
Parents will be able to request both in-year admission/ mid-year transfer forms in order to make applications.
 
At the present time applications for in-year admission cannot be made online. 

Admissions appeals

The closing date for appeals of secondary admissions for pupils starting secondary education in September 2024 is 30 March 2024. Information about how to appeal a decision will be included with the offer of a place.

You can also call email the School Admission Team for more information about making an appeal.

Contact details and further information

More information can be found below:

Our Admission Team can be contacted at 01642 837740 / 837730 or you can call the Choice Adviser at 01642 444539. Alternatively, please contact the team by email.

Our opening hours are: Mon-Thu: 08:30-17:00, Fri: 08.30-16:30.