Admission to Secondary School

11 Sep Admission to Secondary School

Dear Parent/Carer

Your child is due to start secondary school in September 2021 and you can apply now for a secondary school place.

Apply on-line at:                   www.gateshead.gov.uk/schooladmissions

On-line applications must be submitted by 31 October 2020.  If you do not submit your form by this date you will reduce your chances of gaining a place at one of your chosen schools.

You should list three school preferences on your application, applying for only one school does not improve your chances of gaining a place at this school.

It is important that you look at the information in the ‘Admission to Secondary School’ booklet and relevant school admission policies before you submit your application. The booklet is available on the council’s website www.gateshead.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

If you live outside Gateshead – you must apply directly to your home local authority, even if the schools you want to apply to are in Gateshead.  However, it is important that you read this letter and the information in our booklet to fully understand Gateshead’s school admission policies before you apply.

Unfortunately, children lose places every year because some parents provide false or inaccurate information on their application form.  We reserve the right to seek proof of address or other evidence required whenever necessary.  You must provide any information the council or school request by the relevant deadline.  If you fail or delay in doing this, it may result in the refusal of a place.

If you change your address after the submission of your application form, you must inform The School Admissions Team immediately.

Please read the important information attached to this letter.

Yours sincerely

School Admissions Team

Tel:      0191 433 2756, 433 2757, 433 2109

e-mail: schooladmissions@gateshead.gov.uk

If you live in Gateshead apply on-line at: www.gateshead.gov.uk/schooladmissions. 

Before you apply, make sure you look at the ‘Admission to Secondary School’ booklet which contains essential information that will help you in making your child’s application, including:

• admission policies and oversubscription criteria for Gateshead schools
• information on how places are offered
• the number of applications received and places offered for previous years
• You can only complete one application form and applications must be submitted by 31 October 2020.
• Check that all the details you enter on your application form are correct, including any older siblings your child may have, already attending the school you apply to.
• You must complete the ‘Faith Details’ section of the on-line application form if you are applying to a Catholic school.
• You can apply for up to three schools and we strongly recommend you use all three preferences. Applying for only one school does not improve your chance of gaining a place at this school.
• How you rank your preferences is important and you must think carefully about the admission policy for each school you apply to and the likelihood of success.
• We cannot guarantee that your child will be offered a place at one of your chosen schools, even if you live in the catchment area, already have another child attending the school or attend the linked Catholic primary school, as this will depend on the number of applications the school receives.
• If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan you do not need to apply for a school place. An annual review, to which you will be invited, will be held in the Autumn term in which discussions will be held regarding your child’s secondary school placement.
• You can check which school catchment area you live in on the Council’s website.

You cannot apply to Emmanuel College on the council’s application form.

• We do not keep places back at oversubscribed schools for children moving into the area after the closing date.
• If you rank a school outside Gateshead as one or more of your preferences it is important that you consider their admission policy before submitting your application.
• You will find out what school you have been offered on or around 1 March 2021 via a letter and email (if you apply on-line).
• If you do not have on-line access to apply or access the ‘Admission to Secondary School’ booklet, please contact us for a paper copy.

School Open Evenings

Under normal circumstances, Head Teachers would arrange an open evening and invite parents to visit their school before submitting an application for a Year 7 place in September 2021. At the time of writing due to the coronavirus pandemic and government guidance on social distancing, we cannot make the assumption that parents evenings will be able to go ahead.

In anticipation of this all secondary schools have made arrangements for parents to access as much information as possible on their web sites. This may include virtual tours of schools lead by key school staff students will meet in Year 7, should their application be successful.

Parents should check individual secondary school web sites for up to date information on parents open evenings from September 2020.