Apply to change school during the school year
If you're moving house, moving into County Durham, or have another reason for wanting to change schools, the information on this page will help.
Apply for a primary school change because of a house move
To apply for a change of primary school you can:
- complete the
Primary Transfer Form T1 (PDF, 143.0kb)
- contact us
Please note, this form is not for a primary school transfer for any other reason other than a house move and is not for a secondary school transfer.
Once your application is submitted, we'll contact you as soon as possible to tell you whether your transfer request has been successful.
Secondary school transfers and primary school transfers for reasons other than a house move
If you wish to move secondary schools or wish to move primary schools for reasons other than a house move, you should contact us in the first instance to discuss, and, where appropriate, we will issue an application form.
Prior to contacting us you may wish to read the
Why change schools? - information leaflet for parents (PDF, 96.1kb)
and consider the following:
- could the present difficulties be resolved?
- is a move really in my child's best interests?
- will my child make new friends?
- will my child have a fresh start or just face the same problems?
- what will be the effect on my child's education?
- will my child qualify for Home to school transport (if your preferred school is not the nearest suitable school with places)
Successful applications
You will be given a date by which you must take up the school place. You should also contact the school for more details of what you need to do.
Unsuccessful applications
If we cannot offer you a place at your chosen school we will add your child's name to the school's waiting list. You can also appeal against a school place decision - if you are considering appealing for a school place contact us.
Travel to school following a change of school
If the school is now not your nearest suitable school, you may be affected by our home to school transport policies.
Applying for a school place for the start of a school year
If your child is due to start primary or secondary school, you should check the annual school admissions timetable for when school place applications open.
Unfortunately, children lose places every year due to parents giving false information on their application forms, this includes appeal forms. We therefore reserve the right to seek proof of address. We will withdraw an offer of a school place if it was obtained through a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application.
Parents will be asked to sign a declaration to state that you:
- have read, understood and agree to abide by the conditions as set out in the
Primary and Secondary School Admission Guide 2021/2022 (PDF, 2.7mb)
- confirm that you have parental responsibility for the child (or have care and control of the child), and in seeking to apply for your child a school place, you have no knowledge of any opposition to this application from any other person who has parental responsibility for the child. (If applicable, you must inform us of the individual who opposes the transfer and supply their contact details)
- will contact us immediately to let us know of any change of address details after the submission of your child's application
- understand that your child's school place can be withdrawn even if he/she has started at the school if the place was fraudulently obtained
- agree and consent to us checking the details you have provided on your child's application against Council Tax, Electoral Registration and other council records to confirm that your child is resident at the address in Section A
- agree and consent to us sharing your data with other agencies, where it is necessary to do so and where the law allows, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (see our Privacy notices and data protection page)
- understand that if you have provided information that is incorrect or incomplete, you may be investigated and action may be taken against you (including court action)
- School places and admissions
- School places and admissions
- 03000 265 896
-
Our address is:
- School Places and Admissions
- Children and Young People's Services
- County Hall
- Durham
- County Durham
- United Kingdom
- DH1 5UJ
