Schools in County Durham

227 schools with published admissions figures

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in County Durham

Primary

Offered their first choice 97.3%
Of families applying for a primary place for September 2026. Against 93.5% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 99.4%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 4,409
Applications received for a primary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 97.3% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 99.4% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 3.8 points higher than in 2016, when it was 93.5%.

The council's primary schools between them had 6,581 places for 4,409 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

Offered their first choice 94.2%
Of families applying for a secondary place for September 2026. Against 96.1% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 98.5%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 4,986
Applications received for a secondary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 94.2% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 98.5% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 1.9 points lower than in 2016, when it was 96.1%.

The council's secondary schools between them had 5,720 places for 4,986 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in County Durham lodged 144 appeals about a school place.

91 of them were heard by a panel and 20 succeeded, which is about 22 in every 100 heard.

The other 53 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Secondary

School	1st prefs per place	Demand since	Latest Ofsted
Belmont Community School Durham	1.15	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Bishop Barrington Academy Bishop Auckland	0.90	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Consett Academy Consett	0.92	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Dene Academy Peterlee	0.97	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Durham Academy Durham	0.93	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School Durham	1.28	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Easington Academy Peterlee	1.07	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Ferryhill School Ferryhill	0.86	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Framwellgate School Durham Durham	0.82	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Greenfield Academy Newton Aycliffe	0.89	-	Requires improvement Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Hermitage Academy Chester le Street	0.86	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
King James I Academy Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland	0.97	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
North Durham Academy Stanley	0.73	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Park View School Chester le Street	1.06	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Parkside Academy Crook	0.87	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Seaham High School Seaham	0.91	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Sedgefield Community College Stockton-on-Tees	1.02	-	School remains Outstanding Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College Peterlee	0.96	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester Durham	0.93	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
St John's Catholic School & Sixth Form College Bishop Auckland	1.00	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham Durham	0.97	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Staindrop Academy Darlington	0.99	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Tanfield School Stanley	1.35	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Teesdale School and Sixth Form Barnard Castle	0.95	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
The Academy at Shotton Hall Peterlee	1.02	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Wellfield School Wingate	0.93	-	none held
Whitworth Park Academy Spennymoor	1.00	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Wolsingham School Bishop Auckland	1.27	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Woodham Academy Newton Aycliffe	1.07	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection

Elsewhere

Most sought-after schools in County Durham by first preferences per place
Schools in DH1 (19)
Schools in DH2 (9)
Schools in DH3 (11)
Schools in DH4 (11)
Schools in DH6 (12)
Schools in DH7 (21)
Schools in DH8 (15)
Schools in DH9 (17)
Schools in DL12 (7)
Schools in DL13 (12)
Schools in DL14 (21)
Schools in DL15 (12)
Schools in DL16 (10)
Schools in DL17 (8)
Schools in DL2 (10)
Schools in DL4 (3)
Schools in DL5 (11)
Schools in NE16 (10)
Schools in SR7 (10)
Schools in SR8 (15)
Schools in TS21 (7)
Schools in TS27 (7)
Schools in TS28 (3)
Schools in TS29 (3)
What data we hold