When do we find out primary school places in Newcastle 2022? Date of National Offer day - and how to appeal

Parents of soon-to-be primary school children in Newcastle and Gateshead will find anxiously waiting to find out which school their child will attend in September 2022.

The application process started back in September 2021 - but when will offers be made, and how do you accept or appeal?

This is what you need to from today onwards.

What’s the application process for primary school offers?

The process of applying for a place at a primary school in Newcastle for the 2022/23 school year opened on 1 September and closed on 15 January 2022.

In Gateshead, the application process opened on 10 September 2021 and closed on 15 January 2022.

Parents in Newcastle can choose up to four primary schools that they would like their child to attend and are asked to list them in order of preference on the application form.

In Gateshead, parents can choose up to three schools.

How do schools decide who gets in?

Each school has their own criteria to follow when deciding which children to offer places to.

This criteria differs depending on the school, with some of the more common criteria being how close the child lives to the school, and whether they have any brothers or sisters already at the school.

Preference may also be given to children whose parent has worked at the school for two years or more.

For more information on the admission criteria of every primary school in Newcastle, visit the Newcastle City Council website.

For further information on the admission criteria for primary schools in Gateshead, visit the school admission arrangements section on Gateshead Council’s website.

When do I find out about my child’s primary school place?

For parents in Newcastle who applied online, your child’s offers will be available online through the Newcastle City Council website on 19 April, which is also known as ‘National Offer Day’.

You will be sent an email on 19 April directing you to the portal.

For those who applied by post, your offer will be sent to you via second class post on 19 April.

Parents in Gateshead who applied online will receive an email on 19 April confirming which school their child has been offered a place at.

All applicants in Gateshead will also receive a letter confirming their offer. Letters will be posted first class on 14 April.

Gateshead Council can’t guarantee when the letter will arrive.

How do I accept an offer?

When an offer  arrives in your inbox or on your doormat, you will have to either accept or appeal the decision.

If you applied online, you’ll be sent an email asking you to log in to the online platform of your council’s website, and follow the instructions on accepting a school place.

If you applied by post, information on how to accept your child’s placement will be detailed in the offer letter posted to you.

How do I appeal if the school isn’t suitable?

It is only possible to lodge an appeal against a school’s decision once you have received a letter confirming that the school has not offered your child a place.

For parents in Newcastle, If you are considering submitting an appeal you are advised to contact the school appeals clerk at Newcastle City Council.

Some schools in the city conduct their own appeal hearings and so the appeals clerk will be able to advise you of this.

You can contact the clerk via phone on 0191 277 7427 and leave a message or by email to [email protected].

Due to staff currently working remotely, the council recommends using email.

For Gateshead schools, information on how to appeal a decision will be available on the letter received from the council.

If you decide to appeal, you should contact the School Admissions Team to request an appeal form.  You can only appeal once you have received a rejection letter.

Send your completed appeal form to Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH.