Draft coordinated admission arrangements timetable 2026

Applications for either a primary or a secondary school place outside the normal admissions round are treated as 'in-year' admissions.

Requests are regularly received from parents to transfer their child to an alternative school, and it can be for a variety of reasons. In certain cases, it does not always benefit the child or the school and so the local authority has laid out procedures which are followed upon receipt of such a request.

If you pay your Council Tax to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and you want to change your child's school you will need to complete an 'In-Year Application for a school place or a change of school place' form for each child who you want to transfer if you are:

(a) moving away from Stockton to another local authority you still need to complete a Stockton transfer form and we will liaise with the other authority. Once they have considered your application, we will contact you with the decision

(b) moving into the Stockton area you will need to contact your local authority for their application form unless you are moving from abroad where, if you contact school admissions on 01642 526605 or email school.admissions@stockton.gov.uk then a form can be posted or emailed to you

School transfers can take between 10 and 15 school days to complete (were possible) but if there are any issues with the request this can make the process longer, for instance:

(a) we will send your transfer form and any other information that you send us to both your current school and your preferred school

(b) if we receive more than one application on the same day for the same school (that is still maintained by the local authority) and year group, we will apply our own over-subscription criteria

(c) it may be if you have not discussed any concerns with your current school that the head teacher requests you attend a meeting before we can process your application any further, as it is not always in your child's best interest to change schools. It is your responsibility to ensure that your child attends their current school until a new school place has been agreed

If you are applying for a voluntary aided school or an academy then their governing body or academy admissions panel will consider your application and let us know the decision. They may apply their own admissions policy to any applications that they have received. We will contact you on their behalf.

The School Admissions Code (1 September 2021) added that all 'admission authorities must inform the local authority whether they intend to be part of the local authority in-year co-ordination scheme. Almost all schools in Stockton have chosen to this. 

The local authorities will, on request provide information to prospective parents about the places still available in all schools within the borough.

The code also states that, apart from designated grammar schools, all maintained schools, and academies, including schools designated with a religious character, that have places available must offer a place to every child who has applied for one, without condition or the use of any over subscription criteria, unless admitting the child would prejudice the efficient provision of education or use of resources. For example, admission authorities must not refuse to admit a child solely because:

(a) they have applied later than other applicants

(b) they are not of the faith of the school in the case of a school designated with a religious character

(c) they have followed a different curriculum at their previous school

(d)  information has not been received from their previous school

Where an applicant is offered a school place following an in-year application, and the offer is accepted, arrangements should be made for the child to start school as soon as possible, particularly where the child is out of school.