As part of the school admission process, you may need to provide supporting evidence with your application form.

If you are currently a serving member of the regular UK Armed Forces with a posting to the area or a Crown Servant returning from overseas, please provide the following:

• An official Ministry of Defence, Foreign Commonwealth Office or Government Communication Head Quarters letter confirming your relocation date and quartering address

Please provide documents that we can accept as proof of looked after or previously looked after status:

• Adoption certificates / orders that reference section 12 of the Adoption Act;
• Adoption certificates / orders that reference Section 46 of the Children’s Act;
• Any Child Arrangement Order;
• Any Special Guardianship Order that mentions Section 14A;
• Any residence order issued prior to 22/04/2014;
• Written confirmation from an involved council employee (ideally the assigned Social Worker);
• Document saying they are currently in public care;
• Document saying they are formerly in public care when the applicant notes this on their application

A letter or email from the social worker involved with the child will also be required to say that they are in agreement with the application.

If you are applying under the social/medical category, you will need to provide independent evidence from a health professional such as a consultant. This should state the school you are applying for is the only school your child can attend and the reason why.

Where there is any doubt about parental responsibility we will ask you to provide proof of parental responsibility. In such cases, whatever you choose to provide will be entirely up to you. However, it must indicate that you have parental responsibility.

Examples of documents that prove parental responsibility include:

• The child’s birth certificate
• Parental responsibility agreement entered into by birth parents
• Copy of a court order giving father parental responsibility
• Child Arrangement Order in respect of the child Adoption Order
• Upon taking office as a formally appointed guardian of the child

This should be accompanied with proof that you are the person named e.g. passport.

If place cannot be offered at one of your chosen schools, you will be informed which other schools have places available.

You will be notified in writing of your right to appeal. Appeal forms are available from the School Admissions Team.

Completed appeal forms must be returned to:

Strategic Director

Corporate Services and Governance
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH.

Your appeal will be heard within 30 school days following the date of receipt.

Vacant places may arise before the date of the appeal hearing. Where this happens, the school will offer the vacant place to the child that is top of their waiting list. They will use the admission criteria set out within their admission policy.

Appeal forms for Voluntary Aided Schools are available from the school.

If year groups are full, the school will maintain a waiting list. Any vacancies which may arise will be offered using this list. If you would like your child’s name placed on the waiting list for a school, you must contact the school to request this. If a place becomes available and is offered to your child, you must then complete a school transfer form to take up this offer.

School transfer requests for children with an EHCP will be referred to the Special Educational Needs Team. They will work with parents to secure a place at a school where the specific needs of the child can be met.

Fair Access Protocols exist to ensure that access to education is secured for vulnerable children and young people who are without a school place and where a placement in a mainstream school or alternative provision is appropriate. For further information and to read the protocol and guidance visit fair access process.

The School Admissions Team
Dryden Centre
Evistones Road
Low Fell
NE9 5UR

0191 433 8589

schooladmissions@gateshead.gov.uk

Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2023-24 will be applied.  Parents are advised to read the admission arrangements carefully before making their application.

If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list.  Please see the admission arrangements for more details.

You will be advised of the outcome of your application in writing as soon as possible.  Applicants must be informed of the outcome of their application within 15 school days of receipt, but the aim is to notify applicants of the outcome of their application within 10 school days of receipt.

You have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your application is unsuccessful.

If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions please contact Mrs Bridon 01914693251.  You may also wish to discuss in-year applications with the local authority (Laura Simpson, the School organisation and admissions officer at Gateshead Civic Centre.  Telephone: 0191 433 2109).

The Admissions Policy Criteria will be applied on an Equal Preference basis.