Contact Details
- 0191 5262006
- p2536.admin@durhamlearning.net
Shotton Primary School
Grange Terrace, Shotton Colliery
Durham DH6 2JP
Admission Arrangements and Useful Information
Admissions Policy
​From October to January, all schools and academies in County Durham agree their admission arrangements starting for the school year 2026/27 which starts from September 2026.
This is then published in the Local Authority Policy by 28th February 2026.
This includes information on how school places are offered (known as the coordinated admissions scheme), number of school places available at each school, admission policy and oversubscription criteria.
Admission arrangements are consulted on with Governing Bodies and all schools and academies.
Proposed Change to Published Admission Number (PAN)
Every school has an agreed pupil admission number which sets out the maximum number of children that can be admitted into each year. Currently our published admission number is 60.
For the academic year 2026-27 we are proposing to reduce the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 60 to 30, to enable us as a school to make better use of resources linked to declining birth rates. This will not affect pupils already on roll at the school.
The Local Authority would support such a reduction in our PAN.
Consultation Period
We are consulting on this proposal for a period of at least 6 weeks, from 15/12/25 to 19/01/26, in line with the requirements set out in the School Admissions Code.
Further Information on the Proposed Change and Consultation Process.
Please find below a letter detailing:
- Why we are proposing this change
- What it means
- The consultation period
- How to respond
- Where to find further information
- Next steps
Delayed Entry
Guidance for parents/carers, to help them consider whether delayed entry is the most appropriate option for their child and what they need to do if they wish to request a delayed entry, can be found below. It is also available in the Primary and Secondary School Admissions Guide for Parents/Carers which is placed on the DCC website in September every year .
Applying for a Nursery Place
If you wish for your child to join our Nursery you need to apply for a place via the school office. The following policy explains our Nursery admission arrangements and procedures.
Nursery Admissions and Charges Policy and Procedures
Why Choose Shotton Primary School?
If your child's birthday falls between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 your child will start Reception at an infant or primary school in September 2026. Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent or carer for your child.
We would love you to choose us.
We always welcome visits from prospective parents/carers and children. This is so that you can discover what makes Shotton Primary School a special and wonderful place for your child to continue their exciting journey.
To book a visit, please contact the school office on 0191 526 2006. The following video will give you a taste for school life: A day in the life at Shotton Primary School - YouTube
You must make an application for your child's school place as there is no automatic transfer from nursery school to infant or primary school.
Applying for a Primary School Place
You must make an application for your child's school place as there is no automatic transfer from either nursery school to infant or primary school (Reception intake) or infant school to junior school (Year 3 intake).
The closing date to apply for a primary school place for September 2026 is midnight on Thursday 15 January 2026.
Key Dates: Starting Reception in Sept 2026
| Stage in application process | |
|---|---|
| Monday 1 September 2025 | Applications open. |
| Thursday 15 January 2026 | Closing date for applications. |
| Friday 6 March 2026 | Last date for submitting late applications. This is the last date for submitting late applications or making changes to your application. We cannot make any changes received after this date. Any changes or late applications received after this date will be processed on re-allocation day. |
| Thursday 16 April 2026 | National offer day - offers made. If you applied for a place online, you will receive an email on the morning confirming our offer of a school place. If you applied by post, you will receive your offer letter in the post. You can ask for your child's name to be added to a school waiting list for the 2024/2025 academic year. |
| Thursday 7 May 2026 | Re-allocation day. Any places that become available at schools within County Durham will be offered to pupils at the top of a school's waiting list. |
If you need help applying for a place at our school, please do not hesitate to contact us. Applications can be completed online.
We would be delighted if you were to choose our school. The attached leaflet will provide you with important information about our Reception classes to help you make this important decision.
Appeals Procedures
If your child does not get a place at our school you are able to appeal against this decision.
Your appeal will be decided by a panel which is independent of both the school and the council and the decision is binding on all parties.
Starting Secondary School - Sept 2026
If your child's birthday falls between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 your child will start Year 7 at a secondary school in September 2026.
You must apply for a school place as there is no automatic transfer from primary school to secondary school.
The closing date to apply for a secondary school place for September 2026 was midnight on Friday 31 October 2025.
Key Dates: Starting Secondary School
| Date | Stage in application process |
|---|---|
| Monday 1 September 2025 | Applications open. |
| Friday 31 October 2025 | Closing date for applications. |
| Friday 23 January 2026 | Last date for submitting late applications. This is the last date for submitting late applications or making changes to your application. We cannot make any changes received after this date. Any changes or late applications received after this date will be processed on re-allocation day. |
| Monday 2 March 2026 | National offer day - offers made. If you applied for a place online, you will receive an email on the morning confirming our offer of a school place. If you applied by post, you will receive your offer letter in the post. You can ask for your child's name to be added to a school waiting list for the 2025/2026 academic year. |
| Monday 23 March 2026 | Re-allocation day. Any places that become available at schools within County Durham will be offered to pupils at the top of a school's waiting list. |
Applications are done online. If you require help please do not hesitate to contact us. It is vitally important that you do not miss the deadlines as it is highly likely that you will then not secure a secondary school place for your child at the school of your choice.
The majority of our children transfer to either The Academy at Shotton Hall or Wellfield Academy. In recent years an increasing number of our children now transfer to Easington Academy. A small number of our children transfer to St Bede's Catholic School. All of these schools have a lot of information on their websites.