Durham Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked after and previously looked after children — Children who are 'looked after' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence/child arrangements, or special guardianship order or, children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted
2. 2Exceptional medical or psychological grounds — Medical reasons - children with very exceptional medical factors directly related to school placement Some admission authorities will consider individual applications for children with very exceptional medical factors directly related to school placement. This type of application must be supported in writing by relevant professional agencies such as a doctor and it is the parents' responsibility to provide the relevant documentation. This supporting evidence should be wholly persuasive. It must explain why the school you wish your child to attend is the only school based on fact, not opinion, that can meet your child's medical or social needs and the difficulties that would be caused if they had to attend another school. Reasons such as food allergies and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will not be considered as exceptional medical factors as all schools are able to effectively manage these. Supporting evidence will be considered by the relevant admission authority and may require liaison with relevant health care professionals. The provision of any information or evidence does not necessarily in itself guarantee the offer of a place at your desired school. The relevant admission authority will make the final decision on the application.
3. 3Sibling links — Sibling links - Children who have a sibling already attending the school and who is expected to be on roll at the school at the time of admission. If parents are separated and the sibling lives with each parent an equal amount of time during the school year, you must either agree between each other, or if that is not possible, provide a Court Order as to which address should be considered as the main address for this purpose. An offer of a school place will not be made unless/until only one home address has been agreed.
4. 4Applicants to their nearest school - those children who have applied for a place at the… — Applicants to their nearest school - those children who have applied for a place at the nearest school to their home address measured by the shortest walking route If parents are separated and the child lives with each parent an equal amount of time during the school year, you must either agree between each other, or if that is not possible, provide a Court Order as to which address should be considered as the main address for this purpose. An offer of a school place will not be made unless/until only one home address has been agreed.
5. 5Any other children — All other applicants This category covers all applicants who do not meet the requirements for criteria (i) to (iv) and are applying for a school which is not their nearest.

Read 2026-09-12 from the Advance Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust's determined "School Admission Policy Durham Schools 2027/28" (dated October 2025, review October 2027), which the trust publishes as one policy for all of its academies in County Durham. The trust is the admission authority for these academies and adopts the criteria used by Durham County Council. A child whose education, health and care plan names the school is admitted first; that is not an oversubscription criterion. The policy's own PAN table states 2026/27 numbers, so no 2027-28 admission number is taken from it.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.