PARENTS are reminded the closing date to apply for secondary school places for their children in County Durham for the next academic year is looming.

The deadline for applications for new starters in the school year 2022/23, is Sunday October 31.

To be eligible to start secondary school in September 2022, the child’s date of birth must fall between September 1, 2010, and August 31, 2011.

Councillor Ted Henderson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “For parents, the decision of where to send their child is, understandably, a big one.

“We would urge parents to make sure they apply by the deadline as a late application greatly reduces chances of getting into a preferred school.”

Parents can make applications online, at www.durham.gov.uk/schooladmissions, or by post.

Postal applications should be sent back using signed for, or special delivery services.

Forms can be requested by phoning (03000) 265896, or by writing to the council’s school places and admissions team, based at Green Lane, Spennymoor, County Durham DL16 6JQ.

The allocated offer of places will be made to parents on March 1, 2022.

Parents who completed online applications will receive offers by email, while those sent by post will receive their offer by letter.

These should arrive with parents by no later than March 3, 2022, six months before the start of term.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054