How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026
entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to
the DfE. 12 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent
rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about
which school is better.
Durham in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 43 schools in Durham first 938 times for 941 places: 1.00 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the County Durham authority's 199 schools. 4 of the 43 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 3 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 1.48 miles (Witton Gilbert Primary School) to 3.15 miles (Shincliffe CofE (Controlled) Primary School).
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 6 schools in Durham first 1,215 times for 1,183 places: 1.03 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the County Durham authority's 29 schools. 2 of the 6 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, to 2.38 miles.
Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.
Reception places, September 2026
43 schools. 4 received more first preferences than they had places.
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.
Year 7 places, September 2026
6 schools. 2 received more first preferences than they had places.
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.