School admissions in Peterlee
How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 2 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.
Peterlee in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 11 schools in Peterlee first 358 times for 355 places: 1.01 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the County Durham authority's 199 schools. 2 of the 11 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: Shotton Hall Primary School, to 1.12 miles.
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 4 schools in Peterlee first 683 times for 671 places: 1.02 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the County Durham authority's 29 schools. 2 of the 4 had more first choices than places.
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
11 schools. 2 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shotton Hall Primary School | 1.22 | 50 | 1.122 miles |
| Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School | 1.06 | 17 | not published |
| Dene House Primary School | 1.00 | 32 | not published |
| Howletch Lane Primary School | 1.00 | 38 | not published |
| Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School | 1.00 | 18 | not published |
| Seascape Primary School | 1.00 | 27 | not published |
| Easington Colliery Primary School | 0.99 | 68 | not published |
| Acre Rigg Infant School | 0.95 | 40 | not published |
| Cotsford Primary School | 0.95 | 19 | not published |
| Yohden Primary School | 0.92 | 24 | not published |
| Easington CofE Primary School | 0.86 | 22 | 1.552 miles |
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
4 schools. 2 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Easington Academy | 1.07 | 189 |
| The Academy at Shotton Hall | 1.02 | 271 |
| Dene Academy | 0.97 | 104 |
| St Bede's Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College | 0.96 | 107 |
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.