The hardest schools to get into in North Tyneside
Secondary: 80 families put Kings Priory School first in 2026 and 39 of them (49%) were offered a place.
Reception: 54 families put Backworth Park Primary School first in 2026 and 38 of them (70%) were offered a place.
Every state school in North Tyneside with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings Priory School · North Shields | 80 | 39 (49%) | 49 |
| 2 | Norham High School · North Shields | 139 | 77 (55%) | 78 |
| 3 | Marden High School · North Shields | 246 | 183 (74%) | 188 |
| 4 | Burnside College · Wallsend | 247 | 213 (86%) | 232 |
| 5 | St Thomas More Catholic High School · North Shields · faith | 253 | 237 (94%) | 266 |
| 6 | Longbenton High School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 160 | 150 (94%) | 175 |
| 7 | John Spence Community High School · North Shields | 104 | 102 (98%) | 166 |
| 8 | George Stephenson High School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 180 | 179 (99%) | 233 |
| 9 | North Gosforth Academy · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 90 | 90 (100%) | 99 |
| 10 | Churchill Community College · Wallsend | 75 | 75 (100%) | 107 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Backworth Park Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 54 | 38 (70%) | 45 |
| 2 | St Marys Catholic Primary School, Forest Hall · Newcastle-upon-Tyne · faith | 38 | 29 (76%) | 30 |
| 3 | Bailey Green Primary School · Killingworth | 77 | 59 (77%) | 59 |
| 4 | Richardson Dees Primary School · Wallsend | 37 | 29 (78%) | 29 |
| 5 | Benton Dene Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 75 | 59 (79%) | 59 |
| 6 | Kings Priory School · North Shields | 112 | 90 (80%) | 90 |
| 7 | New York Primary School · North Shields | 56 | 45 (80%) | 45 |
| 8 | South Wellfield First School · Whitley Bay | 70 | 57 (81%) | 60 |
| 9 | Holystone Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 63 | 52 (83%) | 60 |
| 10 | Battle Hill Primary School · Wallsend | 25 | 23 (92%) | 23 |
| 11 | Westmoor Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 39 | 36 (92%) | 46 |
| 12 | Greenfields Community Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 41 | 38 (93%) | 39 |
| 13 | Preston Grange Primary School · North Shields | 29 | 27 (93%) | 30 |
| 14 | Whitley Lodge First School · Whitley Bay | 46 | 43 (94%) | 44 |
| 15 | St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School (Aided) · Newcastle-upon-Tyne · faith | 31 | 29 (94%) | 30 |
| 16 | St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, North Shields · North Shields · faith | 32 | 30 (94%) | 30 |
| 17 | Langley First School · Whitley Bay | 50 | 47 (94%) | 47 |
| 18 | Shiremoor Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 37 | 35 (95%) | 50 |
| 19 | Stephenson Memorial Primary School · Wallsend | 20 | 19 (95%) | 19 |
| 20 | Forest Hall Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 21 | 20 (95%) | 23 |
| 21 | Denbigh Community Primary School · WALLSEND | 45 | 43 (96%) | 45 |
| 22 | St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wallsend · Wallsend · faith | 23 | 22 (96%) | 22 |
| 23 | Percy Main Primary School · North Shields | 31 | 30 (97%) | 30 |
| 24 | Rockcliffe First School · Whitley Bay | 31 | 30 (97%) | 30 |
| 25 | Amberley Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 35 | 34 (97%) | 40 |
| 26 | Fordley Primary School · Cramlington | 40 | 39 (98%) | 42 |
| 27 | St Bernadette's Catholic Primary, Wallsend · Wallsend · faith | 41 | 40 (98%) | 42 |
| 28 | Wallsend Jubilee Primary School · Wallsend | 43 | 42 (98%) | 47 |
| 29 | Cullercoats Primary School · North Shields | 53 | 52 (98%) | 54 |
| 30 | Western Community Primary School · Wallsend | 58 | 57 (98%) | 61 |
| 31 | King Edward Primary School · North Tyneside | 60 | 60 (100%) | 60 |
| 32 | Marine Park First School · Whitley Bay | 58 | 58 (100%) | 59 |
| 33 | Hadrian Park Primary School · Wallsend | 49 | 49 (100%) | 49 |
| 34 | Collingwood Primary School · North Shields | 41 | 41 (100%) | 47 |
| 35 | Southridge First School · Whitley Bay | 40 | 40 (100%) | 47 |
| 36 | Redesdale Primary School · Wallsend | 40 | 40 (100%) | 40 |
| 37 | Appletree Gardens First School · Whitley Bay | 38 | 38 (100%) | 40 |
| 38 | Spring Gardens Primary School · North Shields | 30 | 30 (100%) | 32 |
| 39 | St Stephen's Catholic Primary School, Newcastle · Newcastle-upon-Tyne · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 31 |
| 40 | Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Whitley Bay · Whitley Bay · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 28 |
| 41 | Coquet Park First School · Whitley Bay | 25 | 25 (100%) | 26 |
| 42 | Monkhouse Primary School · North Shields | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 43 | Burradon Community Primary School · Cramlington | 23 | 23 (100%) | 29 |
| 44 | Waterville Primary School · North Shields | 22 | 22 (100%) | 23 |
| 45 | St Columba's Catholic Primary School, Wallsend · Wallsend · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 46 | Hazlewood Community Primary School · Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 20 | 20 (100%) | 22 |
Getting into a school in North Tyneside
What is the hardest school to get into in North Tyneside?
For secondary places, 80 families put Kings Priory School first in 2026 and 39 of them (49%) were offered a place. For Reception, 54 families put Backworth Park Primary School first and 38 of them (70%) were offered a place.
How many families in North Tyneside get their first-choice school?
84.3% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 91.7% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where North Tyneside published it in its admissions booklet.