The hardest schools to get into in South Tyneside
Secondary: 220 families put Jarrow School first in 2026 and 160 of them (73%) were offered a place.
Reception: 46 families put Valley View Primary School first in 2026 and 27 of them (59%) were offered a place.
Every state school in South 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 | Jarrow School · Jarrow | 220 | 160 (73%) | 162 |
| 2 | Mortimer Community College · South Shields | 269 | 221 (82%) | 239 |
| 3 | Whitburn Church of England Academy · Sunderland · faith | 241 | 198 (82%) | 201 |
| 4 | Harton Academy · South Shields | 290 | 258 (89%) | 266 |
| 5 | St Joseph's Catholic Academy · Hebburn · faith | 261 | 233 (89%) | 246 |
| 6 | Boldon School · Boldon Colliery | 164 | 164 (100%) | 213 |
| 7 | St Wilfrid's RC College · South Shields · faith | 127 | 127 (100%) | 182 |
| 8 | Hebburn Comprehensive School · Hebburn | 119 | 119 (100%) | 151 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley View Primary School · Jarrow | 46 | 27 (59%) | 27 |
| 2 | Cleadon Church of England Academy · Sunderland · faith | 70 | 60 (86%) | 60 |
| 3 | St Bede's Catholic Primary School, South Shields · South Shields · faith | 33 | 30 (91%) | 30 |
| 4 | St Aloysius Catholic Infant School, Hebburn · Hebburn · faith | 62 | 57 (92%) | 58 |
| 5 | St Oswald's CofE Aided Primary School · Hebburn · faith | 23 | 22 (96%) | 23 |
| 6 | SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, South Shields · South Shields · faith | 24 | 23 (96%) | 23 |
| 7 | Laygate Community School · South Shields | 26 | 25 (96%) | 25 |
| 8 | Whitburn Village Primary School · Sunderland | 26 | 25 (96%) | 25 |
| 9 | St Matthew's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow · Jarrow · faith | 28 | 27 (96%) | 30 |
| 10 | St Mary's Catholic Primary School · Jarrow · faith | 31 | 30 (97%) | 30 |
| 11 | Sea View Primary School · South Shields | 33 | 32 (97%) | 33 |
| 12 | East Boldon Infants' School · East Boldon | 49 | 48 (98%) | 49 |
| 13 | Westoe Crown Primary School · South Shields | 90 | 90 (100%) | 90 |
| 14 | Harton Primary School · South Shields | 67 | 67 (100%) | 69 |
| 15 | Toner Avenue Primary School · Hebburn | 66 | 66 (100%) | 69 |
| 16 | Hebburn Lakes Primary School · Hebburn | 55 | 55 (100%) | 55 |
| 17 | Ashley Academy · South Shields | 54 | 54 (100%) | 54 |
| 18 | Ridgeway Primary Academy · South Shields | 52 | 52 (100%) | 52 |
| 19 | Mortimer Primary School · South Shields | 49 | 49 (100%) | 51 |
| 20 | Biddick Hall Infants' School · South Shields | 41 | 41 (100%) | 41 |
| 21 | West Boldon Primary School · Boldon | 36 | 36 (100%) | 37 |
| 22 | Monkton Infants' School · South Shields | 34 | 34 (100%) | 34 |
| 23 | Holy Trinity Church of England Academy (South Shields) · South Shields · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 24 | Jarrow Cross CofE Primary School · Jarrow · faith | 27 | 27 (100%) | 33 |
| 25 | Hadrian Primary School · South Shields | 27 | 27 (100%) | 27 |
| 26 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow · Jarrow · faith | 27 | 27 (100%) | 28 |
| 27 | Stanhope Primary School · South Shields | 26 | 26 (100%) | 26 |
| 28 | St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, South Shields · South Shields · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 29 | St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, South Shields · South Shields · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 30 | Bede Burn Primary School · Jarrow | 22 | 22 (100%) | 28 |
| 31 | Hedworth Lane Primary School · Boldon Colliery | 21 | 21 (100%) | 22 |
| 32 | Simonside Primary School · Jarrow | 21 | 21 (100%) | 25 |
| 33 | Marsden Primary School · Sunderland | 21 | 21 (100%) | 22 |
| 34 | Hedworthfield Primary School · Jarrow | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
| 35 | Lord Blyton Primary School · South Shields | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
Getting into a school in South Tyneside
What is the hardest school to get into in South Tyneside?
For secondary places, 220 families put Jarrow School first in 2026 and 160 of them (73%) were offered a place. For Reception, 46 families put Valley View Primary School first and 27 of them (59%) were offered a place.
How many families in South Tyneside get their first-choice school?
89.2% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 96.9% 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 South Tyneside published it in its admissions booklet.