The hardest schools to get into in Stockton-on-Tees
Secondary: 188 families put Ingleby Manor Free School first in 2026 and 142 of them (76%) were offered a place.
Reception: 38 families put Hardwick Green Primary Academy first in 2026 and 29 of them (76%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Stockton-on-Tees 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 | Ingleby Manor Free School · Stockton-on-Tees | 188 | 142 (76%) | 145 |
| 2 | Egglescliffe School · Stockton-on-Tees | 272 | 224 (82%) | 224 |
| 3 | Our Lady & St. Bede Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 201 | 192 (96%) | 194 |
| 4 | St Michael's Catholic Academy · Billingham · faith | 175 | 170 (97%) | 170 |
| 5 | All Saints Church of England Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 162 | 158 (98%) | 175 |
| 6 | Northfield School and Sports College · Billingham | 271 | 271 (100%) | 279 |
| 7 | Ian Ramsey Church of England Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 217 | 217 (100%) | 229 |
| 8 | The Grangefield Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 185 | 185 (100%) | 195 |
| 9 | Conyers School · Yarm | 177 | 177 (100%) | 211 |
| 10 | North Shore Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 154 | 154 (100%) | 164 |
| 11 | St Patrick's Catholic College, A Voluntary Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 99 | 99 (100%) | 109 |
| 12 | Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth · Stockton-on-Tees | 67 | 67 (100%) | 70 |
| 13 | Thornaby Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 56 | 56 (100%) | 63 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardwick Green Primary Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 38 | 29 (76%) | 29 |
| 2 | Wynyard Church of England Primary School · Wynyard · faith | 73 | 59 (81%) | 59 |
| 3 | Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 33 | 29 (88%) | 29 |
| 4 | Crooksbarn Primary School · Stockton-on-tees | 51 | 45 (88%) | 45 |
| 5 | St Gregory's Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 32 | 29 (91%) | 30 |
| 6 | St Francis of Assisi Church of England Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 64 | 60 (94%) | 60 |
| 7 | Layfield Primary School · Yarm | 28 | 27 (96%) | 27 |
| 8 | St Joseph's Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 38 | 37 (97%) | 37 |
| 9 | Barley Fields Primary · Stockton-on-Tees | 89 | 89 (100%) | 89 |
| 10 | Hartburn Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 79 | 79 (100%) | 81 |
| 11 | Fairfield Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 53 | 53 (100%) | 54 |
| 12 | St Mark's Church of England Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 48 | 48 (100%) | 49 |
| 13 | Billingham South Community Primary School · Billingham | 47 | 47 (100%) | 48 |
| 14 | Bowesfield Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 46 | 46 (100%) | 46 |
| 15 | Ingleby Mill Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 43 | 43 (100%) | 43 |
| 16 | Harrow Gate Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 40 | 40 (100%) | 47 |
| 17 | Junction Farm Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 39 | 39 (100%) | 39 |
| 18 | The Glebe Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 39 | 39 (100%) | 40 |
| 19 | St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 38 | 38 (100%) | 38 |
| 20 | Christ The King Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 36 | 36 (100%) | 36 |
| 21 | Whinstone Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 35 | 35 (100%) | 36 |
| 22 | Prior's Mill CofE Primary School · Billingham · faith | 34 | 34 (100%) | 39 |
| 23 | Harewood Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 34 | 34 (100%) | 34 |
| 24 | Rosebrook Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 34 | 34 (100%) | 35 |
| 25 | Yarm Primary School · Yarm | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 26 | Whitehouse Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 32 | 32 (100%) | 36 |
| 27 | Oakdene Primary Academy · Billingham | 32 | 32 (100%) | 34 |
| 28 | Mandale Mill Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 31 | 31 (100%) | 31 |
| 29 | Bader Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 31 | 31 (100%) | 31 |
| 30 | Norton Primary Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 30 | 30 (100%) | 32 |
| 31 | St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Stockton · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 32 | Village Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 33 | Egglescliffe Church of England Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 34 | Preston Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 28 | 28 (100%) | 29 |
| 35 | Bewley Primary School · Billingham | 28 | 28 (100%) | 28 |
| 36 | Frederick Nattrass Primary Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 27 | 27 (100%) | 30 |
| 37 | St Bede's Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 27 | 27 (100%) | 27 |
| 38 | Levendale Primary School · Yarm | 27 | 27 (100%) | 27 |
| 39 | Mill Lane Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 26 | 26 (100%) | 26 |
| 40 | St Therese of Lisieux Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Catholic Academy · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 27 |
| 41 | St Paul's Catholic Primary School · Billingham · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 28 |
| 42 | Thornaby Church of England Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 43 | Oxbridge Lane Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 44 | The Oak Tree Academy · Stockton-on-Tees | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 45 | Myton Park Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 24 | 24 (100%) | 26 |
| 46 | St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Stockton · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
| 47 | St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 48 | Roseberry Primary School · Billingham | 22 | 22 (100%) | 23 |
| 49 | Durham Lane Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 22 | 22 (100%) | 23 |
| 50 | Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Academy · Billingham · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 51 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School · Billingham · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 52 | The Links Primary School · Stockton-on-Tees | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
Getting into a school in Stockton-on-Tees
What is the hardest school to get into in Stockton-on-Tees?
For secondary places, 188 families put Ingleby Manor Free School first in 2026 and 142 of them (76%) were offered a place. For Reception, 38 families put Hardwick Green Primary Academy first and 29 of them (76%) were offered a place.
How many families in Stockton-on-Tees get their first-choice school?
94.8% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 97.7% 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 Stockton-on-Tees published it in its admissions booklet.