Thanks for replying, not sure exactly yet where we will be and am not hung up on a particular school as they all seem pretty good, when I spoke to the council admissions team they did say there 'wasn't much movement' once places were allocated. Think we're just going to have to take the long term view and not stress too much about where he is in September, it's just really frustrating to think that we will be paying a premium to live in an area with excellent first schools and might not get into any of them!

Do you have a rough idea of the areas in monkseaton/whitley that you'd be looking to move to? I think if you knew that, you could search the schools in those postcodes and contact the schools directly for advice?

Don't forget there's always the appeals process if you were offered totally unsuitable schools.

Good luck!

Hi, I'm probably going to be moving to Monkseaton/Whitley Bay in the next couple of months, I have a DC due to start reception in September and am really worrying about the chance of him getting into one of the first schools as we will effectively be classed as a late application and it seems as if all of the schools are likely to be oversubscribed. Does anyone know if places tend to come up on waiting lists, or am I doomed to dc going to a school miles away?? Although the local school (whatever that turns out to be) would be best, I would really take any of the first schools but it could cause all sorts of problems if he ends up in a primary and I either have to stick with that (and risk not getting into secondary school as out of catchment) or move him at yr 5 to go to middle school. Argh!