Where is a first-choice secondary place hardest to get?
DfE ยท Sept 2026 entry- Newcastle upon Tyne 79%
- Middlesbrough 84%
- North Tyneside 84%
- Gateshead 87%
- South Tyneside 89%
- Darlington 92%
- Hartlepool 93%
- Sunderland 93%
- Redcar and Cleveland 93%
- County Durham 94%
- Stockton-on-Tees 95%
- Northumberland 96%
Local authorities compared
Medians are of schools, not pupils
Sorted by the median secondary school's applications per place for September 2026, highest first.
| Local authority | Secondary per place | First choice | Attainment 8 | KS2 expected | Report cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-on-Tees | 2.3 | 95% | 46.8 | 67% | 17 |
| Gateshead | 2.3 | 87% | 48.4 | 67% | 7 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 2.1 | 79% | 41.6 | 67% | 12 |
| Hartlepool | 2.1 | 93% | 44.2 | 70% | 7 |
| Middlesbrough | 2.1 | 84% | 41.7 | 66% | 9 |
| County Durham | 1.8 | 94% | 47.3 | 64% | 39 |
| North Tyneside | 1.8 | 84% | 44.4 | 64% | 10 |
| Darlington | 1.7 | 92% | 42.3 | 68% | 8 |
| South Tyneside | 1.7 | 89% | 42.0 | 66% | 8 |
| Redcar and Cleveland | 1.6 | 93% | 44.2 | 67% | 8 |
| Sunderland | 1.5 | 93% | 43.1 | 68% | 20 |
| Northumberland | 1.3 | 96% | 43.6 | 64% | 25 |