What are the primary schools in Ponteland and Darras Hall?

The main state primaries are Darras Hall Primary (rated Outstanding by Ofsted) and Ponteland Primary, both part of the Pele Trust, along with other primaries in the wider parish. Most offer their own nursery provision from age three.

How do I apply for a school place in Ponteland?

Apply through Northumberland County Council. Primary (Reception) and secondary applications have national deadlines each year, and you can list several preferences. Catchment distance is the main tie-breaker for oversubscribed schools, so check the catchment before choosing a street.

Education

Ponteland Schools & Catchment: A Parent's Guide

Q: What secondary school serves Ponteland?

Ponteland High School on Callerton Lane is the town's state secondary and the lead school of the Pele Trust, taking pupils from Ponteland and its feeder primaries. Places are allocated by Northumberland County Council, with catchment distance a key oversubscription factor.

Ponteland's schools are a major reason families move to the town. A plain guide to the primaries, Ponteland High School, the Pele Trust and how Northumberland admissions work.

Ponteland.live·24 August 2026

Ask anyone why families move to Ponteland and schools will be near the top of the list. The town has a strong state offer built around the Pele Trust, and demand for places is a real driver of local house prices. Here is the plain version of how it works.

The system

Ponteland is in Northumberland, so its schools and admissions are run by Northumberland County Council, not Newcastle. Northumberland uses a standard two-tier system — primary (ages 4–11) then secondary (11–18) — rather than Newcastle's three-tier first/middle/high arrangement you will find in nearby Gosforth.

The primaries

The two best-known state primaries are:

Darras Hall Primary School on Middle Drive — an Ofsted-rated Outstanding school (ages 3–11) with its own nursery, at the heart of the Darras Hall estate.
Ponteland Primary School on Callerton Lane — a state primary running from nursery age to Year 6.

Both sit within the Pele Trust, the multi-academy trust that links Ponteland's state schools, and both offer early-years places from age three. There are further primaries in the wider parish and neighbouring villages.

The secondary

Ponteland High School on Callerton Lane is the town's state secondary and the lead school of the Pele Trust, taking pupils from Ponteland and its feeder primaries. It is a popular, consistently oversubscribed school, which is exactly why catchment matters so much locally.

How admissions work

School admissions are managed by Northumberland County Council:

Reception (age 4–5): apply online by the national mid-January deadline for a September start; offers follow in April. List up to your allowed number of preferences.
Secondary (age 11): apply by the national deadline in the autumn of Year 6; feeder-school priority and catchment distance shape allocations.
In-year moves: if you relocate mid-year, contact the council's admissions team and the school directly — places depend on availability in the year group.

For oversubscribed schools, catchment distance is the main tie-breaker. If a specific school is driving your move, confirm the catchment boundary before you commit to a particular street — a few hundred metres can make the difference.

Useful links

Check the latest admissions detail and deadlines on the Northumberland County Council school admissions pages, and read school reports on Ofsted. Our education page pulls together local schools and tutors, and if you are new to the area our moving to Ponteland guide covers the bigger picture.