The Dales School Catchment Area
The Dales School is a community special not applicable school in Blyth, Northumberland , serving pupils aged 4-11, with 212 pupils, and a capacity of 230 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
4-11
Age range
212
Pupils
230
Capacity
92%
Fill rate
Outstanding
Ofsted 2013
The Dales School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Dales School?
The catchment area for The Dales School is the geographic zone Northumberland uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Northumberland publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
The catchment area for The Dales School is set by Northumberland and reviewed annually. Children living within the catchment boundary receive priority consideration when applications exceed the number of available places.
Get an alert if The Dales School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Northumberland before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Northumberland catchment area documents →The Dales School: 230 places, 92% filled: nearing capacity
The Dales School has a published admission number of 230 places. 212 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 92%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 230, Northumberland's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 60.4% of pupils at The Dales School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Blyth.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Northumberland publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Northumberland school admissions →
The Dales School: School Information
- Full address
- Cowpen Road, Blyth, NE24 4RE
- Local authority
- Northumberland
- School type
- Community special school
- Phase of education
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 4-11 years
- Free school meals
- 60.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 122388
Other Not applicable Schools in Blyth
If The Dales School is oversubscribed, these not applicable schools in Blyth are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest not applicable schools by distance
These are the not applicable schools closest to The Dales School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: The Dales School
What is the catchment area for The Dales School? ▾
The catchment area for The Dales School is the geographic zone Northumberland uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Northumberland publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is The Dales School oversubscribed? ▾
The Dales School is operating close to its capacity of 230 places (92% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Dales School? ▾
Admission to The Dales School is managed by Northumberland. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does The Dales School cover? ▾
The Dales School is a not applicable school in Blyth, Northumberland, serving pupils aged 4-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Dales School? ▾
The Dales School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2013. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.