How to apply for a school in Sheffield

Applying for secondary school

Applying for secondary school

If your child was born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015, they will transfer to secondary school in September 2026.

If your child lives in Sheffield, a personalised letter will be sent to you inviting you to apply and providing information to support you through the process.

When you can apply

You can apply from July when your child is in Y5.

The deadline for submitting your application online is midday Tuesday 14 October 2025. You'll still be able to complete a paper form until 31 October.

For more information about the process, you can refer to the Guide for Parents under Supporting information.

To help you decide what school to apply for, you may want to know what schools were oversubscribed last year, which you can find in the Oversubscribed secondary schools attachment.

You can also download the application from. 

When you'll hear back from us

The national allocation date is 1 March each year, unless this falls at the weekend or on a bank holiday, in which case it will be the next working day.

If you have applied online, you'll be sent an email notifying you of the outcome of your application.

Parents who apply on a paper form or email their application to Admissions will be sent a letter on allocation day.  

Schools with their own admissions policy

For Schools that are Trust or Foundation Schools and Academies, the School is the Admission Authority. Some of these still operate the same admission policy as Community and Voluntary Controlled schools, but there are some that operate different. 

These schools have their own policy and oversubscription criteria, which are different to that used for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools.

You can go to the school's website to view the school policy and criteria:

Some of the above schools require additional information to consider your application. This must be provided on the relevant supplementary information form and returned directly to the school. 

Please refer to the school's website for more information and to obtain the form.

Secondary school open evenings 

Every public secondary school in Sheffield has an open event. You can find out when it is in the attached list.

Secondary schools and our Admissions Policy

Sheffield Local Authority is the Admission Authority for community and voluntary controlled secondary schools.

Where a school of this type is oversubscribed, we use a criteria to determine priority.

Oversubscription criteria

This oversubscription criteria confirms the priorities for admission to community and voluntary controlled secondary schools.

If your enquiry relates to a specific year group, you'll need to get in touch with us for more information.

Priority 1: Children in care

Pupils who are in care or have been previously but ceased to be so because they were adopted, became subject to a child arrangement order or a special Guardianship Order immediately following being in care.

Priority 2: Catchment area with sibling

Children who reside in the defined catchment area who also have a brother or sister at the preferred school at the point of entry.

Priority 3: Catchment area

Children who reside in the defined catchment area of a school.

Priority 4: Siblings 

A sibling is defined as a child who permanently or usually lives at the same address as:

  • a brother and/or sister (including half brothers/sisters)
  • a stepbrother and/or stepsister
  • in both cases, will attend the preferred school at point of entry

Priority 5: Attendance at a feeder school

The priority is given if the child attends a designated linked feeder school at the time of allocation.

Priority 6: Other applications

Any child who does not fit into the above categories will be considered next.

Tie breakers

If the admission number is reached mid-category, there are 2 stages of further consideration carried out within the above outlined categories:

  1. where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated and evidenced by a professional
  2. if no exceptional circumstances are present, admissions are prioritised by the straightline distance measured from a designated point in the school building to a point in the home

Contact School Admissions

Pupil Admissions
Floor 5, North Wing
Howden House
Union Street
Sheffield
S1 4PL

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