When a school has received more applications than places, it's oversubscribed.
The number of places at a school is its public admission number (PAN).
The oversubscription criteria on this page confirm the priorities for admission to community and voluntary controlled schools.
If your enquiry relates to a specific year group, you'll need to get in touch with us for more information.
Schools that are their own admission authority
Governing Bodies for voluntary aided and foundation schools, such as faith schools, are their own admission authority.
This means they establish their own admission arrangements, and they allocate school places by their own criteria not set by us.
The oversubscription criteria on this page do not apply to schools that are their own admission authority.
Broomhill Infant School is the only foundation school in Sheffield.
Educational, Health and Care Plan
Any child that has a statement or Educational, Health and Care Plan that names a specific school must be given a place there.
This is a priority that takes precedence over all other criteria.
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.
Parents who applied online will receive an email after 12am on allocation day. Parents who submitted paper applications will receive a letter confirming their decision around the same time.
For parents who have not been offered a higher ranked preference, they will be informed of the appeal procedure.
We expect a high volume of calls week commencing 1 March. If you have problems getting through, please email at ed-admissions@sheffield.gov.uk.
The following criteria confirm the priorities for admission into Sheffield community and voluntary controlled Secondary schools.
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:
- where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated and evidenced by a professional
- if no exceptional circumstances are present, admissions are prioritised by the straight line distance from the centre of the home to the centre of the school building.
The following criteria confirm the priorities for admission into Sheffield community and voluntary controlled primary schools.
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: Other applications
Any child who does not fit into the above categories will be considered next.
Places are only allocated up to the published indicated admission number.
Tie breakers
If the admission number is reached mid-category, then there is a tie break, meaning places will be allocated either:
- where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated and evidenced by a professional
- if no exceptional circumstances are present; admissions are prioritised by the straight-line distance from the centre of the home to the centre of the school building
Further information on oversubscription in reception, junior and year 3
The oversubscribed infant and primary school document shows:
- the number of places at each of the oversubscribed schools
- categories and numbers of pupils allocated
- categories and numbers of pupils refused
- the distance from home to school of the last child allocated
If a school does not appear on the list, it's because it was possible to allocate places for all those who applied expressing preference before the allocation date.
The following criteria confirm the priorities for admission from Sheffield community and voluntary controlled infant schools to junior schools.
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: Attendance at a linked feeder school
This category applies to the transfer from year 2 to year 3 at separate infant and junior schools.
The priority is given if the child attends a designated linked feeder school at the time of allocation.
Should there be oversubscription within this category, then places will allocated within this criteria according to:
- Feeder Catchment and sibling
- Feeder Catchment
- Feeder Sibling
- Feeder Other
- Catchment and Sibling
- Catchment
- Sibling
- Other
Priority 3: 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 will be considered next.
Priority 4: Catchment area
Children who reside in the defined catchment area of a school.
Priority 5: Ciblings who were refused a place at their catchment school in a previous year
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 6: 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 7: Other applications
Any child who does not fit into the above categories will be considered next.
Places are only allocated up to the published indicated admission number.
Tie breakers
If the admission number is reached mid-category, then there is a tie break, meaning places will be allocated either:
- where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated and evidenced by a professional
- if no exceptional circumstances are present; admissions are prioritised by the straight-line distance from the centre of the home to the centre of the school building
Application refusals
If you’ve been refused admission to your preferred school(s), it’s because the school was oversubscribed. This means it received more applications than places.
Reception 2025 to 2026
We have a list of the oversubscribed infant and reception schools for this year that you can download.
The schools that have refused applications will have different reasons for doing so:
Appeals
If you're refused a place from your desired school(s), you can make an appeal against the decision. Appeals are not guaranteed, and you're advised to continue making arrangements for your child's education in the run up to your appeal hearing.