Outwood Academy City

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Children in Care (previously In Care) — Pupils who are in care or previously in care (children who were in care but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangement order or special guardianship order immediately following being In Care). This includes those who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. Children in this category will be prioritised at their preferred school.
2. 2Catchment Area with Sibling — Children who live in the catchment area at the latest date for receiving applications and who will have a sibling attending the preferred school in September 2026 will be prioritised above other catchment applicants.
3. 3Catchment Area — Children living in the catchment area for the preferred school that will not have a sibling attending, will be considered next. The Authority does prioritise catchment area residents, however places are not guaranteed.
4. 4Brothers or sisters (siblings) of children refused a place at their Sheffield catchment school — In circumstances where parents have applied on time for but been refused a place at their catchment school for older siblings and allocated a place at a non catchment school, any younger sibling will be afforded priority sibling status. This will only apply where allocated a preference ranked lower than the catchment school or allocated the nearest available school.
5. 5Brothers or sisters (siblings) — Children who will have an older brother or sister (sibling) at the preferred school on the date of admission, will be offered a place if any places remain after all above categories have been allocated. A pupil is not afforded sibling status if the older sibling transfers to a school sixth form having not previously attended there. A sibling is defined as a child who permanently or usually lives at the same address as: a brother and/or sister; a stepbrother and/or stepsister (including half brothers/sisters) and in both cases will attend the preferred school at the time of entry.
6. 6Designated feeder school — If your child attends a primary school which is officially designated as a feeder to a secondary school, but you live outside the catchment area, you will be offered a place after all above categories have been allocated. Parents whose child falls under this category should note that if they attend a non-catchment primary school they have less chance of being allocated a place at the linked secondary school than those who live in the catchment area or have a brother or sister at the school.
7. 7Other applications — Any child who does not fit into one of the above categories will be considered next.

If two applications tie: Where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated/supported by professional evidence, an application may be prioritised by the Admissions Committee but only within the admission category. If there are no exceptional circumstances, all applications will be prioritised first by the admission category and then by distance from the home address to a designated point at the school building (straight-line measurement). In circumstances where two or more children live at addresses that are equidistant from the school the place will be allocated through the process of Random Allocation.

Criterion 2 references 'September 2026' which appears to be a drafting error in a 2027/28 policy. Feeder schools are not named in the document; applicants are directed to the Local Authority's Admissions website or Secondary Admissions for details.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.