Current arrangements: Overview

The admissions arrangements for each school will differ depending on the type of school.

You will find the published admission arrangements for academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools within Staffordshire by scrolling to the bottom on this webpage.

The Office of the Schools Adjudicator

Any person or body who considers that any maintained school or academy's arrangements are unlawful, or not in compliance with the school admissions code or relevant law relating to admissions, can make an objection to the schools adjudicator. 

Community and voluntary controlled schools

If the number of applications for admission to a school exceeds the school's published admissions number (PAN) then the available places for the school are allocated in strict accordance with its oversubscription criteria.

• Previous arrangements (September 2025 admission)
• Current arrangements (September 2026 admission)

Consultation on proposed admission arrangements 2027/2028 (September 2027 admission)

Please view the proposed admission arrangements for admission year of 2027/2028.

The county council is not proposing to make any changes to the general admission arrangements that were determined for 2026/2027.  

Any proposals to alter a Community or Voluntary Controlled Schools Published Admission Number (PAN) will be indicated within the document. 

Comments on the admission arrangements, including if you are a community or voluntary controlled school that wishes to propose a change to your own published admission number, should arrive no later than 5pm on the 01 December 2025 and emailed to admissions@staffordshire.gov.uk.

Finalised admissions arrangements for 2027/2028 will be determined by 28 February 2026 and will be published on the Intranet and Staffordshire County Council’s website.  

 Schools maintained by other local authorities

You may prefer your child to be admitted to a school maintained by another local authority.

If this is the case, details of their admissions arrangements can be obtained by contacting the authority in question. 

Schools which are academies, voluntary aided, Catholic, foundation, or free schools

These schools have their own oversubscription criteria. The schools use these criteria when allocating places if they are oversubscribed. You can use the A-Z list below to find the arrangements for a specific school in this category.

Please note: If the arrangements for a particular school are not detailed, this is because the school/academy has not sent a copy to the local authority and you should therefore contact the school or academy directly.

The following academies/schools are consulting on their 2027/2028 admission arrangements:

• John Taylor Free School - reduction in PAN
• Kidsgrove Secondary School - reduction in PAN
• Landau Forte Academy, QEMS - change to oversubcription criteria
• Penkridge Middle School - no proposed changes
• St. John Fisher Catholic College - reduction in PAN
• The Rural Enterprise Academy - no proposed changes
• The Winecote School - no proposed changes
• Wolgarston High - no proposed changes

UTC, studio schools, and colleges

Please view the individual website for information on how places are allocated.

Sixth forms

Applications for admission to school sixth forms are handled directly by the individual school. They will provide you with advice and details of the examination subjects and courses offered to their students and the minimum entry requirements for those courses on request. Children already attending a school in Year 11 wishing to transfer to a school's sixth form are not required to formally apply for places in Year 12 but should have reached the minimum entry qualifications for admission.

External applicants will have the opportunity to make an application. The outcome will depend on minimum entry qualifications and course or study availability.

If you want advice on the options and entry requirements for individual school sixth forms, please make contact with the schools directly.