Overview
Schools do not use a “first preference first” or “first come, first served” admissions policy, in line with the law.
Each school listed on your application will be considered individually and fairly against its published admission arrangements. If your child qualifies for a place at more than one of your preferred schools, they will be offered a place at the school ranked highest on your application. If none of your preferred schools can offer a place, your child will be allocated a place at a school with available spaces.
Priority for admission to children attending certain schools
Places are allocated strictly in line with the published admission arrangements.
While schools often work closely with their local pyramid schools, these links do not always form part of their admission arrangements and do not guarantee a place.
Attending a school named in the published admission arrangements for a particular secondary/high or junior/middle school does not guarantee admission. It simply means those pupils have a higher priority than children who, for example, live outside the defined catchment area or do not have an older sibling already attending the school.
Catchment areas
Some schools in Staffordshire do not operate a catchment area for admissions purposes.
Use our school search to check the catchment school for a specific address and view individual school’s catchment areas.
Your nearest school may not be your catchment school.
Admission to a catchment area school is not guaranteed; places are allocated based on availability in the relevant year group.
Admission numbers
Every school has a Published Admission Number (PAN) which indicates how many places are available.
You can find each school’s PAN in its admission arrangements, on the school search.
Infant class size legislation limits infant classes to no more than 30 pupils per qualified teacher.
Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme
The co-ordinated scheme explains how we work with neighbouring local authorities and schools that manage their own admissions.
Its purpose is to make sure every child living in Staffordshire receives one single offer of a school place—whether that place is at a school in Staffordshire or at a school located in a neighbouring authority.
Moving home
If you apply for a Staffordshire school for a September 2026 start, you need to provide proof of your new home address (for example, a solicitor’s letter confirming the completion date) by 23 January 2026 for secondary/high schools and 6 March 2026 for primary/middle schools for the new address to be considered when allocating school places.
Please note that simply stating an intention to move is not accepted as proof of living in the catchment area of an oversubscribed school.
For schools/academies located outside of Staffordshire please refer to their individual admission arrangements.
