- Latest consultation on this policy: 30 October 2024 to 15 December 2024
- Policy determined on: [post consultation in February 2025]
- Policy determined by: Leeds City Council Executive Board
This admissions policy applies to all schools where Leeds City Council is the admission authority. See the full list of schools this policy applies to.
Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan will be given a place in that school.
How we prioritise school places (oversubscription criteria)
If a school has more applications than places (called being oversubscribed) we will give children priority for places in the following order:
Priority 1 – Looked after and previously looked after children
A looked after child is defined as a child who is (one of the following):
A previously looked after child is any child who was previously looked after but stopped being so because they were (one of the following):
- adopted
- became subject to a Special Guardianship Order
- became subject to a Child Arrangements Order
- were in state care outside of England and were then adopted
You must submit evidence of your child’s previously looked after status (a copy of the court order and evidence of being in local authority or state care outside England) with your application.
Priority 2 – Children who have a brother or sister attending the school
To get this priority, the sibling must:
- live at the same address as the child applying
- be attending the school and still be expected to attend the school when the child starts
- be a full, half, step or foster sibling (this priority does not include cousins or other family members sharing a house)
- if an older sibling is attending a schools sixth form, they must have been going to the school in Year 11 to be considered as a sibling in this priority.
Priority 3 – Children who live in the catchment priority area for the school
Each of the community secondary schools in Leeds has a defined catchment priority area.
Allerton High School’s catchment area has two zones and places will be allocated to children living in zone one and then to children in zone two.
You can:
If you live in the catchment area your application will receive a higher priority at that school than applicants who live outside the catchment area. Living in the catchment area does not guarantee a place at the school.
Priority 4 – other children, by straight line distance
If none of the other priorities apply, your application will be considered under this priority.
If children meet the same priority (tie break)
In any priority, if children meet the same priority but there are not enough places left for all of them, the places will be allocated based on distance from the school. For example, if there are 4 places remaining at the school and 5 children all live in the priority catchment area, the 4 priority catchment children living closest to the school will be allocated those places.
If two or more children live exactly the same distance from the school (i.e. in a block of flats) and there are not enough places for both, we will draw lots. This will be witnessed by a person independent of the school.
We will not draw lots for twins or other multiple birth siblings from the same family. Where they are tied for the final place we will admit them all, exceeding the Published Admissions Number for the school.
How many children are admitted to a school (Published Admission Number)
Each school has a Published Admission Number (PAN) which is the number of places the school can admit in Year 7 in 2026. These are:
- Allerton Grange School 300 places
- Allerton High School 280 places
- Benton Park School 300 places
- Lawnswood School 270 places
- Roundhay All Through School 240 places
Application process (normal round)
When applying to start in the entry year, all applications are coordinated by local authorities across England.
You apply to your home Local Authority (the council who empty your bins) by the closing date of 31 October 2025.
All offers will be made by your home Local Authority on offer day of 2 March 2026 (first working day after 1 March).
Applying after the national closing date
If you apply after the national closing date, we cannot guarantee to consider your preferences at the same time as those received on time.
Until 28 November, all applications submitted or changed will be treated as if they were on-time.
After 28 November, any applications submitted or changed will only be considered after allocations have been made for all on-time applications, unless there are exceptional reasons for the late application agreed by us.
All applications submitted after 31 December are considered late and won’t be allocated a school place until after national offer day.
Definitions and special circumstances
Distance measurements
We use a straight-line distance system. The program measures the straight-line distance from a defined LLPG point on the main school building to a defined LLPG point on your home address.
The point we measure to at your home address is set by the Local Land and Property Gazzetteer (LLPG), which provides coordinates for every property. If we are not able to match your address with the LLPG then we will identify a point at the centre of your home.
Temporary school sites
If a school is based on a temporary site for any reason, we will base our distance measurements on the school’s permanent site.
Which address to use
When you apply you must use the child’s permanent address, where they usually live with their parent or carer - this is the address of a person holding parental responsibility for the child. You must not use any other address on your application.
Using the address of a childminder, a relative or renting a property for a short period of time in order to secure a school place is considered as a fraudulent application. We will investigate all queries about addresses, and we could change the school place offer.
If we find out that an intentionally misleading or false address has been given to get a school place, the school place may be withdrawn even if the child has already started at the school.
If the child lives in different properties (shared care)
Only one address can be used on your application for a school place, and this should be the parent address where the child lives for the majority of the week. In cases of equal shared care, both parents must agree which address will be used on the application.
For applications made in the normal round, if there is no agreement, Leeds City Council will decide which parent address will be used, based on where the child spends the majority of the school week. If the child spends equal time with each parent, we will use the address where the child is registered with their doctor at the closing date.
If parents disagree on an application made in the normal round
Only one parent can submit a school place application and we cannot resolve disputes between parents – only a family court can do this.
When you apply, you are confirming you have the consent of all other persons to make the application. If we receive two conflicting applications, both applications will be placed on hold (and school places may have to be offered to other applicants) until we have received (either):
- written evidence that everyone holding parental responsibility agrees the application
- a Court Order specifying who should apply
We may be required to allocate a place at the closest school to the child’s home with spaces remaining available if the child needs a school place offer.
Moving home
When we make an offer, we assume your address will be the same when you take up the school place in September. If you are planning to move house, you must still use your current address on your application.
As soon as you move house, you must tell us your new address and provide proof of the house move, including evidence you’ve permanently left the old address and evidence of your new address. We may have to change the school place offered to you. Find out more on our making changes to your application page.
Accepting offers
You will need to accept the offer of a school place directly with the school. This will not affect your position on any waiting list for any other school or your right to appeal.
If you refuse the offer, or do not accept the offer within a reasonable time, your place may be withdrawn. This will leave your child without a school place in September.
Waiting lists
We hold a waiting list after national offer day. We automatically add all children to the waiting list after offer day.
If a place becomes available before the new school year starts, your child will automatically be allocated the place at your higher preference school. We will also automatically withdraw the place at a lower preference school to give it to another child.
We hold waiting lists for all the year groups as follows:
- your child’s place on a list is decided by the oversubscription criteria in the school’s admission policy (the rules for prioritising places)
- each time a child is added or removed, the list is ranked again, and your child can move down if another child meets higher criteria
- the waiting list will close at the end of the academic year (July). You must reapply for a new school place to be on the list the following year
- looked after children, previously looked after children and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol take priority over those on a waiting list
Admission out of chronological age
You can ask for your child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example if your child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.
You still need to apply for a place in their normal age group, in case you don't get permission. You must apply by any deadline date, and we recommend you send the request to each school you intend to apply for, as it is possible for one school to refuse a request that another school agrees.
To apply, you must attach to your application form a request that explains:
- why admission out of normal year group is being requested
- the year group you wish your child to be allocated a place
If you have it, you can also attach any available evidence that supports your request.
Leeds City Council will consider each application individually and make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned.
This request is separate to any decision about offering a place at a preferenced school. There is no right of appeal against a decision relating to admission out of chronological age. All decisions about offering places are made by applying the admission policy oversubscription criteria to the child’s application.
Moving schools (in-year applications)
These are requests to join a school in years 8-11, or for year 7 places after the start of the school year.
Where any vacancy arises, places will be offered from the waiting list based on the oversubscription criteria within this policy.
Find out more about in-year applications, including current vacancies and how to apply for a place on the Leeds application portal at www.leeds.gov.uk/moveschools.
Appeals
If you have been refused a place at a school you applied for, you have the right to appeal.
Appeals submitted for a year 7 place in the normal round will need to be received by the Council’s deadline to guarantee being heard before the new school year starts. Find our appeals timetable containing deadlines and timescales.
Appeals against a decision for an in-year application can be submitted any time during the academic year. Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal request being received (where the application for a place has been refused and the right of appeal has been issued).
Fair Access Protocol
All schools must take part in the Fair Access Protocol arrangements. It is a legal requirement and the protocol applies to all Leeds schools. The protocol operates outside of the Admissions policy.
The protocol applies to in-year applications and only to children who do not have a current school place. The aim is to make sure the most vulnerable children, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. It also ensures that no school (including those with places) is asked to take a disproportionate number of vulnerable children. Read our Fair Access Protocol.
Sixth Form Applications
If a school recruits external candidates to its sixth form, they are required to set a Published Admission Number (PAN) for external students.
The PANs for the community schools in Leeds which recruit external students to their sixth form are:
- Allerton Grange School – 30 places
- Allerton High School - 30 places
- Benton Park School – 25 places
- Roundhay School - 100 places
Admission into each sixth form is based on meeting the specific academic entry requirements, which may vary from school to school. The same academic requirements apply to internal and external applicants. If the school is full in sixth form the above oversubscription criteria above will apply.
Each sixth form has its own application form and closing date found on their website. Late applications may be considered after those made on time. Go to the individual school’s website for further information or find out more about post 16 options in Leeds at Start in Leeds.
