Oversubscription criteria are the ranked rules a school uses to decide which applicants receive places when more families apply than there are spaces available. Every state school in England must publish them as part of its admission arrangements, and they are governed by the statutory School Admissions Code.
Why do oversubscription criteria exist?
Every state school in England has a published admission number — the number of pupils it will accept in each year group. When the number of applications exceeds this figure, the school (or the local authority on its behalf) uses the oversubscription criteria to decide who gets in. Without ranked criteria, allocating places would be arbitrary and open to bias.
The School Admissions Code requires that all criteria are objective, clear, and measurable — schools cannot use subjective judgements such as the performance of a sibling or an interview (with limited exceptions for music, faith, and banded schools). Admission authorities must publish their arrangements by 15 March each year for the following September entry.
What is the first criterion — and why is it compulsory?
The School Admissions Code requires every school to give highest priority to looked-after children (LAC) and previously looked-after children (post-LAC). This criterion must come first; no school can place any other consideration above it. Looked-after children are those in the care of a local authority; previously looked-after children are those who have left care via adoption, a Special Guardianship Order (SGO), or a Child Arrangements Order (CAO).
What other criteria do schools commonly use?
After LAC/post-LAC, schools have considerable discretion. The most frequently used criteria, in a typical priority order, are:
| Priority | Criterion | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (mandatory) | Looked-after and previously looked-after children | Required by the Admissions Code |
| 2 | Children with a specific medical or social need | School must require written evidence from a professional |
| 3 | Siblings attending the school | Usually defined as living at the same address at the time of application |
| 4 | Distance from home to school | Measured by straight line or shortest safe walking route |
| 5 | Catchment area | Some schools define a geographic boundary; places within it take priority |
| 6 (faith schools only) | Faith criteria | Attendance at a church, religious practice, or baptism — verified by a supplementary form |
Schools can also add criteria such as staff children (within limits set by the Code) or aptitude in a specialist subject (only if the school has designated aptitude status). They cannot use: first-come-first-served, interviews, previous school performance, or a child's own school report.
How is distance measured?
Where distance is a criterion, the admission authority specifies how it is measured. The two main methods are:
- Straight-line (crow-flies) distance — from the home address to the main school gate, measured using mapping software. This is the most common method in England.
- Shortest safe walking route — from the home address to the school along recognised footpaths and roads. This method produces different results in areas with rivers, railways, or trunk roads that cannot be crossed safely.
The tie-breaker where two applicants live exactly the same measured distance is usually a random allocation by a lottery conducted by the local authority. Some authorities use a random number to break all ties, not just those involving identical distances.
How does the sibling criterion work in practice?
A sibling criterion typically prioritises families where another child currently attends the school and will still be enrolled in September of the year the new child would start. The definition of "sibling" varies between schools:
- Most definitions include full siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, and children of the same household
- Some schools require the sibling to be living at the same address as the applicant at the time of application
- A few schools also include adopted siblings or children under the same guardianship order
Parents should read the exact wording carefully. A child who has a sibling at the school but who does not live at the same address as the sibling may not qualify under some schools' definitions.
Can criteria be challenged?
Yes. If a parent believes the school or local authority applied its published criteria incorrectly — for example, measuring distance from the wrong point, or failing to verify a medical need properly — they can appeal to an independent admissions appeal panel. The panel can overturn the decision if it finds a procedural error.
Parents cannot challenge the criteria themselves through an admissions appeal — that is a separate process involving the Schools Adjudicator, an independent statutory body. If you believe a school's published criteria are unlawful (for example, they include an interview where one is not permitted), you can refer the matter to the Schools Adjudicator, who has the power to direct a school to change its arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I live in the catchment area but my child still does not get a place?
A catchment area gives priority to applicants within it but does not guarantee a place. If the number of applicants living within the catchment exceeds the school's admission number, the school will use the next criterion — usually distance — to rank those catchment applicants. A child who lives within the catchment but is among the furthest from the school may still not receive a place.
Can a school give priority to children whose parents work there?
Yes, but only in limited circumstances and with restrictions set by the School Admissions Code. A school may give priority to children of staff who have been employed for at least two years, or who were recruited to fill a post where there is a demonstrable skills shortage. This criterion cannot be the highest priority (it must come after LAC/post-LAC) and the Code caps its use.
How do faith schools use faith criteria?
Faith schools that are designated as religious by the Secretary of State can use faith-based criteria to select some or all of their places. Typical evidence might include a letter from a vicar or priest confirming regular church attendance, a baptism certificate, or a record of confirmed membership in a religious community. Families applying to a faith school need to complete a supplementary information form (SIF) alongside the local authority's standard application.
What is the Schools Adjudicator?
The Schools Adjudicator is a statutory body that oversees school admission arrangements in England. Any parent, local authority, or other interested party can refer a school's admission arrangements to the Adjudicator if they believe those arrangements breach the School Admissions Code. The Adjudicator's decisions are binding. This route is distinct from an admissions appeal, which challenges the application of criteria in an individual case rather than the criteria themselves.
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