Four Sheffield primary schools refuse places to children living in their catchment area

Dore Primary, Meersbrook Bank, Netherthorpe Primary, and Wybourn Community Primary were all oversubscribed and forced to turn down pupils for a reception place in September – espite them living in the catchment area.

In total, 39 schools across the city were oversubscribed with youngsters also being turned away from those where their brother or sisters have places.

Sheffield Council had previously felt the pressure to provide places following an increase in births, however the population boom is said to have peaked with rising numbers expected to move to secondary.

The most oversubscribed school was Dobcroft Infants, in Millhouses, where 44 children were turned away including eight whose sibling attend.

Both Hunters Bar Infants, in Sharrow Vale and Malin Bridge Primary, in Malin Bridge, were forced to turn down 32 youngsters each for a reception place.

Netherthorpe Primary, in Netherthorpe, which only had 30 places to offer, refused places for 25 pupils – including 21 living in the catchment area and two whose siblings attend the school.

At Dore Primary, in Dore, 20 pupils were turned down a reception place – 15 of whom live in the catchment area.

Wybourn Community Primary, in Wybourn, were forced to turn refuse 18 pupils, including 11 who live in the catchment area.

Dawn Walton, Sheffield City Council’s Director of Commissioning, Inclusion and Learning Service said: “In Sheffield 98.35% of pupils were allocated one of their three preferences.

While a larger cohort has caused a very slight 0.4% reduction from last year’s outcome, this is still an excellent outcome for Sheffield families and an extremely high number of children will be offered one of their preferred schools.

“This reflects the effective strategies and partnerships between the Council and schools in recent years to meet the recent growth in population.

“In the specific case of Dobcroft Infant school all catchment applicants have been accommodated. Of 90 available places 84 were offered to catchment pupils and a further 6 to non-catchment siblings.

“While it is not unusual for Dobcroft to be oversubscribed the 44 refused at Dobcroft are all non-catchment and will have been offered alternative school places..

“We understand how disappointing that can be for families and the Council continually monitors pupil numbers and school places to make sure plans are made in advance to ensure every Sheffield child can go to a great local school.”

Other oversubscribed schools include: Angram Bank Primary; Anns Grove Primary; Athelstan Primary; Bankwood Primary; Beck Primary; Bradway Primary; Brightside Primary; Brunswick Primary; Charnock Hall Primary; Coit Primary; Ecclesall Primary; Ecclesfield Primary; Greystones Primary; High Green Primary; Hucklow Primary; Loxley Primary; Mansel Primary; Meersbrook Bank Primary; Monteney Primary; Mosborough Primary; Mundella Primary; Nether Edge Primary; Nether Green Primary; Norton Free Primary; Oais Academy Don Valley; Oughtibridge Primary; Sharrow Primary; Southey Green Primary; Spingfield Primary; Stannington Primary; Stradbroke Primary; Totley Primary; Watercliffe Meadow Primary.

Catholic schools – Sacred Heart; St Catherine’s; St John Fisher; St Joseph’s; St Marie’s; St Patrick’s; St Theresa’s; St Wilfred’s. Church of England schools – Clifford, Parson Cross, Porter Croft and Totley All Saints. Broomhill Infant Foundation School was also oversubscribed.