New data shows most Sheffield households will be happy with where their child goes when they start in Y7 this September.
But for the parents disappointed they didn’t get their first place, they may be comforted to know some Sheffield schools are just that much harder to get into.
Figures have revealed nearly nine in 10 pupils in the Steel City got their first-choice secondary school for the upcoming academic year when allocated by the city council – and also show which schools had to turn down the most children who had them as their preferred place to go.
See our gallery below to see which Sheffield schools were the hardest to get into for the 2023/24 academic year and turned away the most children who had them as a ‘first choice’.
The schools are ranked by the percentage of applicants who had school as their first choice and got in, worked out by looking at how many places were offered to those who put them as their first preference compared with how many children who had them as their top choice were turned down.
The most difficult to get into for the upcoming academic year was Mercia School, which offered all 180 of its places to children who put it as a first place. But the school also had to turn away 107 children who had it as their top choice. It means 63 per cent of applicants who had the school as its top choice got in.
The ‘Outstanding’ rated school offered no places to children who placed it as their second or third choice when they applied for a secondary school place for the new school year.
Out of 6,549 children who applied for a secondary school in Sheffield for the 2023/24 academic year, 5,806 – or 88.7 per cent – got a place at their first choice. And 96.4 per cent got a place in at least one school in their top three choices.
9. #8 - King Edward School
The eighth most exclusive secondary school in Sheffield for 2023/24 is the 'inadequate rated King Edward VII School (a rating it is staunchly contesting with Ofsted). Out of 226 children who had it as their first choice, Kind Edward VII turned down 39 of them. It means 17 per cent of pupils who had King Ted's as their top choice were turned away, while a very large 51 places were also offered to children who put them down as their second or third choice. Photo: National World
10. #9 - Hinde House 2 -16
The ninth most exclusive secondary school in Sheffield for 2023/24 is the 'Good' rated Hinde House 2-16 Academy. Out of 222 children who had it as their first choice, Hinde House turned down 38 of them. It means 16 per cent of pupils who had Hinde House as their top choice were turned away, while nine places were also offered to children who put them down as their second or third choice. Photo: Alastair Ulke
11. #10 - King Ecgbert School
The 10th most exclusive secondary school in Sheffield for 2023/24 is the 'Outstanding' rated King Ecgbert School. Out of 251children who had it as their first choice, King Ecgbert turned down 35 of them. It means 14 per cent of pupils who had King Ecgbert as their top choice were turned away, while 20 places were also offered to children who put them down as their second or third choice. Photo: Marie Caley