There is just one week to go until parents send their children off to ‘big school’ on September 1 to start their secondary stage education.
Now, new data shows which of Sheffield’s 14 schools offering places for Y7 had to refuse most applicants, making them the hardest to get into in the city.
None of the schools rise to the level of refusals seen in data for primary schools revealed by The Star on Tuesday, which showed how the city’s most oversubscribed schools had as many as three children vying for every seat in the classroom.
In fact, the three least over subscribed schools in the city only turned away less than 10 students each to fill all their placements.
However, Sheffield’s most oversubscribed Y7 offering, Mercia School, turned away as many as 156 students to fill its 185 places.
Not on our list below are Stocksbridge, Birley, Ecclesfield and Bradfield schools, which were undersubscribed this year, in that they are starting this year with places still available in their classrooms.
Sheffield City Council says 95 per cent of students this academic year received a place at one of their three preferred schools, including primary school placements.
Below is a list of Sheffield’s most oversubscribed secondary schools according to a Freedom of Information request by The Star, ranked from those who had to turn away the most students to fill their places.

9. King Ecgbert School
King Ecgbert School is the ninth most oversubscribed school in Sheffield in 2022, turning away 49 students to fill its 210 available spaces. Photo: Google

10. Westfield School, Sothall
Westfield School is the tenth most oversubscribed school in Sheffield in 2022, turning away 31 students to fill its 270 available spaces. Photo: JPI

11. Yewlands Academy, Grenoside
Yewlands Academy is the eleventh most oversubscribed school in Sheffield in 2022, turning away 16 students to fill its 210 available spaces. Photo: JPI

12. Sheffield Park Academy, Manor
Sheffield Park Academy is the twelfth most oversubscribed school in Sheffield in 2022, turning away 9 students to fill its 215 available spaces. Photo: JPI


