What Is a Catchment Area?
A catchment area (sometimes called a "priority area" or "designated area") is the geographical zone around a school from which it gives priority to applicants. If you live within a school's catchment area, your child is more likely to be offered a place.
However, it's important to understand that not all schools use catchment areas. Many schools simply use straight-line distance from home to school as their oversubscription criterion, without defining a formal catchment zone.
The distinction matters:
- Catchment-based schools give priority to children living within a defined boundary, regardless of exact distance
- Distance-based schools rank all applicants by how far they live from the school, regardless of catchment
Your local authority's admissions information will tell you which approach each school uses.
How Are Catchment Areas Defined?
Catchment areas are typically drawn up by the local authority (for community and voluntary-controlled schools) or by the school's own governing body (for academies and free schools).
They're usually designed to:
- Cover the immediate surrounding area
- Ensure every address falls within at least one school's catchment
- Avoid overlap where possible
- Reflect natural boundaries (rivers, main roads, railway lines)
How to Find Your Catchment Area
- Local authority website — Most councils publish interactive maps showing catchment boundaries
- Individual school websites — Check the admissions section of each school's website
- Call the school — The admissions team can confirm whether your address falls within their catchment
- What School — Search by postcode to see nearby schools and their admissions information
Cut-Off Distances
Even within a catchment area, oversubscribed schools may not be able to admit everyone. When this happens, they use distance as a tie-breaker among catchment residents.
The cut-off distance (also called the "last distance offered") is the distance at which the final place was offered in the previous year's admissions round. This is a useful — but not guaranteed — guide to your chances.
Important notes about distance:
- It can vary significantly from year to year
- A new housing development can change the numbers dramatically
- Distance is usually measured as a straight line from the front door of your home to the school's entrance, using the local authority's GIS (mapping) system
What If I Live Outside the Catchment?
Living outside a school's catchment doesn't mean you can't apply — it just means you'll have lower priority than catchment residents.
Your options:
- Apply anyway — in some years, some catchment schools don't fill from within the catchment alone
- Check historical data — if the school regularly has spaces for out-of-catchment applicants, your chances are reasonable
- Look at other criteria — do you have a sibling at the school? Does the school prioritise staff children?
- Consider other schools — your catchment school may be excellent too
The Impact on House Prices
It's worth knowing that proximity to popular schools can significantly affect house prices. Research consistently shows a premium of 5-15% for homes within the catchment of the most sought-after schools.
This creates an uncomfortable reality: access to the best state schools can depend heavily on family wealth. It's one of the reasons some campaigners argue for changes to the admissions system.
Common Myths
"If I'm in the catchment, I'm guaranteed a place"
Not necessarily. In heavily oversubscribed areas, even catchment applicants may not all get in if there aren't enough places.
"I can use a relative's address to get into a catchment"
This is fraud. If the local authority discovers that you've used a false address, the place can be withdrawn — even after your child has started at the school.
"Attending the school nursery guarantees a Reception place"
No. Nursery attendance gives no priority for Reception admissions unless the school's admissions policy specifically states otherwise (which is very rare).
Useful Resources
- Find your local authority for catchment maps
- School admissions code
- Search by postcode on the What School to see nearby schools
Understanding your catchment area is one of the most practical steps you can take when planning school admissions. Start early, check the data, and always use all your available preferences.