Summary
School admissions depend on the nation, admission authority and exact oversubscription rules. Distance may be straight line or walking route, and living nearby does not automatically guarantee a place.
Definition
School admissions are the rules and processes used to allocate places when parents apply for schools. In England and Wales, admissions are governed by national admissions codes and local or school level admission arrangements. In Scotland, councils set catchment areas and handle placing requests. In Northern Ireland, the Education Authority coordinates admissions and schools publish their own criteria. Oversubscription rules may prioritise looked after children, siblings, catchment, faith, aptitude, distance, feeder schools or other lawful criteria. Distance measurement can use straight line, shortest walking route, defined address points or council GIS. For an area check, read the determined arrangements for the correct intake year and treat past distance cutoffs as evidence, not a promise.