Secondary schools with the smallest catchment areas

Among 259 oversubscribed secondaries with a published cut-off, the median is 1.47 miles.

Claremont High School in Brent is ranked first, on 0.20 miles. The list spans 45 local authorities, and Birmingham has the most schools in it (11).

To make this top 100, a school needed a cut-off of 1.19 miles or less. Across all 259 schools that meet the rules, the typical cut-off is 1.47 miles. By region, the top 100 breaks down as London 30, West Midlands 23 and North West 11, with every region represented.

How this ranking works

The measure is the distance of the last child offered a Year 7 place on distance. The same rules apply as for primary schools: oversubscribed schools only, no religious character, no category-specific distances.

100 of the 259 schools that meet these rules are shown below. A rank with "=" is shared with another school on the same figure. Tap any school to see its full results, Ofsted grades, admissions and nearby alternatives.

The top 100

Things to bear in mind

A short secondary cut-off often reflects a large number of siblings or a dense local population, not only popularity. Some schools give priority to feeder primary schools or to pupils with an aptitude before distance is applied. The council's admission arrangements set out the full order of priority.

Sources: DfE school admissions statistics (applications and offers for September 2026) and council allocation statements. Published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Secondary schools with the smallest catchment areas

How this ranking works

The top 100

Things to bear in mind

More national rankings