We hope that the information provided to you on this page helps you and your family to understand more about how to apply for a place at John Smeaton Academy.

We have seen an increase in the demand for places at the academy as a result of the academy joining The GORSE Academies Trust (The GORSE Academies Trust (tgat.org.uk), To give you the best chance of securing a place within our school, we would encourage all families to ensure that you meet the deadline for applications and remember to put John Smeaton Academy as your first-choice preference. In line with the admissions policy, however, it is important to note that placing us as your first-choice preference does not guarantee you a place at the school.

We look forward to working with you as a family over the course of the next five years.

Admissions Timetable 2027
Open Evening Thursday 1st October 6pm – 8pm
Deadline date for applications for Year 7 places in September 2027 31 October 2026
National Offers Day 1 March 2027
Deadline for accepting offers and first cut off for appeal forms 15 March 2027
Appeals held by Independent appeal panels May to July 2027
Appeal decision letters to be sent Within 5 working days from date of hearing wherever possible

If you are applying for a Year 7 place for September, all applications are made in advance. Offers are made by local authorities on national offer day.

You must apply to the local authority who empties your bins. If this is Leeds, please go to www.leeds.gov.uk/apply.

Supplementary Information Form (SIF)

If you’re moving into Leeds or want to change schools in Leeds, you need to make a school transfer – often called an in-year application.

We are part of the Leeds coordinated in-year application scheme. This means you can apply for a place online using the Leeds in-year application form at Before you move schools (leeds.gov.uk). You can apply for places at our school and other Leeds schools at the same time on this form.

If you have moved house, please upload evidence of the house move with the online application. You can find out what you need to provide on the above website.

We offer places by applying our admission policy criteria to your child’s application and we will contact you with our decision about offering you a place. We will tell you our decision no later than 15 school days from when you apply.

If we cannot offer you a place, we will

  • Write to you to explain the reasons,
  • Explain how you can appeal and
  • Add your child to our waiting list in case a place becomes free.

Our waiting lists are kept until end of each school year. You will need to make a new application if you want to be on the waiting list for the following school year.

If you are not offered a place at the academy you requested, you will have the right of appeal. The appeal panel is independent of the academy and council and the decision is legally binding.

Before you appeal you:

Leeds City Council arranges our appeals and you can find the appeal form at School appeals (leeds.gov.uk)

If you are applying for a Year 7 place for September, you need to submit your appeal form by the above deadline to ensure the appeal will be heard before the summer holidays.

You can appeal because you want your child to attend a particular school. These are successful if the panel agree that the reasons for your appeal outweigh the school’s decision not to admit any more children.

Wanting your child to go to a school because you think it is the best one in the area is not likely to convince the panel that your child should get a place there.

Admissions Policy for 2025-26

Admissions Policy for 2026-27

Admissions Policy for 2027-28

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