Primary School Catchment Area Checker
Use our free interactive tool to check whether any UK address falls within a primary school catchment zone. Enter a postcode, plot the school on the map, and add the catchment radius from the school's admissions policy to instantly see if you're in or out.
🗺️ Check Your Primary School Catchment
Free tool — no registration needed. Enter any UK postcode or address to check primary school catchment areas.
How Primary School Catchment Areas Work
Primary schools in England allocate Reception places using oversubscription criteria when more children apply than there are places available. Distance from home to school is the most commonly used final criterion after siblings and looked-after children.
Primary school catchment areas tend to be smaller than secondary catchments — in dense urban areas like London, the catchment for a popular primary school can be less than 300 metres. In rural areas it can stretch to several miles.
📍 How distance is measured
Most primary schools use straight-line distance from your home address to a fixed point at the school — usually the main entrance or the centre of the school building. Your Local Authority calculates this using Ordnance Survey data.
📅 Last distance offered
Local Authorities publish the furthest distance offered at each oversubscribed primary school on National Offer Day (16 April). This is the best indicator of your chances. It changes every year depending on the number and location of applicants.
⛨️ Faith schools
Catholic and Church of England primary schools prioritise by religious practice before distance. For these schools, distance is a tiebreaker among applicants of the same faith category — your proximity alone may not determine your chances.
🏘️ Urban vs rural
In cities, primary catchments can be extremely tight — sometimes only a few streets wide. In rural areas, a primary school may be the only option for miles and all applicants get places. Always check your specific school's recent admissions data.
How to Check Your Primary School Catchment
Click "Open Free Tool" above to launch the interactive map.
Click "Add School" and search for the primary school by name or postcode. The tool will plot it on the map.
Find the last distance offered from your Local Authority's admissions statistics. Enter this as the catchment radius in miles.
Enter any postcode or address in the "Check Address" box to instantly see if it falls within the catchment zone.
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Primary School Catchment FAQs
What is a primary school catchment area?
A primary school catchment area is the distance within which all applicants received offers in the most recent admissions round. It is not a fixed boundary — it changes each year based on how many children apply and where they live.
How do I find the catchment distance for a specific primary school?
Check your Local Authority's admissions statistics page. Most publish annual data showing the furthest distance offered at each oversubscribed primary school on National Offer Day (16 April). You can also check the school's own admissions policy.
Does living in catchment guarantee a primary school place?
No. Last year's catchment distance is a guide only. Demand changes year on year. If more siblings apply in a particular year, the effective distance for non-sibling applicants will be shorter. Always apply to your nearest school as a backup.
When do I need to apply for primary school?
Applications for Reception (starting age 4-5) open in September and the deadline is typically 15 January. Offers are made on National Offer Day, 16 April. Late applications are considered after all on-time applications.
Can I check multiple primary schools at once?
Yes — our free tool lets you add up to 5 schools simultaneously and compare their catchment zones on the same map. This helps when deciding between nearby primary schools.
What if my nearest primary school is a faith school?
Faith schools use religious criteria before distance. If you are not of the relevant faith, you may not be considered until all faith applicants have been allocated, meaning your distance advantage is less relevant. Check the school's oversubscription criteria carefully.