Mercia School Catchment? {confused}

We're moving to Sheffield and we're studying the secondary school catchment areas and I'm struggling to understand what the situation is with the new Mercia School. It seems to be in the same catchment as various other schools?

The Mercia School catchment is essentially the whole of the south west of the city (covering current catchments for King Ecgberts, Silverdale, Newfield, Meadowhead and High Storrs) and sits on top of them. It has ambitions to be a world class school (whatever that means) so hopefully it will do well.

Interesting. So are the council hoping some parents will opt for Mercia instead of the listed schools in order to ease oversubscription? Until it develops some sort of proven track record I can't imagine many will put it as their first choice over the likes of Silverdale, High Storrs etc.

I guess they are hoping for that, yes. I don't know how they're doing with attracting pupils/parents at the moment but I wonder if the pull of being the only year group in school will be a help or a hindrance (a help, I imagine?). With each new academic year the school will grow until it's a full-sized school by the end of sixth form (in about 7 years). I know a Y6 girl on my street who has chosen it as the family were very impressed on one of the open days.

Mercia Learning Trust (2014) is:

Newfield School

King Ecgbert School

Mercia School

Totley Primary School

Valley Park Community Primary School

The Nether Edge Primary School

Oversubscribed for next year apparently and no specific catchment.

Map of their catchment area on the school's website.

http://www.merciaschool.com/admissions.html

Map of their catchment area on the school's website.

 

http://www.merciaschool.com/admissions.html

Very useful, thanks.

Oversubscribed for next year apparently and no specific catchment.

That's interesting. I'm surprised a brand new school is oversubscribed but that shows they have convinced a large number of pupils and parents of their ambitions for the school. Where did you hear that it's oversubscribed?

If it is oversubscribed then that underlines just how bad the situation is in the south west of the city in terms of school places.

If it is oversubscribed then that underlines just how bad the situation is in the south west of the city in terms of school places.

I guess it shows that the council were justified in pushing for the new south-west secondary, despite the suspicion with which a lot of parents treated the announcement. Hopefully the pressure on places will be alleviated and the school will be a success.

Am I right in thinking that proximity to the school as the crow flies is the determining factor in gaining a place?