Alde Valley Academy Catchment Area
Alde Valley Academy is an academy sponsor led secondary school in Leiston, Suffolk , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 674 pupils, and a capacity of 560 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-16
Age range
674
Pupils
560
Capacity
120%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2024
Alde Valley Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Alde Valley Academy?
The catchment area for Alde Valley Academy is the geographic zone Suffolk uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Suffolk publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Alde Valley Academy sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Suffolk. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Suffolk publishes the 2027 Alde Valley Academy numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Suffolk before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Suffolk catchment area documents →Alde Valley Academy: heavily oversubscribed at 120% capacity
Alde Valley Academy has a published admission number of 560 places. 674 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 120%. At 120% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Suffolk allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 30% of pupils at Alde Valley Academy are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Suffolk.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Suffolk publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Suffolk Council school admissions (official) →
Alde Valley Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Seaward Avenue, Leiston, IP16 4BG
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 30% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 141236
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Frequently Asked Questions: Alde Valley Academy
What is the catchment area for Alde Valley Academy? ▾
The catchment area for Alde Valley Academy is the geographic zone Suffolk uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Suffolk publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Alde Valley Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Alde Valley Academy currently has 674 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 560 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Alde Valley Academy? ▾
Admission to Alde Valley Academy is managed by Suffolk. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Alde Valley Academy cover? ▾
Alde Valley Academy is a secondary school in Leiston, Suffolk, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Alde Valley Academy? ▾
Alde Valley Academy was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2024. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.