The Island Free School Catchment Area
The Island Free School is a free s secondary school in Ventnor, Isle of Wight , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 619 pupils, and a capacity of 625 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
619
Pupils
625
Capacity
99%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2017
The Island Free School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Island Free School?
The catchment area for The Island Free School is the geographic zone Isle of Wight 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. Isle of Wight publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Secondary school places at The Island Free School are allocated by Isle of Wight using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if The Island Free School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Isle of Wight before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Isle of Wight catchment area documents →The Island Free School: 625 places, 99% filled: nearing capacity
The Island Free School has a published admission number of 625 places. 619 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 99%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 625, Isle of Wight's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 19.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Ventnor.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Isle of Wight 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. Find Isle of Wight school admissions →
The Island Free School: School Information
- Full address
- Newport Road, Ventnor, PO38 1BG
- Local authority
- Isle of Wight
- School type
- Free schools
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 19.9% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 140691
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to The Island Free School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The Island Free School
What is the catchment area for The Island Free School? ▾
The catchment area for The Island Free School is the geographic zone Isle of Wight 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. Isle of Wight publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is The Island Free School oversubscribed? ▾
The Island Free School is operating close to its capacity of 625 places (99% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Island Free School? ▾
Admission to The Island Free School is managed by Isle of Wight. 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 The Island Free School cover? ▾
The Island Free School is a secondary school in Ventnor, Isle of Wight, 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 The Island Free School? ▾
The Island Free School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2017. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.