Thomas Gainsborough School Catchment Area
Thomas Gainsborough School is an academy converter secondary school in Sudbury, Suffolk , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1615 pupils, and a capacity of 1400 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-18
Age range
1,615
Pupils
1,400
Capacity
115%
Fill rate
Thomas Gainsborough School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Thomas Gainsborough School?
The catchment area for Thomas Gainsborough School 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, Thomas Gainsborough School 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.
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Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Suffolk publishes the 2027 Thomas Gainsborough School 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 →Thomas Gainsborough School: heavily oversubscribed at 115% capacity
Thomas Gainsborough School has a published admission number of 1400 places. 1615 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 115%. At 115% 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. 19.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Sudbury.
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) →
Thomas Gainsborough School: School Information
- Full address
- Wells Hall Road, Great Cornard, Sudbury, CO10 0NH
- Local authority
- Suffolk
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 19.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 141639
Other Secondary Schools in Sudbury
If Thomas Gainsborough School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Sudbury are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Thomas Gainsborough 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: Thomas Gainsborough School
What is the catchment area for Thomas Gainsborough School? ▾
The catchment area for Thomas Gainsborough School 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 Thomas Gainsborough School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Thomas Gainsborough School currently has 1615 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 1400 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Thomas Gainsborough School? ▾
Admission to Thomas Gainsborough School 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 Thomas Gainsborough School cover? ▾
Thomas Gainsborough School is a secondary school in Sudbury, Suffolk, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.