“How do I get my child into Southmoor Academy?”
Your child does not have to be a pupil at one of our feeder schools to apply for a place here at Southmoor Academy.
You are welcome to visit us for a tour with Mrs Maw, Headteacher or a member of our Senior Leadership Team.
Please contact our school office to arrange an appointment. Alternatively, please find information about our official open evenings below.
Open Evenings
| Southmoor Academy Open Evening 2025 | Wednesday 17th September at 4:30pm |
| Southmoor Sixth Form Open Evening 2025 | Wednesday 15th October at 5pm |
Our Pupil Admission Numbers (PAN) for the Current Academic Year
| Current Year 7 (2026 Cohort) | 240 |
| Current Year 8 | 240 |
| Current Year 9 | 240 |
| Current Year 10 | 240 |
| Current Year 11 | 253 |
The Admission Process
Applications for a place should be made through Sunderland City Council using the link at the bottom of this page.
Admissions open during the school preference period. The preference period for 2026 secondary admissions is 8th September 2025 until 31 October 2025
Parents are required to apply online through the Local Authority’s website or by a paper application form. If your application is received after 31 October 2025, it will reduce your chance of being offered your preferred school.
National Offer Day for next year’s school places is 2nd March 2026. Parents/carers will also receive their email notification on 2 March 2026 if they apply online, rather than waiting for a letter being posted second class on 2 March 2026.
More information can be found on this page.
Admissions Timeline 2026
| Week beginning 1 September 2025 | Information packs sent to primary schools |
| Friday 5 September 2025 | Information pack handed out to parents |
| Monday 8 September 2025 | Online system available up until closing date |
| Monday 8 September –
Friday 24 October 2025 |
Open Evenings with prospective year 7 pupils |
| Thursday 31 October 2025 | Closing date for secondary applications. |
| Friday 13 November 2025 | Exchange preference data with other LAs |
| By Friday 28 November 2025 | Details of applications provided to schools that are their own admission authority |
| Monday 12 January 2026 | Own admission authority schools provide the Authority with list of offers/refusals |
| Monday 19 January 2026 | Authority exchanges offers/refusals with other LAs |
| Friday 13 February 2026 | Schools will be notified which pupils have been allocated places at their schools |
| Monday 2 March 2026
(National Offer Day) |
Secondary ‘Offer Day’ notification sent to parents |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | Deadline for parents to accept places |
| Monday 23 March 2026 | Authority will begin to allocate any places that have become available for oversubscribed schools |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | Appeal forms to be returned to Governance Services |
| May 2026 | Appeals to be heard |
| June 2026 | Appeals to be heard |
| July 2026 | Appeals to be heard |
| Thursdayday 31 December 2026 | No waiting list available after this date |
The Appeals Process
If you wish your appeal to be considered by the School Admission Appeal Panel, you should complete the appeals form found in ‘Admission Documents’ below and return it to Kelly Dormand, Southmoor Academy, Ryhope Road, Sunderland, SR2 7TF within 14 days of receipt of the appeal forms, from whom further advice can be obtained on the arrangements for the hearings. If no reply is received within 14 days, it will be assumed that you do not wish to pursue the matter.
- You will be given at least 10 working days notice of the hearing, which will be held at a local venue. Please note that you may waive this notice by stating clearly on the form that you wish to do so.
- At least 7 working days prior to the hearing, the Clerk to the School Admission Appeal Panel will send to you (the Appellant) by post, a written statement summarising the application of the Authority’s School Admission policy to the case in question and the reasons for the decisions taken. Please ensure that any change of address by you is notified to the Clerk to the School Admission Appeal Panel to enable relevant correspondence to be sent to you.
Southmoor Academy Admissions Policy 2023
Southmoor Academy Admissions Policy 2024
Southmoor Academy Admissions Policy 2025
Southmoor Academy Admissions Policy 2026
Southmoor Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2023
Southmoor Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2024
Southmoor Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2025
Southmoor Sixth Form Admissions Policy 2026
Southmoor Academy Appeals Form
Admissions to Secondary Schools 2024-2025 Letter for Parents
Admissions to Secondary Schools 2024-2025 Booklet – Information for Parents
Admissions to Secondary Schools September 2025 Online Admission Process
Sunderland City Council – Choosing a school – school admissions
Sixth Form Admissions
To apply to our associated Sixth Form at Southmoor Academy, please follow their online application process found here.
