The hardest schools to get into in Dudley
Secondary: 228 families put Bishop Milner Catholic College first in 2026 and 140 of them (61%) were offered a place.
Reception: 49 families put Crestwood Park Primary School first in 2026 and 28 of them (57%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Dudley with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education; last distance offered from Dudley's admissions booklet.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places | Last distance offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Milner Catholic College · Dudley · faith | 228 | 140 (61%) | 145 | 720m |
| 2 | Old Swinford Hospital · Stourbridge · faith | 230 | 153 (67%) | 167 | - |
| 3 | Summerhill School · Kingswinford | 291 | 197 (68%) | 199 | - |
| 4 | The Earls High School · Halesowen | 291 | 230 (79%) | 237 | - |
| 5 | The Crestwood School · Dudley | 211 | 179 (85%) | 209 | - |
| 6 | Windsor High School and Sixth Form · Halesowen | 294 | 262 (89%) | 291 | - |
| 7 | The Dormston School · Dudley | 223 | 207 (93%) | 219 | - |
| 8 | Ridgewood High School · Stourbridge | 111 | 107 (96%) | 118 | - |
| 9 | Redhill School · Stourbridge | 229 | 222 (97%) | 245 | - |
| 10 | St James Academy · Dudley | 139 | 136 (98%) | 176 | - |
| 11 | Ellowes Hall Sports College · Dudley | 164 | 163 (99%) | 185 | - |
| 12 | The Link Academy · Dudley | 174 | 173 (99%) | 196 | - |
| 13 | Beacon Hill Academy · Dudley | 175 | 175 (100%) | 219 | 4,203m |
| 14 | Leasowes High School · Halesowen | 128 | 128 (100%) | 190 | - |
| 15 | Thorns Collegiate Academy · Brierley Hill | 124 | 124 (100%) | 147 | - |
| 16 | The Wordsley School · Stourbridge | 120 | 120 (100%) | 137 | - |
| 17 | Kingswinford Academy · Kingswinford | 113 | 113 (100%) | 179 | - |
| 18 | Pegasus Academy · Dudley | 79 | 79 (100%) | 111 | - |
| 19 | The Pedmore High School · Stourbridge | 76 | 76 (100%) | 92 | - |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places | Last distance offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crestwood Park Primary School · Kingswinford | 49 | 28 (57%) | 29 | - |
| 2 | Blowers Green Primary School · Dudley | 47 | 28 (60%) | 30 | - |
| 3 | Cradley CofE Primary School · Halesowen · faith | 42 | 29 (69%) | 29 | - |
| 4 | Manor Way Primary Academy · Halesowen | 41 | 29 (71%) | 30 | - |
| 5 | Hurst Green Primary School · Halesowen | 73 | 54 (74%) | 59 | - |
| 6 | Blanford Mere Primary School · Kingswinford | 58 | 43 (74%) | 45 | - |
| 7 | Glynne Primary School · Kingswinford | 79 | 60 (76%) | 60 | - |
| 8 | Maidensbridge Primary School · Kingswinford | 39 | 30 (77%) | 30 | - |
| 9 | Oldswinford C of E Primary School · Stourbridge · faith | 76 | 59 (78%) | 60 | - |
| 10 | Pedmore CE Primary School · Stourbridge · faith | 36 | 28 (78%) | 30 | - |
| 11 | Lapal Primary School · Halesowen | 53 | 42 (79%) | 44 | - |
| 12 | Rufford Primary School · Stourbridge | 37 | 30 (81%) | 30 | - |
| 13 | Bramford Primary School · Bilston | 72 | 59 (82%) | 60 | - |
| 14 | The Ridge Primary School · Stourbridge | 39 | 32 (82%) | 32 | - |
| 15 | The Bromley-Pensnett Primary School · Brierley Hill | 36 | 30 (83%) | 30 | - |
| 16 | Wallbrook Primary Academy · Bilston | 35 | 30 (86%) | 30 | - |
| 17 | Wrens Nest Primary School · Dudley | 68 | 59 (87%) | 60 | - |
| 18 | Milking Bank Primary School · DUDLEY | 63 | 55 (87%) | 60 | - |
| 19 | Newfield Park Primary Academy · Halesowen | 65 | 58 (89%) | 60 | - |
| 20 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School · Dudley · faith | 31 | 28 (90%) | 30 | - |
| 21 | Gig Mill Primary School · Stourbridge | 58 | 53 (91%) | 60 | - |
| 22 | Greenfield Primary School · Stourbridge | 37 | 34 (92%) | 40 | - |
| 23 | Dawley Brook Primary School · Kingswinford | 27 | 25 (93%) | 30 | - |
| 24 | Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School · Halesowen · faith | 30 | 28 (93%) | 30 | - |
| 25 | Amblecote Primary School · Stourbridge | 46 | 43 (94%) | 45 | - |
| 26 | Tenterfields Primary Academy · HALESOWEN | 31 | 29 (94%) | 30 | - |
| 27 | Alder Coppice Primary School · Dudley | 32 | 30 (94%) | 30 | - |
| 28 | Colley Lane Primary Academy · Halesowen | 58 | 55 (95%) | 60 | - |
| 29 | St Margaret's At Hasbury CofE Primary School · Halesowen · faith | 26 | 25 (96%) | 30 | - |
| 30 | Cotwall End Primary School · Dudley | 62 | 60 (97%) | 60 | - |
| 31 | St Joseph's RC Primary School · Stourbridge · faith | 31 | 30 (97%) | 30 | - |
| 32 | Quarry Bank Primary School · Brierley Hill | 44 | 43 (98%) | 45 | - |
| 33 | Lutley Primary School · Halesowen | 71 | 71 (100%) | 78 | - |
| 34 | Christ Church CofE Primary School · Bilston · faith | 67 | 67 (100%) | 72 | - |
| 35 | Jesson's Church of England Primary School · Dudley · faith | 65 | 65 (100%) | 71 | - |
| 36 | Roberts Primary School · Dudley | 59 | 59 (100%) | 66 | - |
| 37 | Straits Primary School · Dudley | 56 | 56 (100%) | 57 | - |
| 38 | Peters Hill Primary School · Brierley Hill | 54 | 54 (100%) | 62 | - |
| 39 | Netherbrook Primary School · Dudley | 54 | 54 (100%) | 57 | - |
| 40 | Woodside Primary School and Nursery · Dudley | 52 | 52 (100%) | 56 | - |
| 41 | Olive Hill Primary Academy · Halesowen | 51 | 51 (100%) | 60 | - |
| 42 | Priory Primary School · Dudley | 50 | 50 (100%) | 54 | - |
| 43 | Russells Hall Primary School · Dudley | 50 | 50 (100%) | 59 | - |
| 44 | Wollescote Primary School · Stourbridge | 50 | 50 (100%) | 54 | - |
| 45 | Howley Grange Primary School · Halesowen | 48 | 48 (100%) | 60 | - |
| 46 | Withymoor Primary School · Brierley Hill | 47 | 47 (100%) | 49 | - |
| 47 | Huntingtree Primary School · Halesowen | 46 | 46 (100%) | 51 | - |
| 48 | Kates Hill Primary School · Dudley | 45 | 45 (100%) | 50 | - |
| 49 | Brockmoor Primary School · Brierley Hill | 45 | 45 (100%) | 49 | - |
| 50 | St James's CofE Primary School · Stourbridge · faith | 45 | 45 (100%) | 49 | - |
| 51 | Mount Pleasant Primary School · Brierley Hill | 43 | 43 (100%) | 44 | - |
| 52 | Dudley Wood Primary School · Dudley | 42 | 42 (100%) | 46 | - |
| 53 | Red Hall Primary School · Dudley | 42 | 42 (100%) | 53 | - |
| 54 | Netherton CofE Primary School · Dudley · faith | 41 | 41 (100%) | 42 | - |
| 55 | Ham Dingle Primary Academy · Stourbridge | 40 | 40 (100%) | 48 | - |
| 56 | Brook Primary School · Stourbridge | 38 | 38 (100%) | 42 | - |
| 57 | Queen Victoria Primary School · Dudley | 37 | 37 (100%) | 40 | - |
| 58 | St Mark's CofE Primary School · Brierley Hill · faith | 35 | 35 (100%) | 44 | - |
| 59 | Ashwood Park Primary School · Stourbridge | 32 | 32 (100%) | 35 | - |
| 60 | Sledmere Primary School · Dudley | 32 | 32 (100%) | 34 | - |
| 61 | Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School · Kingswinford · faith | 31 | 31 (100%) | 39 | - |
| 62 | Northfield Road Primary School · Dudley | 30 | 30 (100%) | 31 | - |
| 63 | Hob Green Primary School · Stourbridge | 29 | 29 (100%) | 30 | - |
| 64 | St Chad's Catholic Primary School · Dudley · faith | 28 | 28 (100%) | 29 | - |
| 65 | Belle Vue Primary School · Stourbridge | 28 | 28 (100%) | 30 | - |
| 66 | Foxyards Primary School · Tipton | 27 | 27 (100%) | 34 | - |
| 67 | Beechwood Church of England Primary School · Dudley · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 28 | - |
| 68 | Fairhaven Primary School · Stourbridge | 26 | 26 (100%) | 32 | - |
| 69 | Hurst Hill Primary School · Bilston | 25 | 25 (100%) | 28 | - |
| 70 | Thorns Primary School · Brierley Hill | 23 | 23 (100%) | 24 | - |
| 71 | Caslon Primary Community School · Halesowen | 23 | 23 (100%) | 24 | - |
| 72 | Bromley Hills Primary School · Kingswinford | 21 | 21 (100%) | 30 | - |
Getting into a school in Dudley
What is the hardest school to get into in Dudley?
For secondary places, 228 families put Bishop Milner Catholic College first in 2026 and 140 of them (61%) were offered a place. For Reception, 49 families put Crestwood Park Primary School first and 28 of them (57%) were offered a place.
How many families in Dudley get their first-choice school?
87.1% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 92.0% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Dudley published it in its admissions booklet.