National Offer Day 2017: Lambeth secondary schools offer a place to every child

1 March 2017

Written by: Communications team

Better Lambeth - Children and young people - Council statements and updates - News and announcements

For the fifth year running, every child in Lambeth whose application was on time has received an offer of a secondary school place, new figures have revealed today.

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Almost 80 per cent of Lambeth parents and carers who applied to a secondary school in the borough have been offered a place at their first or second choice school.

On the day that parents and carers across London are told which secondary school their children have been offered places at, Lambeth Council has revealed that offers were made to 2,639 applicants this year. The proportion of applicants made online has risen from 50.8 per cent in 2013 to 95% this year.

Overall, the number of children being offered places at their first or second choice school this year was 1,635 children, 62.0%, offered a place at their first-preference school, and 428 children, 16.2% offered their second preference.

Word from the Cabinet

Cllr Claire Holland, Deputy Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, said:

“The days when a child’s future depended on an offer that might or might not arrive in the post are behind us, because the hard work of our schools and education services has taken that uncertainty out of the system.

“The vast majority of our children will be going to the school they wanted this September. They can look forward to the next stage of their education with confidence, instead of wondering where they might end up at school.”

Facts and figures

  • The proportion of offers made to Lambeth residents applying for a secondary place has increased this year. 78.2% of Lambeth residents who applied on time for a secondary school place have received a first or second preference offer.
  • On the day that parents and carers across London are told which secondary schools their children have been offered places at, Lambeth Council has revealed that offers were made to 2,639 applicants this year. This shows an increase of 71 applications since 2016. The proportion of applications made online is 95% this year.
  • Overall, the number of children being offered places at their first or second-choice school this year was; 1,635 children (62.0 per cent) offered a place at their first-preference school, and 428 children (16.2 per cent) offered their second preference.
  • The Pan London Admissions Board has overall responsibility for the admissions co-ordination scheme. Membership of the board includes representatives of the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, the London Inter Authority Admissions Group and the London Grid for Learning.
  • This year, 88,601 pupils applied for secondary school places through the Pan-London Admissions Scheme, an increase of just under 2 per cent as the pressure on places begins to transfer from primary to secondary school.
  • Sixty eight (68.15) per cent of pupils in London received an offer from their first choice school. Eighty nine (88.63) per cent of children got a place at one of their top three schools.
  • Overall, ninety four (93.99) per cent were allocated a school of their preference. This means 83,283 applicants got a place at a school of their choice this year, compared to 81,632 last year.