This is the 12th consecutive year that over 98% of families have been offered a place at the school of their choice. In Lambeth, for September 2023 entry, 87.8% of applicants (1,923) received their first-choice school and 7.9% (172) their second choice. In total 98.6% of applicants received a preference school.
Parents and carers were asked to list up to six schools of their choice in order of preference. They applied through their home borough for any state school anywhere in England. Lambeth is part of the pan-London system which links with the other 33 London authorities and 5 surrounding Councils. This collaboration enables the process to work smoothly, as the vast majority of preferences made by Lambeth residents are within London.
Across London as a whole, 98% of children due to start primary school this September have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.
Lambeth received 2,191 applications for primary school places this year.
Cllr Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Choosing the first school for your children can be difficult for parents. This is especially true as schools face a financial crunch due to falling birth rates, an unfair funding formula and outward migration from the capital because of Brexit. Despite these pressures, our brilliant primary schools are still able to keep doing excellent work and offer over 98% of families a place at their preferred school.
“Due to the pandemic, it has not been an easy couple of years for schools, so this is a phenomenal achievement and one we are very proud of.
“We are delighted to welcome new families and new pupils to class, along with their classmates and future friends, in September”
London primary schools received 87,277 applications in total this year, a 2.67% decrease compared to last year, according to figures published on National Primary Offer Day 2023 by the Pan London Admissions Board, the body with overall responsibility for co-ordinating school admissions in the capital.
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The Pan London Admissions Board has overall responsibility for the school application co-ordination scheme in the capital. Membership includes representatives of the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, the London Inter Authority Admissions Group and the London Grid for Learning.
- London primary schools received 87,277applications in total this year, a 2.67% decrease compared to last year.
- Overall, 85,655 London children due to start primary school this September received an offer of a school place at one of their preferred schools – 98% of the total number of applicants.
- 5% of the total number of London applicants – or 77,260 children – secured a place at their first preference school.
- 97 percent of the total number of London applicants – 84,72 children – were offered a place at one of their top three preferred schools.
- Of the 1,622 applicants without a preference offer, 1,622 will be offered an alternative school on 17 April.
- A full briefing and borough breakdown of figures from the Pan London Admissions Board is available here.
