This is the ninth consecutive year that over 90% of families have been offered a place at the school of their choice. In Lambeth, for September 2020 entry, 86% of applicants (2,299) received their first-choice school and 7.8% (208) their second choice. In total 98% 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, 97% of children due to start primary school this September have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.
Lambeth received 2,674 applications for primary school places this year.
Word from the Cabinet
Cllr Jennifer Brathwaite, Deputy Leader of the Council (Children and Young People), said: “Deciding on your child’s first school is a difficult time for any family, but it has been especially stressful this year, amid this unprecedented period of disruption for all our pupils and our schools.
“Despite the Covid-19 shutdown, however, staff across London have been working hard to ensure that pupils will have their school places for September.
“This is a tremendous achievement in itself, but the fact that Lambeth has managed to offer a reception place to every family that applied is something for us all to be proud of.
“All those families, and all our new pupils, can now start planning for the new school year with renewed confidence. We look forward to schools re-opening once the lockdown has been lifted.”
The London-wide picture
London primary schools received 97,353 applications in total this year, a 0.78% increase compared to last year, according to figures published on National Primary Offer Day 2020 by the Pan London Admissions Board, the body with overall responsibility for co-ordinating school admissions in the capital.
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 97,353 applications in total this year, a 0.78% increase compared to last year.
- Overall, 94,477 London children due to start primary school this September received an offer of a school place at one of their preferred schools – 97% of the total number of applicants.
- 85% of the total number of London applicants – or 82,734 children – secured a place at their first preference school.
- 95 percent of the total number of London applicants – 92,646 children – were offered a place at one of their top three preferred schools.
- Of the 2,876 applicants without a preference offer, 2,869 will be offered an alternative school on 16 April.
