One in Four Fail to Get into First Choice Primary School
Success rate in Hammersmith and Fulham lowest in London
The more popular primary schools in the borough are heavily oversubscribed. Picture: Google Streetview
April 19, 2025
One in four pupils due to start primary in Hammersmith and Fulham in September were not offered a place at their preferred school, the lowest percentage of any London borough.
The West London locality, in which all schools are rated either good or outstanding by Ofsted, was closely followed by neighbouring Kensington and Chelsea, where 74.8 per cent of pupils got an offer from their first-choice destination.
Across the capital 97.9 per cent of pupils due to start primary school have been offered a place through the Pan-London Admissions Scheme, the results of which were published yesterday (April 16).
Of those, 87.9 per cent of pupils got their first-choice, a slight decrease of 1.2 per cent on last year.
The overall number of applications, 83,581, is also down 2.1 per cent, though some boroughs did see increases.
According to London Councils, application figures are affected by factors including a falling birth rate and the ‘severe’ shortage of affordable housing.
The umbrella group is forecasting a decrease of 3.6 per cent in Reception pupil numbers in the capital over the next four years, equal to 3,195 places.
In London, Barking and Dagenham recorded the highest proportion of pupils getting their first-choice school, at 96.3 per cent, followed by Enfield with 94.9 per cent.
In Hammersmith and Fulham 73.6 per cent of children were offered their first preference, though the percentage getting their second or third were among the highest in the capital.
The percentage of pupils offered a place at their first-choice provision varies depending in-part on the area, with boroughs within travelling distance of a number of popular schools likely to record lower figures.
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said: “Hammersmith and Fulham is one of the best places to live in the country for top performing schools. All of our schools in H&F are currently rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted. The popularity of our schools is reflected in these figures. More than 88 per cent of young people in H&F were offered a place at one of their top primary school choices this year. We will continue to work with our schools and parents to help our young people reach their potential.”
The council’s 88 per cent figure relates to how the total number of young people offered one of their top three preferences in the borough was 88.82%.
Cllr Ian Edwards, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “Overall decreases in pupil numbers can pose a challenge to schools’ resources. However, boroughs will continue working closely with schools to meet local needs and help families make the most of the high-quality educational opportunities available in the capital.”
Jon Abbey, Chair of the Pan-London Admissions Board, said: “Overall, analysis suggests that falling birth rates and family migration from London have led to a continued decrease in demand for school places and resulted in a reduction in total applications this year.
“We advise parents to read the details of their child’s offer carefully and consider their options fully before making a decision. Please be aware that each London borough has an admissions team and staff who are very happy to assist if parents have any queries.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has recently reported on several London schools looking to amalgamate due to falling pupil rolls and growing financial deficits.
Our Lady of Dolours and St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary schools in Westminster are among those hoping to merge, as they battle combined shortfalls in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Ben Lynch
- Local Democracy Reporter