Fewer children in London secure first choice primary

Fewer children in London have secured a place at their first choice of primary school

That's despite an overall drop in demand for places across the capital.

87.9% of pupils got their first preference, compared with 89.1% last year

Hammersmith and Fulham had the lowest proportion of children getting their top choice while Barking and Dagenham had the highest.

Across London, 83,581 pupils applied for a primary school place - a 2.1% decrease on last year.

London Councils, which collated the figures, said application numbers were affected by a range of factors - including the falling birth rate and families leaving the capital due to a shortage of affordable housing.

It added that fewer families could have missed out on their first choice this year "due to reductions in London's surplus capacity" - either through the closure of schools or reductions of Published Admission Numbers (PAN).

Analysis by London Councils forecasts a decrease of 3.6% in reception pupil numbers in London over the next four years.

This translates to 3,195 places - roughly equivalent to a drop of 117 reception classes, it said.

But some boroughs in London saw a slight increase in applications this year, figures show.

A breakdown by London borough shows significant differences in the proportion of families securing their top choice this year, with more than a quarter of youngsters missing out in some boroughs.

Ian Edwards, London Councils' executive member for children and young people, said: "It is great to see the vast majority of children in the capital receive offers from one of their preferred primary schools.

"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."

Primary school places in London are co-ordinated through the Pan-London Admissions scheme.

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."

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