• More than 97 per cent of Newham children due to start primary school from September 2024 have been offered a place at one of their parents’ top three preferred schools.
Figures released this week show more than 92 per cent (3,689) of pupils gained a place at their parents’ first preference school with a further 221 children offered a place at their second and third preference Newham school.
Laura Eden, Corporate Director of Children and Young People, said: “Parents and carers across Newham will be delighted that their children have secured a place at their preferred primary school in September. It’s often an anxious time but Newham has some of London’s best performing primaries, which local people are able to access.
“We are delighted the vast majority of our families will be happy with the news today. Primary schools are an essential part of our local communities. Whichever primary school children go to in Newham, they’ll be amongst the best learning environments; where children will make new friends and flourish as they learn, achieve and grow.
“Huge thanks goes to the team that make this often complex process run smoothly and they have done our children, parents, carers and schools proud. We continue to be determined to make Newham the best place for children to live, grow and thrive.”
Newham’s allocation statistics break down like this, based on parents who applied on time:
| Preference No. offered | Number of Pupils | % of on-time applicants |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Preference | 3689 | 92.25 |
| 1st – 3rd Preference | 3910 | 97.78 |
Just 1.98 per cent of pupils (77) could not be offered place at any of their preferred schools and these were allocated alternative places at the closest school to their home which had places remaining.