94.8% of children due to start secondary school in London this September have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools, data published on National Secondary Offer Day 2025 by the Pan-London Admissions Board reveals.
71.6% of children applying to London schools got into their first preference school, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year. 90.5% of London pupils – 79,184 children – were offered a place at one of their top three preferences of secondary school.
The total number of applications made for secondary school places in London this year was 87,512, a decrease of 3.1% compared to last year. However, several boroughs saw a slight increase in applications.
Application numbers are affected by several factors, including the falling birth rate across London. A recent report by London Councils predicts a 2.9% drop in demand for secondary school places over the next four years. The forecast decrease of pupils entering Year 7 translates to 2,646 places, roughly equivalent to 100 classes.
Cllr Ian Edwards, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said:
“We are pleased that the vast majority of London’s children have received offers from one of their preferred schools.
“With falling pupil numbers affecting school resources, boroughs have worked closely with their local schools to ensure there are enough places to meet demand.
“London remains the best-performing region at GCSE level, with 96% of schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Families can be confident that their child will receive a high-quality education in the capital.”
Jon Abbey, Chair of the Pan-London Admissions Board, said:
“The Pan-London Admissions Scheme means school places in the capital are distributed in an open and fair way, taking into account the number of places available and eligibility criteria at each school. Where parents and pupils have not been offered their first preference, it is because in some schools the demand for places outstrips supply.
“We can reassure parents that there are sufficient places in London’s secondary schools to meet overall demand. The scheme ensures that families receive an offer at the school highest in their list of preferences for which they are eligible under the admissions criteria.
“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 are very happy to help if parents have any queries.
“It is a huge task for the admissions team to take into account both the number of places available at each school and the eligibility criteria. I am grateful to the team for ensuring the process of allocating school places to London’s children continues to go smoothly.”