Eighty-eight per cent of children set to start primary school in Southwark this September have been offered a place at their top choice.
Figures released by the Pan London Admissions Board on National Offer Day on Tuesday, April 18, revealed that every primary school applicant has been offered a place for this September.
The figures showed that 88.34 per cent of children in Southwark secured a place at their first choice school, while 7.49 per cent were offered a place at their second preference.
They also showed that 1.67 per cent were offered their third choice, 0.41 per cent offered their fourth, and 0.28 per cent offered their fifth.
Southwark received 3,118 (98.5 per cent) of applications online this year, and overall, 97.5 per cent of applicants secured a place at one of their top three schools.
Across the whole of London, 86 per cent of children got into their first choice primary school, and 96 per cent got into one of their top three.
Primary school offers were sent out to all parents on Tuesday.
Cllr Victoria Mills, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for children and schools, said: “I know that this can be a very stressful time for parents so I am pleased that once again every child has been found a place and the vast majority of children will be going to their first preference of school.
“At Southwark we have planned carefully over a number of years and invested substantial sums of money to expand our most popular primary schools to ensure we have enough places to meet demand.
“Our admissions team will now be working closely with families who have any concerns about their school placement so that all families have a place they are happy with by September.”
Southwark Council leader Peter John, who is also deputy chair of London Councils and executive member with responsibility for schools, said: “Boroughs are clearly working effectively with local primary schools across the capital to put a variety of strategies in place to expand school capacity where needed, giving London’s children the best possible chance of getting a preferred school place and having a successful start to their education.
“However boroughs need long-term funding arrangements that truly reflect the costs shouldered by London schools.
“As councils have the legal duty to provide school places, we strongly believe that Government should work more closely with us to deliver the school places needed by children across the capital as well as devolving funding for the free school programme.”
Under the Pan-London Admissions scheme, parents fill out a single application form, even if they are applying for schools in more than one borough.
This ensures admissions are co-ordinated between authorities and is effective in reducing the number of pupils receiving multiple offers or no offers at all.