The number of children applying for primary school places in London has soared past 100,000 for the first time ever.
The record number of applicants is three per cent higher than last year, and highlights the deepening school place crisis that is hitting London. Experts said there is no sign of the growth slowing down.
It comes as parents find out tonight what primary school their child has been allocated to as part of national offer day. The rejection rate in parts of London is expected to be at least a third.
The number of four year olds seeking places in London primary schools has been rising dramatically but has never before breached 100,000. Last year 99,107 children applied for a place. This year the figure is 102,441 – a rise of three per cent.
Helen Jenner, chair of the Pan-London Admissions Board, said: “London boroughs are working with local schools to ensure each child has a school place for the start of term. The increasing demand for places coupled with the popularity of the capital’s schools means this is becoming increasingly challenging.”
In Lambeth just over 21 per cent of pupils are expected to be told today they have missed out on their first choice school, up from 18 per cent a year ago. Around eight per cent are expected to miss out on all of their top three preferences.
London primary schools face a greater squeeze than ever before and are introducing ‘bulge classses’, teaching children in temporary classroomd and disused council buildings.
In Brent a former Victorian school building, which had previously been rented out for TV filming, is back in use temporarily as a school. Four reception classes for the nearby Leopold Primary School are being held in the Gwenneth Rickus building in Neasden.
In Lambeth, Julian’s Primary School , which was originally a one form entry school in Streatham, is being redeveloped and is set to become a five form entry school split over two sites.
A report published today found some parents are picking nurseries in the hope of securing their child a place at a favoured primary school. A survey by website Netmums found that some parents start thinking about which school their child will attend as soon as the mother is pregnant, while others even worry about it before they are expecting.
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Almost half of parents questioned said they had put their child into a nursery linked to a school they like in a bid to improve their chance of getting a place. The school adjudicator has previously warned that children should not miss out on school places because they did not attend the right nursery.
More than a fifth of the 1051 people questioned had bought a house closer to their favoured school, while a further 17 per cent had rented somewhere nearby.
Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said: “Competition for what parents perceive to be the best schools is now so tough they will do almost anything to gain their child a place.”
