Nearly 94.3% of children starting secondary school in London this September have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools, according to data released today on National

Secondary Offer Day 2026 by the Pan-London Admissions Board.

The figures show that over 70% of applicants (70.5%) were allocated their first-choice school, a slight decrease of 1.1 percentage points compared to last year. Overall, 89.6% of London pupils—77,152 children—received a place at one of their top three preferred schools.

This year, a total of 86,057 applications were submitted for secondary school places across the capital, marking a 1.6% drop from the previous year. Analysts attribute the decrease in applications to several factors, including a declining birth rate in London.

A recent report by London Councils predicts that demand for secondary school places will fall by 3.8% over the next four years. This projected reduction equates to roughly 3,383 fewer Year 7 pupils, or the equivalent of around 112 classes.

Cllr Ian Edwards, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “We are delighted that the overwhelming majority of London’s children have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

“Whilst pupil numbers are continuing to fall, boroughs have worked in close partnership with their local schools to make sure sufficient places are available to meet demand.

“London continues to be the highest-performing region at GCSE, with 96% of schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Families can feel assured that their child will benefit from a high-quality education in the capital.”

Jon Abbey, Chair of the Pan-London Admissions Board, said: “The Pan-London Admissions Scheme ensures that secondary school places across the capital are allocated in a transparent and equitable way, reflecting both the number of places available and each school’s published eligibility criteria. Where families have not secured their first preference, this is due to demand exceeding the number of places available at some schools.

“We can reassure parents that there are enough secondary school places in London to meet overall demand. The scheme is designed to ensure that every child receives an offer at the highest preference school on their list for which they qualify under the admissions arrangements.

“We encourage parents to read their child’s offer carefully and take time to consider the options available to them before reaching a decision. Each London borough has a dedicated admissions team, and staff are always willing to support families with any questions they may have.

“Allocating places is a complex process, requiring careful consideration of both the places available at each school and the relevant admissions criteria. I would like to thank the admissions teams for their continued hard work in ensuring that the allocation of secondary school places for London’s children runs smoothly.” Photo by KEN, Wikimedia commons.