Admissions 2026

The hardest state schools to get into, September 2026

The schools in England where the most families put the school first for each place offered on national offer day.

Secondary schools (Year 7)

Schools with at least 60 places.

School	Area	Places offered	Put it first	First choices per place	Got their first choice
Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham	Birmingham	123	432	3.5	28%
Dartford Grammar School · selective	Kent	179	569	3.2	26%
Ark Greenwich Free School	Greenwich	115	357	3.1	27%
Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East	Birmingham	122	362	3.0	32%
The King's (The Cathedral) School	Peterborough	127	366	2.9	34%
Reach Academy Hanworth Park	Hounslow	84	242	2.9	27%
Landau Forte College	Derby	180	517	2.9	31%
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford · selective	Essex	149	412	2.8	35%
Kendrick School · selective	Reading	127	351	2.8	34%
Reading School · selective	Reading	146	400	2.7	35%
Wootton Park School	West Northamptonshire	112	301	2.7	33%
Brampton Manor Academy	Newham	434	1,161	2.7	37%
The Blue Coat CofE School	Oldham	232	611	2.6	37%
Lady Margaret School	Hammersmith and Fulham	118	310	2.6	35%
Northampton School for Boys	West Northamptonshire	218	571	2.6	36%
Michaela Community School	Brent	112	286	2.6	31%
King Edward VI School · selective	Warwickshire	87	221	2.5	38%
St Mary Magdalene Academy	Islington	171	434	2.5	37%
Hockerill Anglo-European College	Hertfordshire	61	152	2.5	39%
Tiffin School · selective	Kingston upon Thames	195	479	2.5	39%
Stratford Girls' Grammar School · selective	Warwickshire	120	289	2.4	39%
Dartford Grammar School for Girls · selective	Kent	178	428	2.4	36%
Madeley Academy	Telford and Wrekin	172	411	2.4	41%
Holyport College	Windsor and Maidenhead	63	150	2.4	39%
Parmiter's School	Hertfordshire	205	486	2.4	37%
The Tiffin Girls' School · selective	Kingston upon Thames	189	445	2.4	42%
The St Marylebone CofE School	Westminster	160	376	2.4	38%
Thomas Telford University Technical College	Wolverhampton	149	349	2.3	33%
Kingsdale Foundation School	Southwark	416	964	2.3	35%
Dixons Kings Academy	Bradford	151	344	2.3	33%
Alexandra Park School	Haringey	220	498	2.3	42%
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet · selective	Barnet	192	432	2.2	44%
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls · selective	Birmingham	150	337	2.2	43%
St Edward's College	Liverpool	159	357	2.2	41%
Madani Girls' School	Leicester	90	202	2.2	44%
Madani Boys School	Leicester	90	202	2.2	44%
The Judd School · selective	Kent	179	400	2.2	42%
Avanti House School	Harrow	167	367	2.2	42%
Graveney School	Wandsworth	282	619	2.2	43%
The Camden School for Girls	Camden	116	254	2.2	44%
Colchester Royal Grammar School · selective	Essex	128	280	2.2	22%
Ark Isaac Newton Academy	Redbridge	83	181	2.2	34%
Redden Court School	Havering	197	427	2.2	43%
Dixons City Academy	Bradford	171	369	2.2	37%
Eden Boys' School, Birmingham	Birmingham	123	265	2.2	41%
King Edward VI Five Ways School · selective	Birmingham	180	387	2.1	39%
Lawrence Sheriff School · selective	Warwickshire	150	319	2.1	45%
Haberdashers' Adams · selective	Telford and Wrekin	135	285	2.1	45%
Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School	Blackburn with Darwen	120	250	2.1	47%
Sacred Heart Catholic School	Southwark	115	238	2.1	43%

Primary schools (Reception)

Schools with at least 30 places.

School	Area	Places offered	Put it first	First choices per place	Got their first choice
Al-Noor Voluntary Aided Muslim Primary School	Redbridge	60	201	3.4	30%
Liverpool College	Liverpool	88	255	2.9	33%
Pyrcroft Grange Primary School	Surrey	30	81	2.7	36%
Oak Cottage Primary School	Solihull	30	77	2.6	39%
Barons Court Primary School and Nursery	Southend-on-Sea	35	89	2.5	39%
The Olive School, Birmingham	Birmingham	90	224	2.5	40%
Merton Park Primary School	Merton	30	74	2.5	39%
Caldershaw Primary School	Rochdale	30	74	2.5	41%
Carlton Junior and Infant School	Kirklees	30	73	2.4	40%
Fox Primary School	Kensington and Chelsea	58	140	2.4	39%
Roundhay School	Leeds	58	136	2.3	43%
Avanti House Primary School	Harrow	58	135	2.3	41%
St Mary Magdalene Academy	Islington	30	69	2.3	42%
Lowbrook Academy	Windsor and Maidenhead	30	69	2.3	43%
The Olive School, Small Heath	Birmingham	60	138	2.3	42%
The Olive School, Preston	Lancashire	60	135	2.2	44%
Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard	Kent	59	132	2.2	44%
Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School	Camden	30	66	2.2	41%
Runnymede St Edward's Catholic Primary School	Liverpool	59	128	2.2	46%
Ark Academy	Brent	58	124	2.1	43%
Beaumont Primary School	Croydon	30	64	2.1	47%
Deer Park School	Richmond upon Thames	60	128	2.1	47%
Countess Anne Church of England School	Hertfordshire	30	63	2.1	48%
Christ Church CofE Primary School	Kensington and Chelsea	30	62	2.1	48%
Jessop Primary School	Lambeth	30	62	2.1	44%
Charles Dickens Primary School	Southwark	59	120	2.0	49%
Gawber Primary School	Barnsley	30	60	2.0	48%
Sacred Heart Primary School	Newcastle upon Tyne	30	60	2.0	50%
Alder Grove Church of England Primary School	Wokingham	58	116	2.0	49%
Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School	Kensington and Chelsea	30	59	2.0	49%
St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School	Birmingham	30	59	2.0	46%
Reach Academy Feltham	Hounslow	60	118	2.0	48%
Krishna Avanti Primary School	Harrow	60	118	2.0	48%
Belleville Wix Academy	Wandsworth	44	86	2.0	51%
Perry Hall Primary School	Bromley	59	115	1.9	50%
Southfield Primary School	Ealing	60	116	1.9	47%
Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	Lancashire	30	58	1.9	52%
Shobnall Primary & Nursery School	Staffordshire	30	58	1.9	52%
St John's Walham Green Church of England Primary School	Hammersmith and Fulham	60	115	1.9	52%
Bishop Gilpin CofE Primary School	Merton	60	115	1.9	52%
Ashmole Primary School	Barnet	60	115	1.9	52%
Avonwood Primary School	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	59	113	1.9	52%
Gillespie Primary School	Islington	30	57	1.9	53%
Kendall Church of England Primary School	Essex	30	57	1.9	53%
Istead Rise Primary School	Kent	30	57	1.9	53%
Malvern Primary School	Knowsley	59	112	1.9	53%
William Tyndale Primary School	Islington	59	111	1.9	51%
St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School	Sefton	30	56	1.9	54%
Beaumont Primary School	Bolton	30	56	1.9	54%
St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, Beeston	Leeds	30	56	1.9	54%

Reading these figures

“First choices per place” is how many families put the school as their first preference, divided by the places offered. Places at grammar schools also depend on the 11+ result, and places at faith schools can depend on faith. Families who live closest usually have the best chance at non-selective schools, so a school can be very popular and still easy to get into if you live nearby. Waiting lists and appeals change the picture after offer day.

Each school's page shows its own figures for the last three years. Find a school with the school search.

From the Department for Education's school applications and offers statistics (Open Government Licence).