More than 27,000 London children missed out on their first choice of school.

It’s been another year of parents and children missing out on the schools of their choice. Almost a third of parents in London missed out on their first choice secondary school again this year – leaving 27,042 children unable to attend their first choice school. And this is a problem which only seems to be getting worse.

My report out today shows that 41% of parents in Southwark are not getting their children into their first choice secondary school.

This year only 59% of parents in Southwark got their first preference secondary school compared to a national average of 84.1%. This is the sixth lowest of all the local authorities in England and means 1,157 children in Southwark were left without their first choice of school.

I have written to the Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Justine Greening MP with a copy of this report to raise this continuing problem and to press her to back Southwark Council up in their action to improve secondary schools in the borough. The Government must ensure the right steps are being taken to make sure every school is a good school that parents want to choose.

I have received lots of emails from my constituents – including many teachers - who are very concerned about the Government pressing ahead with academisation and about the £3bn in savings the Government is expecting schools to find by 2020. 

Notes to Editors:             

1.            Harriet Harman MP today publishes her annual school choice report ‘Are parents in Camberwell & Peckham getting the choice of secondary school they want for their child?’

2.            In 2016 only 59% of parents in Southwark got their first preference secondary school, compared to the national average of 84.1%. That is the sixth lowest of all the local authorities in the country and means 1,157 children in Southwark were left without their first choice school. In comparison 98.7% of parents in Northumberland got their first preference.

3.            In London as a whole almost a third of parents now miss out on their first choice - only 68.8% of parents got their child into their first-choice secondary school this year, leaving 27,042 children without their first choice. In inner London boroughs the situation is even worse - just 65.6% of parents received their first preference and 10,000 children were left without their first choice school.

4.            In 2015, 25,931 children in London missed out on their first choice secondary school.