The hardest state schools to get into in England
Ranked by the measure that matters to a parent: of the families who put the school first, how many were offered a place. Figures are for places starting in September 2026, from the Department for Education. Schools with fewer than 20 first-choice applicants are left out.
171 families put The Royal School, Wolverhampton first in 2026 and 21 of them (12%) were offered a place.
For Reception, 201 families put Al-Noor Voluntary Aided Muslim Primary School first and 60 of them (30%) were offered a place.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Royal School, Wolverhampton · Wolverhampton | 171 | 21 (12%) | 30 |
| 2 | Seven Kings School · Redbridge | 259 | 41 (16%) | 53 |
| 3 | Colchester Royal Grammar School · Essex · grammar (11-plus) | 280 | 63 (23%) | 128 |
| 4 | Woodmansterne School · Lambeth | 82 | 21 (26%) | 24 |
| 5 | Beths Grammar School · Bexley · grammar (11-plus) | 191 | 50 (26%) | 191 |
| 6 | Dartford Grammar School · Kent · grammar (11-plus) | 569 | 149 (26%) | 179 |
| 7 | Ark Greenwich Free School · Greenwich | 357 | 95 (27%) | 115 |
| 8 | Reach Academy Hanworth Park · Hounslow | 242 | 65 (27%) | 84 |
| 9 | Alcester Grammar School · Warwickshire · grammar (11-plus) | 293 | 82 (28%) | 149 |
| 10 | Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham · Birmingham · faith | 432 | 121 (28%) | 123 |
| 11 | Michaela Community School · Brent | 286 | 88 (31%) | 112 |
| 12 | XP School · Doncaster | 125 | 39 (31%) | 50 |
| 13 | Landau Forte College · Derby | 517 | 162 (31%) | 180 |
| 14 | The Brian Clarke Church of England Academy · Oldham · faith | 458 | 146 (32%) | 224 |
| 15 | Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East · Birmingham · faith | 362 | 117 (32%) | 122 |
| 16 | Wootton Park School · West Northamptonshire | 301 | 98 (33%) | 112 |
| 17 | Dixons Kings Academy · Bradford | 344 | 113 (33%) | 151 |
| 18 | Thomas Telford University Technical College · Wolverhampton | 349 | 116 (33%) | 149 |
| 19 | Ark Isaac Newton Academy · Redbridge | 181 | 61 (34%) | 83 |
| 20 | Kendrick School · Reading · grammar (11-plus) | 351 | 119 (34%) | 127 |
| 21 | The King's (The Cathedral) School · Peterborough · faith | 366 | 125 (34%) | 127 |
| 22 | Herschel Grammar School · Slough · grammar (11-plus) | 119 | 41 (35%) | 149 |
| 23 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford · Essex · grammar (11-plus) | 412 | 143 (35%) | 149 |
| 24 | Kingsdale Foundation School · Southwark | 964 | 336 (35%) | 416 |
| 25 | Reading School · Reading · grammar (11-plus) | 400 | 141 (35%) | 146 |
| 26 | Dixons Trinity Chapeltown · Leeds | 119 | 42 (35%) | 44 |
| 27 | Lady Margaret School · Hammersmith and Fulham · faith | 310 | 110 (36%) | 118 |
| 28 | Dartford Grammar School for Girls · Kent · grammar (11-plus) | 428 | 153 (36%) | 178 |
| 29 | Northampton School for Boys · West Northamptonshire | 571 | 206 (36%) | 218 |
| 30 | Queen Mary's High School · Walsall · grammar (11-plus) | 263 | 96 (37%) | 149 |
| 31 | St Mary Magdalene Academy · Islington · faith | 434 | 159 (37%) | 171 |
| 32 | Queen Mary's Grammar School · Walsall · grammar (11-plus) | 367 | 135 (37%) | 178 |
| 33 | Brampton Manor Academy · Newham | 1,161 | 430 (37%) | 434 |
| 34 | Dixons City Academy · Bradford | 369 | 137 (37%) | 171 |
| 35 | Parmiter's School · Hertfordshire | 486 | 181 (37%) | 205 |
| 36 | The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School · Kensington and Chelsea · faith | 244 | 91 (37%) | 123 |
| 37 | The Blue Coat CofE School · Oldham · faith | 611 | 228 (37%) | 232 |
| 38 | Queens' School · Hertfordshire | 436 | 164 (38%) | 259 |
| 39 | King Edward VI School · Warwickshire · grammar (11-plus) | 221 | 84 (38%) | 87 |
| 40 | The St Marylebone CofE School · Westminster · faith | 376 | 143 (38%) | 160 |
| 41 | St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School · Slough · grammar (11-plus) | 178 | 68 (38%) | 150 |
| 42 | Tiffin School · Kingston upon Thames · grammar (11-plus) | 479 | 185 (39%) | 195 |
| 43 | Stratford Girls' Grammar School · Warwickshire · grammar (11-plus) | 289 | 112 (39%) | 120 |
| 44 | King Edward VI Five Ways School · Birmingham · grammar (11-plus) | 387 | 152 (39%) | 180 |
| 45 | Holyport College · Windsor and Maidenhead | 150 | 59 (39%) | 63 |
| 46 | Hockerill Anglo-European College · Hertfordshire | 152 | 60 (40%) | 61 |
| 47 | Twyford Church of England High School · Ealing · faith | 369 | 147 (40%) | 189 |
| 48 | Leigh Academy Blackheath · Greenwich | 333 | 133 (40%) | 170 |
| 49 | Madeley Academy · Telford and Wrekin | 411 | 168 (41%) | 172 |
| 50 | Eden Boys' School, Birmingham · Birmingham · faith | 265 | 109 (41%) | 123 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Noor Voluntary Aided Muslim Primary School · Redbridge · faith | 201 | 60 (30%) | 60 |
| 2 | Liverpool College · Liverpool · faith | 255 | 83 (33%) | 88 |
| 3 | Pyrcroft Grange Primary School · Surrey | 81 | 29 (36%) | 30 |
| 4 | Christ Church Primary School, Hampstead · Camden · faith | 58 | 21 (36%) | 28 |
| 5 | Lord Deramore's Primary School · York | 66 | 24 (36%) | 27 |
| 6 | Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James · Solihull · faith | 79 | 29 (37%) | 29 |
| 7 | Oak Cottage Primary School · Solihull | 77 | 30 (39%) | 30 |
| 8 | John Betts Primary School · Hammersmith and Fulham | 69 | 27 (39%) | 29 |
| 9 | Merton Park Primary School · Merton | 74 | 29 (39%) | 30 |
| 10 | Fox Primary School · Kensington and Chelsea | 140 | 55 (39%) | 58 |
| 11 | Barons Court Primary School and Nursery · Southend-on-Sea | 89 | 35 (39%) | 35 |
| 12 | Meridian Primary School · Greenwich | 71 | 28 (39%) | 28 |
| 13 | Carlton Junior and Infant School · Kirklees | 73 | 29 (40%) | 30 |
| 14 | The Olive School, Birmingham · Birmingham · faith | 224 | 90 (40%) | 90 |
| 15 | Caldershaw Primary School · Rochdale | 74 | 30 (41%) | 30 |
| 16 | Moorgate Primary School · Bolton | 64 | 26 (41%) | 26 |
| 17 | Avanti House Primary School · Harrow · faith | 135 | 55 (41%) | 58 |
| 18 | Overstone Gate Primary School · West Northamptonshire | 66 | 27 (41%) | 28 |
| 19 | Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School · Camden · faith | 66 | 27 (41%) | 30 |
| 20 | Livingstone Primary and Nursery School · Barnet | 67 | 28 (42%) | 28 |
| 21 | The Olive School, Small Heath · Birmingham · faith | 138 | 58 (42%) | 60 |
| 22 | Thomas Jones Primary School · Kensington and Chelsea | 69 | 29 (42%) | 29 |
| 23 | St Mary Magdalene Academy · Islington · faith | 69 | 29 (42%) | 30 |
| 24 | Roundhay School · Leeds | 136 | 58 (43%) | 58 |
| 25 | Ark Academy · Brent | 124 | 53 (43%) | 58 |
| 26 | Emmanuel Church of England Primary School · Camden · faith | 58 | 25 (43%) | 29 |
| 27 | Brabourne Church of England Primary School · Kent · faith | 30 | 13 (43%) | 15 |
| 28 | Lowbrook Academy · Windsor and Maidenhead | 69 | 30 (44%) | 30 |
| 29 | Jessop Primary School · Lambeth | 62 | 27 (44%) | 30 |
| 30 | Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard · Kent | 132 | 58 (44%) | 59 |
| 31 | The Olive School, Preston · Lancashire · faith | 135 | 60 (44%) | 60 |
| 32 | Harris Primary Academy Beckenham Green · Bromley | 54 | 24 (44%) | 30 |
| 33 | Stisted Church of England Primary Academy · Essex · faith | 33 | 15 (46%) | 15 |
| 34 | Oakley School · Warwickshire | 57 | 26 (46%) | 29 |
| 35 | St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School · Birmingham · faith | 59 | 27 (46%) | 30 |
| 36 | Runnymede St Edward's Catholic Primary School · Liverpool · faith | 128 | 59 (46%) | 59 |
| 37 | Braywick Court School · Windsor and Maidenhead | 56 | 26 (46%) | 30 |
| 38 | Holbrook Church of England Primary School · Derbyshire · faith | 43 | 20 (47%) | 20 |
| 39 | Southfield Primary School · Ealing | 116 | 54 (47%) | 60 |
| 40 | Jerry Clay Academy · Wakefield | 58 | 27 (47%) | 27 |
| 41 | Masefield Primary School · Bolton | 60 | 28 (47%) | 29 |
| 42 | Leigh St John's CofE Primary · Wigan · faith | 60 | 28 (47%) | 28 |
| 43 | St Pauls' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School · Kent · faith | 30 | 14 (47%) | 14 |
| 44 | St Thomas Church of England Primary School · Birmingham · faith | 47 | 22 (47%) | 30 |
| 45 | Deer Park School · Richmond upon Thames | 128 | 60 (47%) | 60 |
| 46 | Beaumont Primary School · Croydon | 64 | 30 (47%) | 30 |
| 47 | Farncombe Church of England Infant School · Surrey · faith | 49 | 23 (47%) | 30 |
| 48 | Countess Anne Church of England School · Hertfordshire · faith | 63 | 30 (48%) | 30 |
| 49 | Rake CofE Primary School · West Sussex · faith | 25 | 12 (48%) | 14 |
| 50 | Lavant Primary School · West Sussex · faith | 29 | 14 (48%) | 15 |
Hardest schools to get into, by council
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Barnsley
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bedford
- Bexley
- Birmingham
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Blackpool
- Bolton
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Bracknell Forest
- Bradford
- Brent
- Brighton and Hove
- Bristol, City of
- Bromley
- Buckinghamshire
- Bury
- Calderdale
- Cambridgeshire
- Camden
- Central Bedfordshire
- Cheshire East
- Cheshire West and Chester
- City of London
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Coventry
- Croydon
- Cumberland
- Darlington
- Derby
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Doncaster
- Dorset
- Dudley
- Ealing
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Enfield
- Essex
- Gateshead
- Gloucestershire
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Halton
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Hampshire
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Hartlepool
- Havering
- Herefordshire, County of
- Hertfordshire
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Isle of Wight
- Islington
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kent
- Kingston upon Hull, City of
- Kingston upon Thames
- Kirklees
- Knowsley
- Lambeth
- Lancashire
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Leicestershire
- Lewisham
- Lincolnshire
- Liverpool
- Luton
- Manchester
- Medway
- Merton
- Middlesbrough
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Newham
- Norfolk
- North East Lincolnshire
- North Lincolnshire
- North Northamptonshire
- North Somerset
- North Tyneside
- Northumberland
- North Yorkshire
- Nottingham
- Nottinghamshire
- Oldham
- Oxfordshire
- Peterborough
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Reading
- Redbridge
- Redcar and Cleveland
- Richmond upon Thames
- Rochdale
- Rotherham
- Rutland
- Salford
- Sandwell
- Sefton
- Sheffield
- Shropshire
- Slough
- Solihull
- Somerset
- Southampton
- Southend-on-Sea
- South Gloucestershire
- South Tyneside
- Southwark
- Staffordshire
- St. Helens
- Stockport
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Suffolk
- Sunderland
- Surrey
- Sutton
- Swindon
- Tameside
- Telford and Wrekin
- Thurrock
- Torbay
- Tower Hamlets
- Trafford
- Wakefield
- Walsall
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Warrington
- Warwickshire
- West Berkshire
- Westminster
- Westmorland and Furness
- West Northamptonshire
- West Sussex
- Wigan
- Wiltshire
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wirral
- Wokingham
- Wolverhampton
- Worcestershire
- York