The hardest schools to get into in Havering
Secondary: 427 families put Redden Court School first in 2026 and 185 of them (43%) were offered a place.
Reception: 82 families put Gidea Park Primary School first in 2026 and 53 of them (65%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Havering with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redden Court School · Romford | 427 | 185 (43%) | 197 |
| 2 | The Coopers' Company and Coborn School · Upminster · faith | 383 | 197 (51%) | 205 |
| 3 | The Royal Liberty School · Romford | 186 | 119 (64%) | 148 |
| 4 | Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School · Upminster · faith | 170 | 111 (65%) | 119 |
| 5 | Hall Mead School · Upminster | 241 | 162 (67%) | 204 |
| 6 | The Campion School · Hornchurch · faith | 162 | 121 (75%) | 147 |
| 7 | The Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls · Romford | 237 | 188 (79%) | 240 |
| 8 | Marshalls Park Academy · Romford | 220 | 200 (91%) | 239 |
| 9 | Sanders Draper · Hornchurch | 134 | 123 (92%) | 147 |
| 10 | Harris Academy Rainham · Rainham | 161 | 154 (96%) | 184 |
| 11 | Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College · Hornchurch | 135 | 135 (100%) | 168 |
| 12 | Bower Park Academy · Romford | 117 | 117 (100%) | 189 |
| 13 | St Edward's Church of England Academy · Romford · faith | 113 | 113 (100%) | 159 |
| 14 | Drapers' Academy · Romford | 111 | 111 (100%) | 201 |
| 15 | Emerson Park Academy · Hornchurch | 104 | 104 (100%) | 210 |
| 16 | Hornchurch High School · Hornchurch | 102 | 102 (100%) | 165 |
| 17 | The Brittons Academy · Rainham | 89 | 89 (100%) | 111 |
| 18 | Gaynes School · Upminster | 65 | 65 (100%) | 145 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gidea Park Primary School · Romford | 82 | 53 (65%) | 59 |
| 2 | Ardleigh Green Infant School · Hornchurch | 131 | 86 (66%) | 90 |
| 3 | Clockhouse Primary School · Romford | 128 | 88 (69%) | 88 |
| 4 | Scotts Primary School · Hornchurch | 83 | 59 (71%) | 59 |
| 5 | Nelmes Primary School · Hornchurch | 81 | 60 (74%) | 60 |
| 6 | St Edward's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School · Romford · faith | 110 | 84 (76%) | 86 |
| 7 | Harrow Lodge Primary School · Hornchurch | 74 | 58 (78%) | 60 |
| 8 | Rainham Village Primary School · Rainham | 64 | 56 (88%) | 59 |
| 9 | Branfil Primary School · Upminster | 66 | 58 (88%) | 60 |
| 10 | Concordia Academy · Romford | 93 | 82 (88%) | 90 |
| 11 | Park Primary Academy · Rainham | 32 | 29 (91%) | 30 |
| 12 | La Salette Catholic Primary School · Rainham · faith | 32 | 29 (91%) | 30 |
| 13 | Towers Infant School · Hornchurch | 89 | 81 (91%) | 90 |
| 14 | Hacton Primary School · Hornchurch | 89 | 82 (92%) | 87 |
| 15 | St Ursula's Catholic Primary School · Romford · faith | 64 | 59 (92%) | 60 |
| 16 | St Alban's Catholic Primary School · Hornchurch · faith | 30 | 28 (93%) | 30 |
| 17 | Upminster Infant School · Upminster | 89 | 86 (97%) | 88 |
| 18 | Drapers' Brookside Infant School · Romford | 30 | 29 (97%) | 30 |
| 19 | The James Oglethorpe Primary School · Upminster | 61 | 59 (97%) | 60 |
| 20 | Hylands Primary School · Romford | 84 | 82 (98%) | 90 |
| 21 | Parsonage Farm Primary School · Rainham | 57 | 56 (98%) | 65 |
| 22 | Parklands Primary School · Romford | 89 | 89 (100%) | 102 |
| 23 | Harold Wood Primary School · Romford | 81 | 81 (100%) | 90 |
| 24 | Mead Primary School · Romford | 79 | 79 (100%) | 87 |
| 25 | Crowlands Primary School · Romford | 69 | 69 (100%) | 78 |
| 26 | Crownfield Infant School · Romford | 68 | 68 (100%) | 74 |
| 27 | Whybridge Infant School · Rainham | 68 | 68 (100%) | 72 |
| 28 | Broadford Primary School · Romford | 62 | 62 (100%) | 70 |
| 29 | Squirrels Heath Primary School · Romford | 60 | 60 (100%) | 89 |
| 30 | Engayne Primary School · Upminster | 60 | 60 (100%) | 63 |
| 31 | Hilldene Primary School · Romford | 59 | 59 (100%) | 63 |
| 32 | The Mawney Foundation School · Romford | 59 | 59 (100%) | 70 |
| 33 | Scargill Infant School · Rainham. Essex | 57 | 57 (100%) | 60 |
| 34 | Brady Primary School · Rainham | 54 | 54 (100%) | 56 |
| 35 | Rise Park Infant School · Romford | 54 | 54 (100%) | 65 |
| 36 | Newtons Primary School · Rainham | 54 | 54 (100%) | 57 |
| 37 | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School · Upminster · faith | 51 | 51 (100%) | 60 |
| 38 | St Mary's Catholic Primary School · Hornchurch · faith | 51 | 51 (100%) | 59 |
| 39 | St Peter's Catholic Primary School · Romford · faith | 47 | 47 (100%) | 58 |
| 40 | Elm Park Primary School · Hornchurch | 45 | 45 (100%) | 51 |
| 41 | Benhurst Primary School · Hornchurch | 43 | 43 (100%) | 45 |
| 42 | Drapers' Maylands Primary School · Romford | 43 | 43 (100%) | 47 |
| 43 | Suttons Primary School · Hornchurch | 40 | 40 (100%) | 50 |
| 44 | Langtons Infant School & Nursery · Hornchurch | 37 | 37 (100%) | 47 |
| 45 | Harold Court Primary School · Romford | 36 | 36 (100%) | 41 |
| 46 | St Patrick's Catholic Primary School · Romford · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 29 |
| 47 | Oasis Academy Pinewood · Romford | 21 | 21 (100%) | 30 |
Getting into a school in Havering
What is the hardest school to get into in Havering?
For secondary places, 427 families put Redden Court School first in 2026 and 185 of them (43%) were offered a place. For Reception, 82 families put Gidea Park Primary School first and 53 of them (65%) were offered a place.
How many families in Havering get their first-choice school?
74.7% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 91.5% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Havering published it in its admissions booklet.