The hardest schools to get into in Waltham Forest

Secondary: 171 families put Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest first in 2026 and 112 of them (66%) were offered a place.

Reception: 52 families put Woodford Green Primary School first in 2026 and 28 of them (54%) were offered a place.

Every state school in Waltham Forest 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	Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest · London · faith	171	112 (66%)	122
2	Walthamstow Academy · London · faith	221	149 (67%)	171
3	Walthamstow School for Girls · London	231	162 (70%)	173
4	Frederick Bremer School · London	168	129 (77%)	161
5	Heathcote School & Science College · London	196	153 (78%)	171
6	Kelmscott School · London	234	190 (81%)	222
7	Leytonstone School · London	187	153 (82%)	196
8	Highams Park School · London	231	195 (84%)	229
9	George Mitchell School · London	62	58 (94%)	70
10	Norlington School and 6th Form · London	126	125 (99%)	153
11	Chingford Foundation School · London	150	150 (100%)	212
12	Willowfield School · London	124	124 (100%)	200
13	Holy Family Catholic School · London · faith	80	80 (100%)	110
14	Buxton School · London	51	51 (100%)	80
15	Connaught School for Girls · London	44	44 (100%)	71
16	South Chingford Foundation School · London	28	28 (100%)	64
17	Lammas School · London	20	20 (100%)	41

Primary schools (Reception)

#	School	Put it first	Of them, offered	Places
1	Woodford Green Primary School · Woodford Green	52	28 (54%)	30
2	Coppermill Primary School · London	45	30 (67%)	30
3	Riverley Primary School · London	87	60 (69%)	60
4	Barn Croft Primary School · London	32	23 (72%)	30
5	Willow Brook Primary School Academy · London	108	82 (76%)	90
6	South Grove Primary School · London	75	58 (77%)	60
7	Roger Ascham Primary School · London	73	60 (82%)	60
8	St Mary's CofE Primary School · London · faith	106	88 (83%)	90
9	Ainslie Wood Primary School · London	65	55 (85%)	60
10	Selwyn Primary School · London	103	88 (85%)	90
11	Greenleaf Primary School · London	66	57 (86%)	60
12	The Jenny Hammond Primary School · London	67	58 (87%)	60
13	Stoneydown Park School · London	95	83 (87%)	89
14	Chingford CofE Primary School · London · faith	65	57 (88%)	59
15	Yardley Primary School · London	100	89 (89%)	90
16	Whitehall Primary School · London	56	50 (89%)	59
17	Newport School · London	121	109 (90%)	120
18	Davies Lane Primary School · London	125	114 (91%)	118
19	Oakhill Primary School · Woodford Green	23	21 (91%)	30
20	The Winns Primary School · London	93	86 (93%)	90
21	St Saviour's Church of England Primary School · London · faith	54	50 (93%)	60
22	Henry Maynard Primary School · London	117	111 (95%)	120
23	Handsworth Primary School · London	59	56 (95%)	59
24	Barclay Primary School · London	166	161 (97%)	180
25	George Tomlinson Primary School · London	72	71 (99%)	78
26	Hillyfield Primary Academy · London	137	137 (100%)	166
27	The Woodside Primary Academy · London	106	106 (100%)	118
28	Chase Lane Primary School · London	77	77 (100%)	85
29	Parkside Primary School · Chingford	70	70 (100%)	80
30	Mission Grove Primary School · London	69	69 (100%)	79
31	Chapel End Infant School and Early Years Centre · London	57	57 (100%)	58
32	Downsell Primary School · London	42	42 (100%)	50
33	Gwyn Jones Primary School · London	41	41 (100%)	47
34	Buxton School · London	38	38 (100%)	42
35	Sybourn Primary School · London	38	38 (100%)	46
36	Thorpe Hall Primary School · London	37	37 (100%)	45
37	George Mitchell School · London	34	34 (100%)	38
38	Lime Academy Larkswood · London	29	29 (100%)	31
39	St Joseph's Catholic Infant School · London · faith	27	27 (100%)	30
40	St Mary's Catholic Primary School · London · faith	25	25 (100%)	29
41	Whittingham Primary Academy · London	25	25 (100%)	26
42	Thomas Gamuel Primary School · London	24	24 (100%)	31
43	St Patrick's Catholic Primary School · London · faith	24	24 (100%)	24
44	Walthamstow Primary Academy · London	23	23 (100%)	24
45	Our Lady and St George's Catholic Primary School · London · faith	21	21 (100%)	22

Getting into a school in Waltham Forest

What is the hardest school to get into in Waltham Forest?

For secondary places, 171 families put Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest first in 2026 and 112 of them (66%) were offered a place. For Reception, 52 families put Woodford Green Primary School first and 28 of them (54%) were offered a place.

Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest Woodford Green Primary School

How many families in Waltham Forest get their first-choice school?

79.5% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 90.6% 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 Waltham Forest published it in its admissions booklet.

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