Children in Trafford have the best access to outstanding school places in England

Children in Trafford have some of the best access to outstanding primary schools for the next academic year, according to new research from education software specialist, The Access Group.

The ‘school squeeze’ campaign reveals which areas in the UK have the highest and lowest volume of pupils entering primary school year per school in the area – and where parents have the best access to outstanding schools.

The figure was calculated by taking the number of children set to attend primary school in the 2023/24 academic year, and comparing it to the number of outstanding primary schools per local authority, 

Trafford offers the seventh best access to outstanding primary school places, with 2,643 children entering each of the region’s 28 schools next year – this equates to 94.4 per school. Rutland provided the best access in England (61.8), with Essex (67.9) and Herefordshire (79.9) completing the top three.

The ten local authorities with best access to outstanding primary schools:

Torbay is the most squeezed location. With only one outstanding primary school within the local authority area, there are 1,211 children moving up to primary education in the next academic year, which is 1,211 children per school.

This is followed by Dudley, the second most squeezed location across England. Despite having 7 outstanding primary schools in the local authority area, 998 children will be competing for a place per school with 3,577 children set to begin primary school next year. Peterborough (695) completed the top three most squeezed locations.

The ten most squeezed local authorities for outstanding primary school access:

Whereas the most squeezed locations are mainly in the South, towns and cities in the North, Midlands, Yorkshire and coastal areas are proving less competitive for parents looking to secure admission at a first-choice school – and where there may be surplus places.

Jane Gibson, Product Manager (Education) at The Access Group, explained what this means for parents in the area: 

“Admissions is a stressful time for parents as your child’s school can have a big impact on their future. Even on a smaller scale, if you fail to get into your first-choice school, there’s a risk of being separated from friends, or you might add on extra travel time to get your child to the school gates every morning.

“Schools also often ‘hold their breath’ at this time of year too. Pupil numbers can affect their funding, which in turn can lead to difficult decisions regarding staffing levels, budget allocation and more – but with specialist education technology such as school finance software and school payments software, it’s easier to cope with fluctuating numbers and ensure there’s adequate resources to provide a great education.”

Applications for primary school admission for 2023/24 entry close on Sunday 15 January.

For the full list of where schools in the UK are the most squeezed, including Ofsted-rated Outstanding schools, please visit: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/education/resources/where-has-the-most-competition-for-primary-school-admissions/