Research shows which areas are most 'squeezed' for pupils

Slough has the most pupils per primary school in 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 volume of pupils entering primary school year per school in the area – and where parents have the best access to their first-choice school.

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 primary schools per local authority, Slough is the most squeezed location. With only 38 schools within the local authority area, there are 2,340 children moving up to primary education in the next academic year, which is 62 children per school. To provide some context, the average infant school class size in 2022 was 26.7 - meaning a two-form intake would be between 53 and 54 pupils - a shortfall for Slough of between 8 and 9 places.

This is followed by Waltham Forest, which is the most squeezed London Borough and the second most squeezed across the UK. Despite having 66 primary schools in the local authority area, almost 60 children will be competing for a place per school with 3,936 children set to begin primary school next year.

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.
England’s smallest historic county, Rutland, offers the best access to primary school places, with just 309 children entering each of the region’s 24 schools next year. This equates to 13 per school, and is followed by North Yorkshire, with 14 children to 384 schools, and Cumbria, also with 14 children to each of its 310 schools.

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.”

For the full list of where schools in the UK are the most squeezed, including Ofsted-rated Outstanding schools, please click here.