Four out of every five local pupils moving up to secondary education in September have been offered a place at their first-choice school
Pupils from Barking and Dagenham moving up to secondary school this year have been offered more first-preference offers than any other borough in London – for the fourth time in a row.
Barking and Dagenham Council has announced that this year’s figures show that, out of 3,325 on‑time applications, 2,763 pupils (83.1%) have been offered their first preference school for the 2026/27 academic year.
This significantly exceeds the London average of 70.5% and is once again the highest proportion of any borough in the capital.
Elizabeth Kangethe, the council’s cabinet member for educational attainment and school improvement, said: “It’s fantastic to see Barking and Dagenham once again leading London when it comes to offering pupils a place at one of their top‑preference secondary schools.
“Starting secondary school is a major milestone for our young people, and knowing that so many will begin this next chapter in a school they hoped for is truly wonderful. I’d also like to thank our hardworking school admissions team for everything they do to support families through their educational journey.”
The borough also exceeded the London‑wide average for top‑three preferences, with 94.9% of applicants receiving an offer from one of their first three preferences, compared with 89.7% across London.
Overall, 96.7% of applicants in Barking and Dagenham have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools, outperforming the London average of 94.3%.
