The most sought-after schools in England

Ordered by how many families named the school first, for each place it gave out, in the 2026 intake.

This measures demand, not quality. It counts how many families wanted a school. It says nothing about how good the school is, how well its children do, or how happy they are.

It does not say whether a child would be offered a place. That depends on where you live, the year, and the school's own admission rules. A school near the top of this list may still admit every child in its catchment.

Secondary schools

The 25 schools with the highest number of first preferences per place. Schools offering fewer than 30 places are left out, because a handful of applications moves their figure too far.

#	School	Council	Named first	Offers	Per place
1	Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham	Birmingham	432	123	3.51
2	Dartford Grammar School Dartford	Kent	569	179	3.18
3	Ark Greenwich Free School London	Greenwich	357	115	3.10
4	Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East	Birmingham	362	122	2.97
5	Landau Forte College	Derby	517	180	2.87
6	King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford Chelmsford	Essex	412	149	2.77
7	Kendrick School	Reading	351	127	2.76
8	Reading School	Reading	400	146	2.74
9	Brampton Manor Academy London	Newham	1,161	434	2.68
10	The Blue Coat CofE School	Oldham	611	232	2.63
11	Lady Margaret School London	Hammersmith and Fulham	310	118	2.63
12	Northampton School for Boys Northampton	West Northamptonshire	571	218	2.62
13	Michaela Community School London	Brent	286	112	2.55
14	King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon	Warwickshire	221	87	2.54
15	XP School	Doncaster	125	50	2.50
16	Hockerill Anglo-European College Bishop's Stortford	Hertfordshire	152	61	2.49
17	Tiffin School	Kingston upon Thames	479	195	2.46
18	Stratford Girls' Grammar School Stratford-upon-Avon	Warwickshire	289	120	2.41
19	Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford	Kent	428	178	2.40
20	Madeley Academy Telford	Telford and Wrekin	411	172	2.39
21	Holyport College Holyport	Windsor and Maidenhead	150	63	2.38
22	Parmiter's School Watford	Hertfordshire	486	205	2.37
23	The Tiffin Girls' School	Kingston upon Thames	445	189	2.35
24	The St Marylebone CofE School London	Westminster	376	160	2.35
25	Thomas Telford University Technical College	Wolverhampton	349	149	2.34

Source: Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, the newest intake held for each school. "Named first" counts families, not children offered a place.

Primary schools

The 25 schools with the highest number of first preferences per place. Schools offering fewer than 30 places are left out, because a handful of applications moves their figure too far.

#	School	Council	Named first	Offers	Per place
1	Al-Noor Voluntary Aided Muslim Primary School Ilford	Redbridge	201	60	3.35
2	Pyrcroft Grange Primary School Chertsey	Surrey	81	30	2.70
3	Oak Cottage Primary School	Solihull	77	30	2.57
4	Barons Court Primary School and Nursery Westcliff-on-Sea	Southend-on-Sea	89	35	2.54
5	The Olive School, Birmingham	Birmingham	224	90	2.49
6	Caldershaw Primary School	Rochdale	74	30	2.47
7	Merton Park Primary School London	Merton	74	30	2.47
8	Carlton Junior and Infant School Dewsbury	Kirklees	73	30	2.43
9	Fox Primary School London	Kensington and Chelsea	140	58	2.41
10	Avanti House Primary School Stanmore	Harrow	135	58	2.33
11	Lowbrook Academy Maidenhead	Windsor and Maidenhead	69	30	2.30
12	The Olive School, Small Heath	Birmingham	138	60	2.30
13	The Olive School, Preston Preston	Lancashire	135	60	2.25
14	Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard Ebbsfleet	Kent	132	59	2.24
15	Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School London	Camden	66	30	2.20
16	Runnymede St Edward's Catholic Primary School	Liverpool	128	59	2.17
17	Deer Park School Twickenham	Richmond upon Thames	128	60	2.13
18	Beaumont Primary School Purley	Croydon	64	30	2.13
19	Countess Anne Church of England School Hatfield	Hertfordshire	63	30	2.10
20	Jessop Primary School London	Lambeth	62	30	2.07
21	Christ Church CofE Primary School London	Kensington and Chelsea	62	30	2.07
22	Charles Dickens Primary School London	Southwark	120	59	2.03
23	Gawber Primary School	Barnsley	60	30	2.00
24	Sacred Heart Primary School Newcastle-upon-Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne	60	30	2.00
25	Alder Grove Church of England Primary School Shinfield	Wokingham	116	58	2.00

Source: Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, the newest intake held for each school. "Named first" counts families, not children offered a place.

Your own area

A national list is a curiosity. The useful version is your council, where the schools are ones a child could actually travel to.