Most sought-after schools in Southwark
Ordered by how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out.
This list is sorted by one number: first preferences per place. For each school it is the number of families who named it first, divided by the number of offers it made, in the newest year we hold. A higher number means more families wanted a place than there were places.
This is not a list of the best schools. It does not measure how good a school is, how happy the children are, or how well they do. It also does not tell you whether a child would get a place: that depends on where you live, the year, and the council's rules. It only shows how many people applied.
| # | School | First preferences per place | Newest intake | Latest Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Sacred Heart Catholic School London, secondary |
2.39 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 2 |
Kingsdale Foundation School London, secondary |
2.23 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 3 |
St John's and St Clement's Church of England Primary School London, primary |
2.12 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 4 |
Charles Dickens Primary School London, primary |
1.98 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 5 |
The Charter School North Dulwich London, secondary |
1.84 | 2025 | Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 6 |
Boutcher Church of England Primary School London, primary |
1.70 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 7 |
Lyndhurst Primary School London, primary |
1.51 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 8 |
Redriff Primary, City of London Academy London, primary |
1.48 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 9 |
Judith Kerr Primary School London, primary |
1.41 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 10 |
Heber Primary School London, primary |
1.40 | 2025 | Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 11 |
Dulwich Village Church of England Infants' School London, primary |
1.38 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 12 |
The Cathedral School of St Saviour and St Mary Overie LONDON, primary |
1.17 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 13 |
Crampton Primary London, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 14 |
Dulwich Wood Primary School London, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 15 |
Harris Primary Academy Peckham Park London, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 16 |
Pilgrims' Way Primary School London, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 17 |
St Francis RC Primary School London, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 18 |
Haberdashers' Borough Academy London, secondary |
0.97 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 19 |
Rye Oak Primary School London, primary |
0.96 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 20 |
Bird In Bush School Peckham, primary |
0.95 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 21 |
English Martyrs' Roman Catholic Primary School London, primary |
0.95 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 22 |
Southwark Park Primary School London, primary |
0.95 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 23 |
John Keats Primary School London, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 24 |
St James the Great Roman Catholic Primary School London, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 25 |
Oliver Goldsmith Primary School London, primary |
0.93 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 26 |
John Donne Primary School London, primary |
0.92 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 27 |
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School London, primary |
0.92 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 28 |
Angel Oak Academy London, primary |
0.91 | 2025 | School remains Outstanding (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 29 |
Bacon's College London, secondary |
0.91 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 30 |
St Joseph's Catholic Infants School London, primary |
0.91 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 31 |
The St Thomas the Apostle College London, secondary |
0.91 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 32 |
Surrey Square Primary School London, primary |
0.89 | 2025 | School remains Outstanding (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 33 |
Bellenden Primary School London, primary |
0.88 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 34 |
Ivydale Primary School London, primary |
0.88 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 35 |
Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary School, the Borough London, primary |
0.87 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 36 |
City of London Academy (Southwark) London, secondary |
0.86 | 2025 | Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 37 |
Ilderton Primary School London, primary |
0.86 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 38 |
John Ruskin Primary School and Language Classes London, primary |
0.86 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 39 |
Tower Bridge Primary School London, primary |
0.86 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 40 |
Phoenix Primary School London, primary |
0.85 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 41 |
Riverside Primary School London, primary |
0.85 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 42 |
The Charter School East Dulwich London, secondary |
0.84 | 2025 | School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 43 |
Bessemer Grange Primary School London, primary |
0.83 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 44 |
St Paul's Church of England Primary School London, primary |
0.83 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 45 |
Alfred Salter Primary School London, primary |
0.82 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 46 |
Crawford Primary School London, primary |
0.82 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 47 |
St Peter's Church of England Primary School London, primary |
0.82 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 48 |
Michael Faraday School London, primary |
0.81 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 49 |
Keyworth Primary School London, primary |
0.79 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 50 |
Albion Primary School London, primary |
0.78 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 51 |
Harris Academy Bermondsey London, secondary |
0.78 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 52 |
Brunswick Park Primary School London, primary |
0.77 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 53 |
Galleywall Primary, City of London Academy London, primary |
0.77 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 54 |
Friars Primary Foundation School London, primary |
0.76 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 55 |
St John's Roman Catholic Primary School London, primary |
0.76 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 56 |
Goodrich Community Primary School London, primary |
0.75 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 57 |
St George's Church of England Primary School London, primary |
0.75 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 58 |
The Charter School Bermondsey London, secondary |
0.75 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 59 |
St James' Church of England Primary School London, primary |
0.74 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 60 |
Ark Globe Academy London, all through |
0.73 | 2025 | Exceptional (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 61 |
Ark Walworth Academy London, secondary |
0.73 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 62 |
Grange Primary School London, primary |
0.73 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 63 |
Hollydale Primary School London, primary |
0.71 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 64 |
Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich London, primary |
0.68 | 2025 | School remains Outstanding (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 65 |
Snowsfields Primary School London, primary |
0.64 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 66 |
The Belham Primary School London, primary |
0.62 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 67 |
Goose Green Primary and Nursery School London, primary |
0.60 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 68 |
Harris Girls' Academy East Dulwich London, secondary |
0.60 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 69 |
South Bank University Academy London, secondary |
0.58 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 70 |
Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich London, secondary |
0.55 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 71 |
Ark All Saints Academy London, secondary |
0.53 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 72 |
St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School London, secondary |
0.49 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 73 |
Notre Dame Catholic Girls' School London, secondary |
0.44 | 2025 | Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 74 |
Harris Academy Peckham London, secondary |
0.39 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 74 schools in Southwark have a published per-place figure. Schools with too few places for the figure to mean anything are left off. All schools in Southwark · How we compare schools.