Havering primary schools face high demand for 2026-27 places
Sixteen of the borough's 50 primary schools received more first-choice applications than available places.
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Ardleigh Green Infant School in Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch, has emerged as the most sought-after primary school in Havering for the 2026-27 academic year. The school received 131 first-choice applications for its 90 reception places, a ratio of 1.46 applications per place. This data was compiled by SchoolFacts using admissions information from the Department for Education for the 2026-27 intake.
Clockhouse Primary School in Collier Row was the second most popular, with 128 first-choice applications submitted for its 88 available reception places. This equates to an average of 1.45 applications for each place. Other schools also saw significant demand, with St Edward's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School receiving 110 first-choice applications and Concordia Academy receiving 93.
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Overall demand for places
When considering total demand, not just first-choice applications, Gidea Park Primary School recorded the highest figure, with 5.9 applications per place for the 2026-27 intake. Nelmes Primary School followed closely with 5.3 applications per place. Across the borough, 16 out of Havering's 50 primary schools had more first-choice applications than available places for the upcoming academic year.
Laurens Bruynseels, founder of SchoolFacts, commented on the admissions process. He stated that school admissions are often determined by proximity, meaning a family's location significantly influences which schools are viable options. SchoolFacts makes this data accessible for all state schools in England to assist parents with their application decisions.
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Questions this report answers
+Which Havering primary schools were most in demand for 2026-27 reception places?
Ardleigh Green Infant School was the most in-demand, receiving 131 first-choice applications for 90 places. Clockhouse Primary School was second with 128 applications for 88 places. Sixteen of Havering's 50 primary schools received more first-choice applications than available places.
+What was the total demand like at Gidea Park Primary School?
Gidea Park Primary School had the highest total demand for places in 2026-27, with 5.9 applications submitted for each available place. This figure considers all applications, not just those marked as a first choice.
+How many primary schools in Havering were oversubscribed for 2026-27?
A total of 16 out of the 50 primary schools in Havering received more first-choice applications than the number of places available for the 2026-27 reception intake. This indicates significant competition for places at these schools.
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