Places taken in England's schools
Across England's state schools, places taken averaged 86.2% in 2024/25 (19,560 schools). Since 2010 it has fallen by 4.1 points, which is the wrong direction. Official definition: pupils as a share of capacity.
The trend
Trend
Places taken
2010 to 2025
All state schoolsPrimarySecondary
Since 2010: -4.1%
Year by year
| Year | All | Primary | Secondary | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 86.2% | 85.8% | 88.0% | 19,560 |
| 2023/24 | 87.8% | 87.4% | 89.6% | 18,919 |
| 2022/23 | 88.5% | 88.3% | 89.2% | 18,352 |
| 2021/22 | 88.6% | 88.7% | 88.2% | 17,988 |
| 2020/21 | 88.7% | 89.0% | 87.4% | 17,649 |
| 2018/19 | 89.4% | 90.5% | 84.7% | 16,678 |
| 2017/18 | 89.7% | 90.9% | 84.2% | 15,819 |
| 2016/17 | 90.0% | 91.2% | 84.2% | 14,780 |
| 2015/16 | 89.8% | 90.9% | 84.3% | 13,733 |
| 2014/15 | 89.8% | 90.9% | 84.9% | 13,115 |
| 2013/14 | 89.9% | 90.7% | 86.2% | 12,343 |
| 2012/13 | 90.4% | 90.8% | 88.7% | 11,443 |
| 2011/12 | 90.8% | 90.8% | 91.0% | 10,417 |
| 2010/11 | 90.5% | 90.5% | 90.2% | 9,355 |
| 2009/10 | 90.3% | 90.3% | 90.3% | 8,906 |
By region
Latest year, best first. The tick is the England figure.
Every council
151 councils ranked, best first. Councils with very few schools swing more from year to year.
| # | Council | Places taken | Schools | vs England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sutton | 97.2% | 53 | +11.0 pts |
| 2 | Bolton | 96.5% | 114 | +10.3 pts |
| 3 | Coventry | 96.0% | 107 | +9.8 pts |
| 4 | Wolverhampton | 95.2% | 86 | +9.1 pts |
| 5 | Leicester | 94.4% | 102 | +8.2 pts |
| 6 | Wigan | 94.0% | 117 | +7.8 pts |
| 7 | Warrington | 94.0% | 73 | +7.8 pts |
| 8 | Sandwell | 93.6% | 113 | +7.4 pts |
| 9 | Nottingham | 93.5% | 93 | +7.4 pts |
| 10 | Walsall | 93.2% | 86 | +7.1 pts |
| 11 | Trafford | 93.2% | 78 | +7.0 pts |
| 12 | Dudley | 93.1% | 94 | +6.9 pts |
| 13 | Rochdale | 92.9% | 75 | +6.7 pts |
| 14 | Liverpool | 92.6% | 141 | +6.4 pts |
| 15 | Knowsley | 92.4% | 56 | +6.2 pts |
| 16 | Salford | 92.2% | 89 | +6.1 pts |
| 17 | Slough | 92.1% | 42 | +5.9 pts |
| 18 | Southend-on-Sea | 91.9% | 43 | +5.8 pts |
| 19 | Portsmouth | 91.6% | 56 | +5.4 pts |
| 20 | Luton | 91.5% | 57 | +5.3 pts |
| 21 | Solihull | 91.4% | 74 | +5.3 pts |
| 22 | Havering | 91.4% | 76 | +5.2 pts |
| 23 | Oldham | 91.4% | 92 | +5.2 pts |
| 24 | Birmingham | 91.4% | 364 | +5.2 pts |
| 25 | Barnsley | 91.3% | 83 | +5.1 pts |
| 26 | Sheffield | 91.2% | 150 | +5.0 pts |
| 27 | Buckinghamshire | 91.0% | 214 | +4.8 pts |
| 28 | Leeds | 90.9% | 259 | +4.8 pts |
| 29 | Stoke-on-Trent | 90.9% | 85 | +4.7 pts |
| 30 | Cheshire East | 90.8% | 142 | +4.6 pts |
| 31 | Sefton | 90.8% | 92 | +4.6 pts |
| 32 | Telford and Wrekin | 90.7% | 59 | +4.5 pts |
| 33 | Wakefield | 90.6% | 130 | +4.4 pts |
| 34 | Medway | 90.5% | 90 | +4.4 pts |
| 35 | Manchester | 90.5% | 162 | +4.4 pts |
| 36 | Barnet | 90.3% | 117 | +4.1 pts |
| 37 | Thurrock | 90.2% | 52 | +4.0 pts |
| 38 | Kent | 90.0% | 551 | +3.8 pts |
| 39 | Middlesbrough | 89.8% | 49 | +3.6 pts |
| 40 | Bradford | 89.8% | 191 | +3.6 pts |
| 41 | Hampshire | 89.8% | 481 | +3.6 pts |
| 42 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89.6% | 89 | +3.5 pts |
| 43 | Redbridge | 89.6% | 71 | +3.5 pts |
| 44 | Blackburn with Darwen | 89.6% | 67 | +3.4 pts |
| 45 | Essex | 89.6% | 518 | +3.4 pts |
| 46 | Wokingham | 89.5% | 58 | +3.4 pts |
| 47 | South Tyneside | 89.5% | 53 | +3.4 pts |
| 48 | Warwickshire | 89.5% | 222 | +3.3 pts |
| 49 | Harrow | 89.4% | 53 | +3.3 pts |
| 50 | Derby | 89.4% | 90 | +3.2 pts |
| 51 | Bracknell Forest | 89.3% | 35 | +3.1 pts |
| 52 | Surrey | 89.2% | 338 | +3.0 pts |
| 53 | Kingston upon Thames | 88.9% | 45 | +2.8 pts |
| 54 | Hertfordshire | 88.8% | 469 | +2.7 pts |
| 55 | South Gloucestershire | 88.8% | 102 | +2.7 pts |
| 56 | Kingston upon Hull, City of | 88.8% | 82 | +2.6 pts |
| 57 | West Sussex | 88.6% | 255 | +2.4 pts |
| 58 | Darlington | 88.6% | 37 | +2.4 pts |
| 59 | St. Helens | 88.5% | 61 | +2.3 pts |
| 60 | Tameside | 88.5% | 83 | +2.3 pts |
| 61 | Blackpool | 88.4% | 38 | +2.3 pts |
| 62 | Southampton | 88.2% | 66 | +2.1 pts |
| 63 | Lancashire | 88.0% | 553 | +1.8 pts |
| 64 | East Sussex | 88.0% | 163 | +1.8 pts |
| 65 | Bromley | 87.9% | 94 | +1.7 pts |
| 66 | Bury | 87.8% | 70 | +1.6 pts |
| 67 | Windsor and Maidenhead | 87.6% | 60 | +1.4 pts |
| 68 | Greenwich | 87.5% | 78 | +1.3 pts |
| 69 | Ealing | 87.5% | 74 | +1.3 pts |
| 70 | Kirklees | 87.2% | 158 | +1.1 pts |
| 71 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 87.2% | 90 | +1.0 pts |
| 72 | Gloucestershire | 87.2% | 281 | +1.0 pts |
| 73 | North Northamptonshire | 87.1% | 129 | +0.9 pts |
| 74 | Stockport | 86.7% | 92 | +0.6 pts |
| 75 | Nottinghamshire | 86.7% | 314 | +0.5 pts |
| 76 | Peterborough | 86.7% | 74 | +0.5 pts |
| 77 | North Somerset | 86.5% | 73 | +0.3 pts |
| 78 | Doncaster | 86.4% | 118 | +0.2 pts |
| 79 | Bristol, City of | 86.1% | 123 | -0.1 pts |
| 80 | North Tyneside | 86.0% | 69 | -0.1 pts |
| 81 | Bexley | 86.0% | 75 | -0.2 pts |
| 82 | Stockton-on-Tees | 86.0% | 68 | -0.2 pts |
| 83 | Cheshire West and Chester | 85.9% | 140 | -0.2 pts |
| 84 | Gateshead | 85.9% | 75 | -0.3 pts |
| 85 | Central Bedfordshire | 85.8% | 118 | -0.4 pts |
| 86 | Herefordshire, County of | 85.5% | 92 | -0.7 pts |
| 87 | West Berkshire | 85.2% | 71 | -1.0 pts |
| 88 | Torbay | 85.1% | 39 | -1.0 pts |
| 89 | Haringey | 85.0% | 67 | -1.2 pts |
| 90 | Isle of Wight | 84.9% | 42 | -1.3 pts |
| 91 | Leicestershire | 84.9% | 270 | -1.3 pts |
| 92 | Hounslow | 84.9% | 70 | -1.3 pts |
| 93 | Sunderland | 84.8% | 99 | -1.4 pts |
| 94 | North East Lincolnshire | 84.8% | 57 | -1.4 pts |
| 95 | Reading | 84.7% | 51 | -1.5 pts |
| 96 | York | 84.6% | 59 | -1.6 pts |
| 97 | Lincolnshire | 84.5% | 327 | -1.6 pts |
| 98 | Tower Hamlets | 84.5% | 82 | -1.6 pts |
| 99 | Shropshire | 84.5% | 136 | -1.7 pts |
| 100 | Wirral | 84.4% | 105 | -1.7 pts |
| 101 | Swindon | 84.3% | 79 | -1.9 pts |
| 102 | Brighton and Hove | 84.3% | 55 | -1.9 pts |
| 103 | Worcestershire | 84.3% | 220 | -1.9 pts |
| 104 | West Northamptonshire | 84.1% | 168 | -2.1 pts |
| 105 | Staffordshire | 83.9% | 363 | -2.2 pts |
| 106 | Derbyshire | 83.8% | 384 | -2.4 pts |
| 107 | Richmond upon Thames | 83.5% | 56 | -2.7 pts |
| 108 | Kensington and Chelsea | 83.5% | 32 | -2.7 pts |
| 109 | Rotherham | 83.4% | 111 | -2.7 pts |
| 110 | Newham | 83.3% | 86 | -2.9 pts |
| 111 | North Lincolnshire | 83.1% | 73 | -3.1 pts |
| 112 | Enfield | 83.0% | 87 | -3.2 pts |
| 113 | Bedford | 82.9% | 67 | -3.3 pts |
| 114 | Suffolk | 82.5% | 283 | -3.6 pts |
| 115 | Camden | 82.5% | 48 | -3.6 pts |
| 116 | Waltham Forest | 82.3% | 67 | -3.8 pts |
| 117 | Brent | 82.3% | 73 | -3.8 pts |
| 118 | Norfolk | 82.1% | 389 | -4.0 pts |
| 119 | Hartlepool | 81.7% | 35 | -4.4 pts |
| 120 | Somerset | 81.6% | 247 | -4.5 pts |
| 121 | Redcar and Cleveland | 81.6% | 54 | -4.6 pts |
| 122 | Oxfordshire | 81.6% | 284 | -4.6 pts |
| 123 | Hackney | 81.5% | 66 | -4.7 pts |
| 124 | Merton | 81.4% | 52 | -4.8 pts |
| 125 | Barking and Dagenham | 81.4% | 57 | -4.8 pts |
| 126 | Halton | 81.3% | 56 | -4.8 pts |
| 127 | Bath and North East Somerset | 81.0% | 75 | -5.2 pts |
| 128 | Islington | 81.0% | 48 | -5.2 pts |
| 129 | Milton Keynes | 80.9% | 100 | -5.2 pts |
| 130 | Plymouth | 80.9% | 86 | -5.3 pts |
| 131 | Croydon | 80.7% | 109 | -5.5 pts |
| 132 | Dorset | 80.4% | 147 | -5.8 pts |
| 133 | Hillingdon | 80.4% | 84 | -5.8 pts |
| 134 | Rutland | 80.3% | 20 | -5.8 pts |
| 135 | Calderdale | 80.1% | 94 | -6.1 pts |
| 136 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 79.9% | 139 | -6.3 pts |
| 137 | Cambridgeshire | 79.8% | 245 | -6.4 pts |
| 138 | Wiltshire | 79.5% | 223 | -6.6 pts |
| 139 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 79.5% | 46 | -6.6 pts |
| 140 | Lewisham | 79.4% | 78 | -6.8 pts |
| 141 | Cornwall | 79.1% | 266 | -7.1 pts |
| 142 | Southwark | 79.0% | 86 | -7.1 pts |
| 143 | County Durham | 78.2% | 233 | -8.0 pts |
| 144 | Devon | 78.0% | 348 | -8.2 pts |
| 145 | North Yorkshire | 77.9% | 326 | -8.2 pts |
| 146 | Westmorland and Furness | 77.8% | 141 | -8.4 pts |
| 147 | Cumberland | 77.6% | 162 | -8.6 pts |
| 148 | Westminster | 76.1% | 42 | -10.0 pts |
| 149 | Wandsworth | 74.9% | 67 | -11.3 pts |
| 150 | Lambeth | 74.4% | 74 | -11.8 pts |
| 151 | Northumberland | 72.9% | 151 | -13.2 pts |
How to read this
Each figure is a simple average across open state schools that have the measure published. A school counts once whatever its size, so the figures can differ a little from the Department for Education's national figures, which count pupils. Special schools and alternative provision are left out of results measures. Independent schools are left out throughout. Sources and update calendar.