Across England, 8% of primary school applicants and 17% of secondary school applicants did not get a place at their first choice school, affecting nearly 150,000 children in total.
In the South East, 8.8% of applicants did not get into their first choice primary school and 16.7% did not secure a place at their preferred secondary school. This meant 8,312 primary and 16,978 secondary aged children did not get a place at their first choice school.
Inner London was found to have the hardest schools to get into in the country. One in every eight children (13%) did not get into their first choice primary school. This rose to one in three (33%) for secondary school places.
Inner London was found to have the hardest schools to get into in the country. One in every eight children (13%) did not get into their first choice primary school. This rose to one in three (33%) for secondary school places.
![Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery had 71 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 60 of these were offered places. This means 11 or 15.5% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjZkODVmZGMwLTQxNGItNGM4ZS04OTg3LTA4ZTI4ZDE5ZjI3MDplZjQ4OGRhZi05MDAxLTQ4ZTQtYTQyMy0yNWMyZjBmM2M1MWM=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
17. Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery, Peacehaven
Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery had 71 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 60 of these were offered places. This means 11 or 15.5% did not get a place.Photo: Peter Cripps
![Hellingly Primary School had 26 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 22 of these were offered places. This means 4 or 15.4% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjU3N2QxNDNmLWIwM2QtNGU2MS1iYWRmLWNmYmNiMjQ4ZDNhMjoyZDM0MGI4OS1lZjhjLTQxNDAtYTNmOS1mYWZkNTNhY2QwYTI=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
18. Hellingly Primary School, Hailsham
Hellingly Primary School had 26 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 22 of these were offered places. This means 4 or 15.4% did not get a place.Photo: Stephen Curtis
![East Hoathly CofE Primary School had 17 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 15 of these were offered places. This means 2 or 11.8% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmQ3YzlmNTU5LTgzNDQtNDRkOC05YTY1LTMwZDE4MjRiNTIxMTplZTE4NWQ0OC05ODE5LTQwNTEtYTA4Ny1kZjdiZDczMDBiYzk=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
19. East Hoathly CofE Primary School, East Hoathly
East Hoathly CofE Primary School had 17 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 15 of these were offered places. This means 2 or 11.8% did not get a place.Photo: Google
![South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School had 34 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 30 of these were offered places. This means 4 or 11.8% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjRkZjk2MzBjLWY0MTgtNDllZS1iNThjLTkwZDQxNjdhODcyMjpiMjYwNWJlMC1kMDM3LTRhMjYtODk2NC1hZmE1ZWJhOTU2MTY=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
20. South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School, Lewes
South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School had 34 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 30 of these were offered places. This means 4 or 11.8% did not get a place.Photo: Google