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.
![Pevensey & Westham CofE Primary School had 61 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 54 of these were offered places. This means 7 or 11.5% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjE1ODgzM2U3LWEyMjAtNDVmYi1iZWExLTMzMjRhMmZkZmMxOTo2ZmI3ZGEwMy1mYzYwLTQwNTktYTU4Ni1jNTYwMjMzMmFlNzI=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
21. Pevensey & Westham CofE Primary School, Pevensey
Pevensey & Westham CofE Primary School had 61 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 54 of these were offered places. This means 7 or 11.5% did not get a place.Photo: Stephen Curtis
![Grovelands Community Primary School had 96 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 85 of these were offered places. This means 11 or 11.5% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmJhNWRlYjU1LTgzMzMtNDRmZi04YmFhLWMwMmY4YmU4ZWI2Zjo4MDBiOWRiZS0zYzY3LTQwMTAtODFiYi1hM2JlY2I5YmMwM2I=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
22. Grovelands Community Primary School, Hailsham
Grovelands Community Primary School had 96 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 85 of these were offered places. This means 11 or 11.5% did not get a place.Photo: Google
![Denton Community Primary School and Nursery had 29 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 26 of these were offered places. This means 3 or 10.3% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjkwNWU4OGZiLTYwM2YtNGRiYS05NzU4LWIxNmM5ODYwZDA2YjphYjJhZmNmYy03ZWYzLTRlYzktYWVjOC1jODYwMTcyNjU2MGM=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
23. Denton Community Primary School and Nursery, Newhaven
Denton Community Primary School and Nursery had 29 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 26 of these were offered places. This means 3 or 10.3% did not get a place.Photo: Staff
![St John's Church of England Primary School had 29 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 26 of these were offered places. This means 3 or 10.3% did not get a place.](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjE5NTZhMTFjLTdkOGMtNGQwNS1hYzZlLTI5ZDVhMmNkM2I3YjoxM2Q2NzQ3My01MTFkLTQ4ZGQtYjdjOS1hYTc0NTI4NGFiNWM=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
24. St John's Church of England Primary School, Crowborough
St John's Church of England Primary School had 29 applicants put the school as a first preference but only 26 of these were offered places. This means 3 or 10.3% did not get a place.Photo: Google