Brexit helps more children to get top choice of primary

THOUSANDS more children will go to their top choice of primary school this year as officials say Brexit has eased pressure on places.

Figures released yesterday suggested a drop in applications has seen more pupils set to start in September get their first choice.

It follows an explosion in pupil numbers, partly caused by migration as the birth rate among women from other countries has been higher.

However, this spike is beginning to level off, meaning the places crisis blighting overpopulated areas is receding.

The trend is also partly down to a lower birth rate in 2014, meaning there are fewer fouryear-olds needing places.

And a joint statement from 33 London authorities indicated the Brexit vote may also have caused some European families to leave the UK – or deterred them from coming.

London boroughs received 96,681 applications for primary school places this year, 2.3 per cent down from last year.

It meant 86.5 per cent of applicants got their first choice – 1,365 more than last year.

Nationwide there were also signs of improvement, with one snapshot survey suggesting that, of 40 councils to respond, 70 per cent had seen a rise in the proportion of pupils given their first preference of school and only 13 per cent had a fall.

The Pan-London Admissions Board, which co- ordinates school places in the capital, said: ‘Schools had been aware that lower birth rates in 2014 would lead to a smaller number of children starting primary school in London this year.

‘We believe that high property prices in some areas and the initial effects of the EU membership referendum have also contributed to this easing of pressure at primary level.’

Hundreds of thousands of parents across England were told yesterday which infant school their four and five-yearolds will attend.

Across the country, many built-up areas were still struggling. Among the areas where high proportions got their first preferences were Central Bedfordshire, at 96 per cent, along with 95 per cent in Cornwall and Lincolnshire.

In comparison, in East Sussex, Leeds and Essex 88 per cent got their first preference.

The area that fared worst was Kensington and Chelsea in West London, where only 68 per cent got their first choice.

School standards minister Nick Gibb said investment in more school places had led to nine in ten pupils securing one of their top three choices.