London is a tale of two cities when it comes to schools. Some are fantastic, with brilliant achievements, much sought after by parents. But there are also sink schools where pupils have a tough time, ending up there rather than it being chosen for them.
When I was growing up in east London there were two geographical cities, split East-West. But now sought-after and sink schools can be found alongside each other. Hammersmith & Fulham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets all have outstanding schools with excellent results - in at least one case sending more pupils to Oxbridge than Eton – but also schools rated so poor by Ofsted that they have been placed in ‘special measures’.
The offers made today are likely to be more disappointing than in previous years, because 11 years ago was a bumper year for births. In inner London last year only three in five got their first choices compared with over 80 per cent in England as a whole.
Individual schools show competition to be even fiercer. Last year only a third of the applicants to Coombe Wood School in Croydon were offered places, with the success rate for Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney, and Brampton Manor Academy in Newham not much higher.
For parents wanting their children to go to a selective school, today is the second nerve-wracking decision day. Last autumn they will have had to wait for the results of the eligibility tests. With this hurdle crossed, the first choice offer rate for the most popular - the Tiffin schools in Kingston and Queen Elizabeth’s in Barnet – at 40 per cent or lower is no higher than that for the top non-selective schools.
Parents getting places in London’s top selective schools will be jumping for joy, because they have been saved the huge fees for independent schools. Those not getting in who can afford it will often turn to the private sector. Many parents put an immense amount of effort and thousands of pounds into preparation for the entrance tests of their chosen school to gain advantage for their children.
Even with the increased competition this year, most parents will be getting goodish news. Last year about 95 per cent got an offer at one of their top three choices, and only four per cent were left still looking for somewhere. The DfE has charted and prepared for the 23 per cent rise in 11-year-olds that has taken place over the past decade. There are more top places on offer, with new schools opened and popular schools expanding. The latest Ofsted ratings show that 86 per cent of secondary schools are now rated ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ compared with the 68 per cent ten years ago.
The current government has made much of its policy of ‘levelling up’, indeed has a ministry for it, with its focus on regions. But the considerable differences in opportunity that schools in London provide shows there is still much to be done within regions also. The aim must be for the two educational cities of London to become one.
Professor Alan Smithers is Director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham.
