Early figures from the council indicate that nearly a third of families in Liverpool have missed out on their first choice secondary schools.
On Monday (March 3), Year 6 pupils across the country found out which secondary school had offered them a place for the next academic year. In Liverpool only 69% of children were given a place at their first choice for this coming September - similar to last year’s figures.
Official Department for Education data for the 2024-25 academic year shows 5,352 children applied for a place at a secondary school in Liverpool. Of them, 3,719 (69.4%) were admitted to their first choice. 95.5% did receive a place from at least one school in their top five choices. But, some schools can be especially difficult to get into, with large numbers of applicants and limited spaces available.
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While a school-by-school breakdown for the 2025-2026 academic year will not be released until later this spring, the latest available DfE figures show which Liverpool secondary schools were the hardest to get into in September 2024.
Take a look at the gallery below to see the secondary schools in Liverpool which were hardest to get into, based on 2024-25 DfE figures showing the proportion of families putting it as their first choice who were successful in getting a place.
9. Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, West Derby, Liverpool
At Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, just 65.5% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. 114 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. | Google Street View
10. Calderstones School, Mossley Hill, Liverpool
At Calderstones School, just 66.8% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. 98 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. | Google Street View
11. King David High School, Wavertree, Liverpool
At King David High School, just 66.9% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. 44 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. | Google Street View