With the application deadline for secondary school places fast approaching, parents might be interested to discover which schools in Liverpool are the most difficult to get into.
If your child is starting Year 7 in September, the deadline to apply is 11:59pm on Tuesday 31 October 2023. You can do so via Liverpool City Council’s website.
Figures from the Department for Education have revealed that two-thirds of pupils in the region received places at their first-choice secondary schools this year.
Data show 5,446 children applied for a place at a secondary school in Liverpool for the 2023-24 academic year. Of them, 3,655 (67.1%) were admitted to their first choice, while 4,859 (89.2%) received a place from at least one school in their top five choices.
Areas that allow children to select more than three preferred schools generally have a lower first-choice acceptance rate as parents tend to be a little more speculative with their applications.
Nationally, 82.6% of secondary school applicants received an offer from their first choice for 2023-24 – down from 83.3% the year before – while the proportion securing a place from any of their favoured schools fell slightly from 95.8% in 2022-23 to 95.6%.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said the slight fall in pupils receiving their first offer could be due to the rising number of applications – some 619,991 pupils applied for a secondary school place for 2023-24, the highest number since records began in 2014-15.
Mr Barton said: “The rising number of secondary-age pupils is putting additional pressure on places, particularly in schools located within affluent areas that have an outstanding or good Ofsted rating.
“Conversely, there are other schools in more challenging circumstances in other areas that are stigmatised by negative Ofsted ratings and are struggling to recruit pupils to fill their place numbers.
“It is an absolutely ridiculous situation, and the Government should focus more on investing the money and support that is needed to ensure every community has good school places on their doorstep.”
Here are the secondary schools in Liverpool which were hardest to get into, based on Department for Education figures showing the proportion of families putting it as their first choice who were successful in getting a place.
1. Liverpool College
At Liverpool College, which caters for girls and boys ages 4-19, just 35% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. A total of 292 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. Photo: Google Street View
2. St Edward's College, Liverpool
At St Edward’s College, just 38% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. A total of 245 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. Photo: Paul/Google Maps
3. The Belvedere Academy
At The Belvedere Academy, just 42% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. A total of 201 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. Photo: Google Street View
4. Archbishop Beck Catholic College
At Archbishop Beck Catholic College, just 43% of parents who made it their first choice were offered a place for their child. A total of 214 applicants had the school as their first choice but did not get in. Photo: Google Street View