Luton primary schools face big squeeze ahead of application deadline amidst rise in pupils

Ahead of the primary school application deadline on Sunday 15 January, new research has revealed that Luton is one of the most squeezed locations in England for primary school places in 2023/24, with competition for places likely to be competitive amongst parents.

The data, from education software specialist The Access Group, compared new Census demographic data and local authority school listings to establish the number of potential pupils per school for all locations in England.

With roughly 51 children per primary school (51.4), Luton appeared in sixth position in a list of the most squeezed locations in England. Waltham Forest (59.6) and Slough (61.6) joined Luton in the top half of the table of most squeezed locations, while pupils in Rutland (12.9) had the best access to primary schools ahead of North Yorkshire (14.2) and Cumbria (14.3).

Jane Gibson, Product Manager (Education) at The Access Group explained what this means for parents in the area: “Admissions is a stressful time for parents as your child’s school can have a big impact on their future. Even on a smaller scale, if you fail to get into your first-choice school, there’s a risk of being separated from friends, or you might add on extra travel time to get your child to the school gates every morning.

“Schools also often ‘hold their breath’ at this time of year too. Pupil numbers can affect their funding, which in turn can lead to difficult decisions regarding staffing levels, budget allocation and more - but with specialist education technology such as school finance software and school payments software, it’s easier to cope with fluctuating numbers and ensure there’s adequate resources to provide a great education.”

A spokesperson for Luton Council has said: “Our aim as a council is to support all schools in the town in providing the same high level of education to all Luton’s children. However, we appreciate that there can be several factors for families in making choices regarding which school to attend.

“If a child cannot be allocated a place at any of their preferred schools, their details will be added to the waiting list(s) and a place will be allocated at an alternative school with vacancies. Parents also have the right of appeal for a place at their preferred school(s).”