Almost 100,000 children will be dumped in failing primary schools this week amid a countrywide squeeze on places. On National Offer Day, nine per cent are expected to miss out on their first choice – although in some areas it will be as high as 30 per cent.
The shortage has been caused by a baby boom fuelled in part by high levels of immigration in the early 2000s. Data analysed by the New Schools Network, a charity which supports free schools, shows 95,000 children will be placed in failing schools – those rated 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' by Ofsted. It also found 12,500 families are due to be offered places in failing schools which have not made any improvement since 2005.
Luke Tryl, director of NSN, said: 'Finding out which primary school your child is going to should be a time of excitement, but today nearly 100,000 families will find out their child is being sent to a school that isn't good.'
Ofsted data shows that 2,223 primary schools are rated as 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' and 290 have been stuck with these ratings since 2005. In total, across that 14-year period, 1million pupils will have attended these 'stuck' schools – two-thirds of which are in the North and Midlands.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said the system is much better than it was in 2010, because 87 per cent of primaries are now rated good or outstanding, compared with 67 per cent nine years ago.
Mr Gibb added: 'Even in instances where parents aren't getting the news they hoped for today, the likelihood is that their child will be attending a school which will provide a first-class education.'
