Boroughs in east London are set to see some of the biggest competition for primary school places in the country in 2023/24, figures suggest.

Waltham Forest, Newham, Redbridge and Barking and Dagenham all rank in the top five for the most 'squeezed' local authorities, according to data from education software specialist The Access Group.

The data comes before applications for 2023/24 primary school admissions close on Sunday (January 15).

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Jane Gibson, product manager at The Access Group, said: "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."

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Waltham Forest comes out as the most 'squeezed' London borough and the second most squeezed in the UK after Slough.

With 66 primary schools in the borough, almost 60 children will be competing for a place per school, according to The Access Group, as 3,936 children are set to begin primary school next year.

The Access Group estimates that 58 children will be competing per school in Barking and Dagenham, 55 in Redbridge and 54 in Newham. 

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But Waltham Forest Council said it did not "recognise" the data.

Cllr Alistair Strathern, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “It is simply not accurate to suggest there is a squeeze - our regular forecasts of pupil places continue to show we have more than enough places to meet pupil demand.

"The council continues to provide a high-quality admissions service that enables us to remain one of the better boroughs in London for meeting parents’ expectations when it comes to school places.

"In 2022 we offered 90.7 per cent of children their first preference of primary school, compared to the London average of 87.9 per cent.

"This is thanks to the great collaborative working relationship our admissions team have built with the wide range of Good and Outstanding primary schools parents have to choose from in the borough." 

To create the research, The Access Group compared the number of children set to attend primary school in the 2023/2024 academic year with the number of primary schools per local authority.