More than 92 per cent of Birmingham children get first-choice primary school

More than nine in ten Birmingham children have been offered a place at their first-choice primary school for September 2026, a small improvement on last year.

The figures were published after Primary National Offer Day on Thursday 16 April, when families across England find out which school their child will start at in September.

The figures

• 12,123 Birmingham children applied for a primary school place.
• 99.02 per cent were offered one of their three preferred schools.
• 92.07 per cent got their first choice, up from 91.69 per cent in 2025.
• 529 children were offered a school outside Birmingham.
• More than 99 per cent of applications were made online.

Families from outside the city

Birmingham's primary schools continue to attract families from neighbouring areas. This year, 431 children living in other local authorities applied for a Birmingham school. Of those, 55.22 per cent were offered one of their Birmingham preferences, up nearly three percentage points on last year, and 50.35 per cent got their first choice.

Why it matters

The council says being offered a preferred school helps children settle quickly and make friends, and that high first-choice rates reduce uncertainty for families and help schools plan for September.

"Starting school is a huge milestone, and knowing your child has a place at the school you hoped for makes that transition so much more reassuring," said James Thomas, Interim Executive Director of Children and Families at Birmingham City Council.

He said the results showed "a system that is working well and putting children first", and reflected "a well-run admissions process and the growing confidence families have in Birmingham's schools".

A consistent picture

The primary figures follow the secondary school offers announced in March, when the council said a record number of Birmingham children had been offered one of their preferred secondary schools. This year, for the first time, primary admissions data is being reported in the same format as secondary admissions, so the two can be compared directly in future.

If you did not get your first choice

Families who are unhappy with the place they have been offered can appeal, and can ask for their child to be placed on the waiting list for schools they preferred. Places often become available over the summer as families move or change their plans. Details of how to appeal are on the council's school admissions pages, and the council's admissions team can advise families on their options.

The council says the results reflect a well-managed admissions process and strong collaboration between the council, schools and partners, and that the figures underline its commitment to supporting parental preference wherever possible and putting children's wellbeing and early education at the heart of its decisions.