Camden School for Girls in Sandall Road, Camden Town, is the borough's most oversubscribed state secondary school, receiving 597 applications for 116 places – including 254 first-choice applications, according to data from schoolfacts.uk based on last year's figures.
Open days have been underway across north London in recent weeks for pupils and parents to visit prospective secondary schools. The Pan-London application for the September 2027 intake must be completed and submitted by October 31, with places revealed on National Offer Day on March 1, 2027.
Top Three Most In-Demand Schools
Acland Burghley School in Burghley Road, Tufnell Park, is the second most popular choice, with 647 pupils vying for 171 places, including 213 first-choice applications. The co-educational, non-selective community secondary school prioritises looked-after children, siblings, children with exceptional social or medical needs, the children of staff, and those living nearest the school.
Parliament Hill School in Highgate Road is an outstanding girls' secondary school that clocked up 642 applications for 179 places, with 183 of them assigning the school their first choice. The non-selective state girls' comprehensive school also prioritises looked-after children, siblings, children with exceptional social or medical needs, the children of staff, and those living nearest the school.
Other Popular Choices in Camden
Haverstock School in Haverstock Hill, where past pupils have included current Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and footballers John Barnes and Joe Cole, was the next most popular choice with 329 applications for 121 places. However, only 99 pupils put the non-selective community school as their first choice, meaning they were guaranteed to get in if they ranked it as their top preference.
Hampstead School in Westbere Road, on the border of West Hampstead and Cricklewood, is another non-selective community secondary that received 350 applications for 142 places, with 106 placing it as their first choice. Regent High School in Chalton Street, Somers Town, hands out 172 places annually and last year had 346 applications, with 125 putting it as their first choice.
Faith Schools and Specialist Programmes
William Ellis is a non-selective boys' comprehensive, next door to Parliament Hill School on Highgate Road, which takes in 90 pupils every year. It had 284 applications, including 54 who put it as their first choice. Maria Fidelis Catholic School in Euston is a co-educational faith school which last year had 280 applications for 135 places, with 82 putting it as their first choice. In terms of admissions, priority is always given to Catholic applicants.
The UCL Academy in Swiss Cottage had 399 applications for 136 places, with 63 pupils making it their first choice. The school awards 18 places every year to students who qualify for its visual arts aptitude programme. La Sainte Union in Croftdown Road, Dartmouth Park, is also a girls' faith school which had 151 applicants for 62 places, with 28 making it their first choice. As with Maria Fidelis, priority is always given to Catholic applicants.
Parents can list up to six secondary schools both within and outside their home borough on the coordinated admissions application, ranking them in order of preference. All applications are considered equally, with schools unaware of what order they are ranked.
