Thousands of children in London are at risk of slipping through the cracks of the education system as of a confusing and fragmented in‑year admissions process, a new report by London Councils has warned. The umbrella body for the capital’s local authorities says pupils who need a school place outside the normal admissions round – often due to family upheaval, migration or housing instability – face a maze of forms, criteria and delays. Consequently, some children are spending weeks or even months out of the classroom, raising fresh concerns about inequality, safeguarding and the long-term impact on their life chances. The findings pile pressure on ministers and town halls to overhaul how school places are allocated mid-year, amid growing anxiety about the number of children missing from education.
Barriers within the in year admissions system leave vulnerable children without a school place
The report highlights how families in crisis often face a maze of processes, forms and fragmented information at the very moment they are least able to navigate bureaucracy. Children who have fled domestic abuse, recently arrived from overseas, or been forced to move due to eviction are among those most likely to fall through the gaps. Multiple application routes, inconsistent documentation requirements and a lack of real-time data on available places mean that even when a school place technically exists, it is not always accessible. Local authorities warn that the most disadvantaged pupils can be left waiting weeks or months, at risk of disengagement, safeguarding concerns and long-term educational harm.
London Councils’ findings point to a system that is reactive rather than preventive, with professionals spending valuable time chasing information rather of supporting children into classrooms. Families report being passed between schools, local authorities and admission bodies, each with different expectations and limited capacity to offer tailored guidance. To illustrate the practical challenges, the report identifies common obstacles faced by vulnerable families:
- Complex paperwork: Lengthy forms and repeated requests for documents many families do not have.
- Inconsistent criteria: Varying evidence standards between areas create confusion and delay.
- Poor coordination: Limited data-sharing leaves schools and councils unaware of real-time vacancies.
- Digital barriers: Online-only processes disadvantage those without stable internet or devices.
| Group | Typical Barrier |
|---|---|
| Refugee families | Lack of UK documentation |
| Families in temporary housing | Frequent address changes |
| Children leaving care | Gaps in placement planning |
| Domestic abuse survivors | Safety concerns around sharing data |
Patchwork processes and poor communication deepen inequalities across London boroughs
Families navigating mid-year school moves describe a confusing maze of forms, phone calls and inconsistent advice that varies dramatically depending on where they live. While some boroughs offer clear online guidance and dedicated admissions officers, others rely on outdated web pages, limited phone lines and conflicting information from schools and local authorities. This uneven landscape particularly disadvantages parents who lack digital access, speak English as an additional language or juggle multiple jobs. The result is a postcode lottery in which children with similar needs face very different waiting times,support levels and chances of securing a suitable school place.
Professionals warn that the lack of shared standards between boroughs allows gaps to open up – and vulnerable pupils are the ones most likely to fall through. In practice, coordination can break down at multiple points:
- Inconsistent forms – different paperwork and evidence demands create delay and confusion.
- Fragmented contact points – families must speak separately to schools, councils and sometimes academies.
- Limited data sharing – slow transfer of records when children move boroughs interrupts support.
- Variable signposting – some areas actively guide parents; others leave them to search alone.
| Borough type | Typical parent experience |
|---|---|
| More coordinated | Single online form, clear helpline, decision times published |
| Less coordinated | Multiple contacts, unclear deadlines, long periods with no updates |
Insufficient data sharing and oversight hinder timely support for mobile and displaced pupils
Local authorities, schools and safeguarding partners frequently lack the real-time data they need to identify children who are on the move, out of school, or at risk of disappearing from the education system entirely. Information about a pupil’s previous school,SEND status,exclusions history or social care involvement is often fragmented across multiple databases,delayed by manual processes,or lost when families move between boroughs or across regional boundaries. This patchwork approach means that vulnerable pupils – including refugees, children in temporary accommodation and those fleeing domestic abuse – can go untracked for weeks or months, undermining efforts to secure a suitable school place and targeted support.
Frontline professionals report that inconsistent data-sharing protocols and limited capacity for cross-border oversight leave them reliant on informal networks and ad hoc phone calls to trace a child’s educational history. This slows down decision-making and obscures patterns of risk, such as repeated mid-year moves or extended periods out of school.In practice, this can result in:
- Delayed referrals for specialist assessments and pastoral support
- Missed early warning signs of exploitation, neglect or escalating needs
- Duplication of assessments and wasted resources across agencies
- Gaps in attendance monitoring that allow children to fall off the radar
| Challenge | Impact on pupils |
|---|---|
| Slow transfer of records | Late access to tailored teaching and SEND provision |
| Inconsistent data standards | Incomplete picture of needs and prior support |
| Limited oversight across boroughs | Children go untracked after moving area |
London Councils report urges simplified admissions clearer guidance and stronger local coordination
London borough representatives are calling for a radical overhaul of the way children move schools mid‑year, warning that the current maze of forms, portals and differing criteria leaves families confused and children at risk of long periods out of the classroom. The report highlights how responsibilities are split between councils, academies and multi-academy trusts, with parents often unsure who to approach and when, and schools interpreting the statutory guidance in inconsistent ways. It argues that this patchwork system can particularly disadvantage vulnerable pupils, newly arrived families and those without strong English language skills, who struggle to navigate complex documentation and fragmented advice.
To tackle these gaps, the report sets out a series of practical measures to make the process more obvious, predictable and child-focused. Recommendations include:
- One clear digital route for applications, regardless of school type or governance.
- Plain-language guidance for parents and carers, translated into key community languages.
- Shared data tools so councils and schools can quickly identify available places.
- Joint training for school admissions staff to ensure consistent decision-making.
- Local coordination forums to resolve complex cases and prevent pupils being left without a school place.
| Issue | Impact on Families | Proposed Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple application routes | Delays and duplicated paperwork | Single London-wide process |
| Inconsistent information | Parents unsure of rights and timelines | Standardised guidance and templates |
| Poor coordination | Children out of school for weeks | Stronger local oversight and tracking |
Wrapping Up
As London grapples with rising demand for school places and mounting pressures on local services, the warning from London Councils is clear: without urgent reform, thousands of children risk being left on the margins of education by a system too complex to navigate and too slow to respond.
Whether ministers choose to overhaul admissions rules, invest in local capacity, or strengthen support for families trying to secure a place mid-year, the cost of inaction is already being counted in lost learning and widening inequality. For the children slipping through the gaps, the debate over policy detail is far from abstract; it will shape their chances for years to come.
The question now is whether national and local leaders will move beyond acknowledging the problem to delivering the coordinated changes the report says are needed-before another cohort finds the school gates closed.
