School admissions in Waterlooville
How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 21 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.
Waterlooville in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 14 schools in Waterlooville first 652 times for 658 places: 0.99 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Hampshire authority's 324 schools. 6 of the 14 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 6 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.85 miles (Denmead Infant School) to 2.10 miles (Horndean Infant School).
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 5 schools in Waterlooville first 1,068 times for 1,018 places: 1.05 first choices per place, against 0.99 across the Hampshire authority's 69 schools. 3 of the 5 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: Horndean Technology College, to 3.67 miles.
Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.
Reception places, September 2026
14 schools. 6 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hambledon Primary School | 1.44 | 18 | 2.17 miles |
| Denmead Infant School | 1.08 | 60 | 0.85 miles |
| Queen's Inclosure Primary School | 1.08 | 60 | 1.33 miles |
| Woodcroft Primary | 1.07 | 28 | 1.5 miles |
| Catherington Church of England Infant School | 1.07 | 30 | 1.19 miles |
| Horndean Infant School | 1.04 | 90 | 2.1 miles |
| Petersgate Infant School | 0.98 | 52 | 0.98 miles |
| Purbrook Infant School | 0.98 | 89 | 1.34 miles |
| Newlands Primary Academy | 0.94 | 17 | not published |
| Mill Hill Primary School | 0.91 | 11 | 0.6 miles |
| Padnell Infant School | 0.88 | 86 | 2.17 miles |
| Morelands Primary School | 0.88 | 42 | 0.91 miles |
| Berewood Primary School | 0.87 | 39 | not published |
| Springwood Infant School | 0.81 | 36 | not published |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.
Year 7 places, September 2026
5 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crookhorn College | 1.38 | 165 | not published |
| Oaklands Catholic School | 1.13 | 223 | not published |
| Purbrook Park School | 1.02 | 191 | not published |
| Horndean Technology College | 0.94 | 263 | 3.67 miles |
| The Cowplain School | 0.84 | 176 | not published |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.