How many schools are in Barking and Dagenham?

Barking and Dagenham has 67 open schools: 44 primary schools and 8 secondary schools across 5 areas. Data sourced from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register.

What areas are covered by Barking and Dagenham school catchment zones?

Barking and Dagenham administers catchment areas across 5 areas, including Dagenham, Barking, Romford, Essex, Other. Each school's catchment boundary is set by the local authority and reviewed annually as part of the admissions process.

How do school catchment areas work in Barking and Dagenham?

In Barking and Dagenham, catchment areas define a geographical zone around each school. Children living within the catchment boundary are given priority in oversubscription criteria. The exact boundary, and the "last distance offered", changes each year based on application volumes. Official catchment maps and admissions policies are published by Barking and Dagenham council each autumn.

Which schools in Barking and Dagenham are oversubscribed?

Oversubscription varies by school and year in Barking and Dagenham. Popular schools typically receive more applications than available places, meaning the "last distance offered" shrinks annually. To check demand for a specific school, consult the Barking and Dagenham admissions authority's published offer data or the school's own admissions policy.

Barking and Dagenham School Catchment Areas

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Schools in Barking and Dagenham split across 44 primaries and 8 secondaries, with catchment boundaries set afresh each admissions cycle by the council's school admissions team.

School density is highest in Dagenham and Barking - parents in other parts of Barking and Dagenham should check the exact distance-offered figure from the previous year before banking on proximity alone.

Selective schools are part of the mix in Barking and Dagenham - for those applying to grammar schools, a selective admissions test is required in addition to the standard admissions process.

67 total 44 primary 8 secondary 5 areas

Based on the latest published capacity data, 4 of the 67 schools in Barking and Dagenham are at or above their admission number, so catchment distance is decisive at those schools. Barking and Dagenham has 1 selective school that admit by entrance test rather than distance. 11 schools apply faith-based criteria alongside catchment distance. Of the 21 Barking and Dagenham schools with a current Ofsted rating, 20 are rated Good or Outstanding.