Barnet School Catchment Areas

Barnet is one of London's largest school authorities, with 175 state schools across 8 areas – 91 primary and 25 secondary. It has 12 selective schools, making it one of the few London boroughs with a significant grammar school offer, and 58 schools with a religious character that apply faith criteria alongside catchment distance.

Demand is high: 36 of 158 schools with published capacity data are currently at or above their admission number. Selective and faith places are particularly competitive, and many popular schools in Mill Hill, Finchley, and Hendon see their last-distance-offered shrink year on year. Of the schools with a current Ofsted rating, 57 are rated Good or Outstanding.

Catchment boundaries in Barnet are set by the council or by individual academy trusts, and are published each September for the following admissions cycle. Families applying to selective schools must register for the relevant entrance test by the council's stated deadline. For non-selective community schools, the oversubscription criteria typically prioritise looked-after children, siblings, and then catchment distance – always check the specific school's policy before applying.