High free school meals percentage - how does this affect the school?

[ElizabethTaylor17]

Hello. I am starting looking at secondary schools for my daughter for a 2027 start. We live near the Wandsworth / Merton border in SW London.

Looking at the free school meals numbers for the schools we are in catchment for, they are around 26-32% which compares to her primary school where the figure is 10%.

The 25-30% figure is similar to my own secondary school where I was bullied for trying hard / wanting to succeed at school and for being “posh” (I’m not!)

I know there will be a range of children from each background who want to work hard. But obviously my own experience colours the decisions I might make for my own children.

For those of you at schools with these levels of FSM, how have you found the experience?

Thank you

Thanks @teacupzs I’m not sure how to respond to that really. I think they are the best options from our area. I live on the Southfields grid which is an area I would prefer over the area near Graveney.

I have a friend with 2 dc in highly selective private secondaries and 3rd dc in St Cecil8a's because he wasn't accepted to any of "better" private schools ( and parents didn't want to pay for 2nd tier privates). They live in £2m house. I am sure that's not an isolated case.

Hi @teacupzs i just did some (hopefully correct) rudimentary maths from the compare school performance website.

I don't think it works like that

This is an interesting article about the falling rolls and demographic changes

"Between 2018 and 2025, the number of children eligible for Free School Meals more than doubled – from 4,560 to 10,264. These pupils now make up 32% of all students, up from 19% in 2019."

"The data pattern is clear: middle-class families are leaving – whether to private schools, other boroughs, or outside London – while lower-income families and refugees are staying or arriving. Total numbers fall, but the proportion needing Free School Meals climbs."

putney.news/2025/10/15/when-the-children-leave-inside-wandsworths-school-funding-death-spiral/

@Animatic I think it's quite unusual to pay for 2 dc in private but not another dc.

Thanks @teacupzs why wouldn’t an average of those 11 figures be 41%?

@ElizabethTaylor17 They may be your best two options but they aren't the best options in their boroughs. But dc with higher attainment to tend to perform well regardless so I wouldn't be worried about bullying regarding working hard.

There’s a reason why Wandsworth council tax is so cheap. Great primaries and a dearth of decent secondaries because the yummy mummies then ship out to the Home Counties, if not Teddington, St Margaret’s or Hampton. Without pushy parents worrying about their PFB, the cycle continues. What pp said upthread about ‘how actively supported is the PTA’ is a great indicator.

@HJ40 There’s a reason why Wandsworth council tax is so cheap

What do you mean?
I think that most, if not all, of the 11 state secondaries in Wandsworth are funded by central government, not by the councils.

If you meant that the council saves on other things, that's not very relevant to the discussion, and it depends. Lambeth has moved to fortnightly rubbish collection for non-recycled and charges much higher parking permits. Wandsworth still has weekly collections. Oh, and Lambeth's anti-car CEO was arrested for driving under the influence and with no insurance, crashing, and trying to flee the scene, but that's another story!

Great primaries and a dearth of decent secondaries

With 5 popular oversubscribed schools, plus access to good schools in neighbouring boroughs, I'm not sure I agree about the 'dearth of decent secondaries'.

The 6 undersubscribed schools receive more funding because of the higher % of free school meals, so I am not sure funding is the issue.

the yummy mummies then ship out to the Home Counties, if not Teddington, St Margaret’s or Hampton

The phenomenon of families moving farther out before secondary school has always existed, and has never been unique to Wandsworth. Go back 20 years and you will find plenty of discussions on this on mumsnet.
A lot of it is to do with the cultural preference of many Brits to move to the suburbs or the country for more space. Other European countries do not have TV shows like "escape to the country"

@teacupzs
"The data pattern is clear: middle-class families are leaving – whether to private schools, other boroughs, or outside London – while lower-income families and refugees are staying or arriving. Total numbers fall, but the proportion needing Free School Meals climbs."
^putney.news/2025/10/15/when-the-children-leave-inside-wandsworths-school-funding-death-spiral/^

The article is highly misleading, and borders blatant misinformation.

Middle-class families are not leaving for other boroughs. Primary schools have been closing left right and centre all over London, with 34 schools facing closure, because of the natality trends (fewer births after 2012) , families leaving London because it's too expensive, and families leaving the country after Brexit.

The article talks about refugees but says absolutely nothing about how many. So I will consider it unsubstantiated bs, until I read some proof.

It says that the number of children on free school meals has increased, but it has increased all over the country. Has it increased more in London? the article doesn't say.

The only interesting thing in the article was how most new housing is simply too small and doesn't cater to families.

@RandomNameGenerator123 the article is based on the recent Wandsworth schools forum meeting

https://putney.news/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oct-25-Public-reports-pack-13102025-1630-Wandsworth-Schools-Forum.pdf

Middle-class families are not leaving for other boroughs. Primary schools have been closing left right and centre all over London, with 34 schools facing closure, because of the natality trends (fewer births after 2012) , families leaving London because it's too expensive, and families leaving the country after Brexit.

Yes, rolls are falling because families have left London, Brexit and birth rates in general but why does that mean families aren't looking at other boroughs for schools?

My dc go to a secondary in another borough as I and my siblings did (it's not a new trend so I don't see why it can't be a growing trend as more schools have partially selective places)

Presumably an increase in FSM dc from 19% to 32% shows poverty is increasing.

@teacupzs Presumably an increase in FSM dc from 19% to 32% shows poverty is increasing.

Possibly. The limitations of FSM as a proxy for poverty have been discussed in the thread. But that's not the point. The point is that the article claims that the middle class / richer families have left and poorer families have come in, yet offers no proof whatsoever for this:

Have the criteria for FSM changed over the period?

How has the % of FSM changed in the rest of London and in the rest of the country?

If the % of FSM has gone up all over London, then we cannot say the phenomenon is unique to Wandsworth. If instead it's gone up in Wandsworth much more than elsewhere, then it's a very different story.

I don't know the answer. But I know that that article is sloppy journalism bordering misinformation, with no proof whatsoever of the claims presented.

why does that mean families aren't looking at other boroughs for schools?

You misunderstand. Of course families living near another borough can and do send their kids to a school in that borough. That has always happened. The point is not that, the point is whether "families leaving to other boroughs" is material enough that it's a driver behind the fall in pupil numbers. Again, there is no proof of that. Again, the same thing is happening all over London.

Practically speaking how can you know if there’s a ‘well supported PTA’ in a school that your family don’t go to? PTAs don’t tend to advertise on the main school website.
They might have a Facebook PTA page for parents of kids at the school but they won’t want prospective parents joining that just to have a look around.
I’m not saying this isn’t a good measure of a successful school experience for the kids, PTAs can add a lot, but it’s not always easy for those not at a school to gather up information about a PTA.

@RandomNameGenerator123 I am not saying the increase in FSM is unique to Wandsworth but an increase is an increase. I know Wandsworth are going to change the criteria so more families qualify although this will not increase pupil premium eligibility.

I am sure the reduction in rolls is smaller in the outer boroughs vs inner boroughs? And at least 2 outer boroughs are showing growth in rolls. Anecdotally I know a lot of people who have moved from inner to outer London for a house (vs a flat) & secondaries. They were in Lambeth which is one of the worst impacted boroughs.

I definitely think the "best" schools will be even more oversubscribed and the ok schools will be on a downward spiral, losing numbers and funding.

** Presumably an increase in FSM dc from 19% to 32% shows poverty is increasing

@teacupzs

I think it is driven mostly by the protection period that is new FSM are joining but nobody is leaving. You will see the shift next academic year as it is going to be reviewed then

@teacupzs I definitely think the "best" schools will be even more oversubscribed and the ok schools will be on a downward spiral, losing numbers and funding

I agree that this is a real risk. Falling rolls may not make it much easier to get into the coveted schools.

The interesting question for me is what would happen if all the Wandsworth schools stopped being partially selective and admitted based on distance only. Would this spread the "good" students and the pushy families who value education more more evenly across all other schools? Would this cause the undersubscribed schools to improve? It's all hypothetical anyway

Falling rolls may not make it much easier to get into the coveted schools.

Agree particularly if schools reduce their PAN.

Interesting question - in theory undersubscribed schools should improve. The difficulty is the falling birth rate, will the numbers who remain have enough impact? would changing the selective policies make more families leave the borough or choose private?

It's quite incredible to me how the amount of dc has dropped so dramatically. London is ageing faster than any other big city in the UK.

@teacupzs I think there are too many unknowns.

There is also the matter of VAT on private schools: will this mean the oversubscribed schools become even more oversubscribed? The waiting lists there move a lot between March and September, because many families use Graveney Chestnut etc as a backup option, but then go private. Will this change with VAT? No one knows.

If I were to bet, I'd say that VAT won't cause too much change, because London remains full of enough families who can afford the fees, but it's just a hunch

I agree with you re the VAT having little impact in London. If you can afford 25k a year does another 5k make it prohibitive for the majority. I'm sure some of the less popular private schools will be impacted by falling rolls.

Anecdotally I know a few dc who didn't score high enough on the Graveney test or the SW London grammar's but received a bursary place for the likes of Dulwich & Whitgift.

This. Have a look at their value-added. That’s the statistic that you need to take notice of.

VAT may not massively affect families with 1 child but once you go to 2-3-4 then numbers become more interesting.
Take Emmanuel, VAT impact is 1.7k per term (of parents aftertax income). If you have 2-3 childen then the impact is ~3.4-5.1 each term. It is not an insign8ficant number, especially as school fees ex VAT are on the rise year on year too.

@Animatic I just don't think the impact will that big in London. And having 3-4 dc is a luxury tbh, I can see families having fewer dc rather than opting out of private schooling.

We always thought we would go private but the spreadsheet we made looking into the future was terrifying, allowing for a 5% fee increase each year - starting on around £30k fees from next year - plus allowing for the “extras” like trips, uniforms, clubs etc. We have a second child too and it feels unaffordable unless you have two city salaries, plenty in savings, and family back up. There are certainly some other families we know of locally who feel the same but I wonder if the impact will be felt more keenly in prep schools, with people saving for secondary.

We were undecided re private secondary (did not consider prep) so were somewhat planning for it. However fee increases over the last decade are eye watering & we would really miss the money. I don't want them to have a load of uni debt & god knows what it will cost when they have to go. Plus I want to give them housing deposits and I don't want to have to work well into my 60s. For us, it didn't add enough value however my eldest was very lucky to get a place at an excellent state option and is currently in the top set. The youngest one will get a sibling place but he's not as academic so private may be a better option for him.

I also want to move house in a few years but again have scaled back my plans as utilities etc are high now. The economic landscape is very different now & I think life will only get more expensive.

and family back up

Out of my friends who have gone down the private route the vast majority have had family help either with housing or fees or both.