Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school-age children whose parents or guardians have requested a school place have been out of school for more than a term in the (a) UK and (b) London Borough of Lambeth in the (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-19 academic years.

​The information requested is not held centrally. The Department does not hold data on the number of in-year admission applications made and the length of time a child has been out of school prior to their parents or guardians submitting an application.

Parents can apply for a place at any school, at any time. When parents apply for a school place outside of the normal admissions round, this is classed as an in-year admission. This process is managed at a local level by either the local authority, where it coordinates the in-year admissions for schools in their area, or directly by the admission authority of the school.