Choosing the best start for your child’s future is never an easy task. If your little angel/monster has recently turned 4, or will before next September, then you’ll need to start considering options for starting school and entry to reception – unless home-schooling is in your early years plan.

Here are England’s top 50 state primary schools based upon the latest SATs results from 2015 – ranked by their average points score in the 3Rs (reading, writing and maths).

These schools certainly succeed when it comes to academic brilliance – and getting a place can seem like mission impossible. A popular technique from ambitious parents is to rent a property close to their preferred school – a potentially expensive gamble when some school cut-offs have, In the past, been as low as 50 metres.

England’s best primary school

Topping the list is Little Dewchurch Primary School in Herefordshire – it’s a small local primary with a religious ethos at its heart.  This year they only had 9 places available – although the latest numbers tell us that they have allowed 25 students to start their academic journey with them this September. And you could’ve lived within 7 kilometres of the school to bag a place. With top ranking academic scores – you can imagine this will continue to be a  popular choice for the local community and a little wider.

But should you up sticks to move to leafy Little Dewchurch? £200,000 could snap up a 4 bed detached house nearby – so it might not be a bad move.

Primary schools in London

The London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea , Harrow, Westminster, Richmond upon Thames, Hounslow, Haringey, Greenwich and Havering all feature in the top 50 – making up almost a quarter of the top schools.

Fox Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea is well known for consistently being one of the best, and toughest, schools in the whole UK to secure a place at. In 2014 and 2015 you needed to live within just 100 metres of the school to get in (unless you already had a brother or sister attending). Fox School has been undergoing an expansion over the summer of 2016 – allowing them to double their reception intake for September 2016 from 30 students to 60. This also meant they could admit pupils living up to 303 metres from the front gates.

Just as a guide to local prices – a parking space alone in W8 could set you back a cool £150,000 (plus annual service charges of £1,000). If you wanted more than a parking bay, rented bedsits start from around £800 per month. Or you could always splash out on a luxury 8 bed apartment – starting from around the £25 million mark.

Primary schools in Lancashire

Perhaps the most surprising set of entries are provided by Lancashire. Granted, Lancashire, as a local authority, has the largest collection of state funded schools in the UK, but this northern powerhouse features four schools in the top 50.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Withnell is a Catholic school (a clue is in the name) and they use faith as part of their selection criteria. Catholic schools are often quite hard to get places at – unless you have a strong link to the Catholic Church. In other words – the kids are baptised and regularly attend church.

Last year St Joseph’s was not oversubscribed – so, this superbly academic school could still be a great option if you live in the local area, even if you don’t have a religious inclination. And a 2 bed terraced house in the same road as St Joseph’s could cost under £150,000 (that’s cheaper than a parking space in Kensington).

Primary school applications close on January 15th. For the best chances of securing your preferred school always apply on time.

To find the best schools in your area visit findaschool.