The vast majority of children, 99%, have been offered a place at one of their preferred primary schools this year.
There are around 6,795 children needing a primary school place this year, and 6,471 (95.23%) children will receive their first preference school. This is similar to last year's impressive 95.75% and 95.39% in 2021.
A further 245 children (3.61%) have been offered their second preference, and 28 (0.41%) their third preference. A small minority of children, 51 (0.75%), will be offered a local school that isn’t one of their three preferences.
The vast majority of parents/carers will receive an e-mail containing a secure link to their offer letter on 17 April – go to our school admissions pages for further information.
Parents have until noon on 19 May 2023 to lodge an appeal against a school's decision not to offer a place. If they return the appeal by the deadline, it will be heard before the start of the school year. If it is received late, it will still be heard, but this may be in September.
Because of appeals and movement on the reserve list, it is usual for the percentage of first preference to increase by the time children start in September.
Martin Smith, assistant director for education, said: “I'm delighted to see so many children getting their first choice school and this number should be even higher by September. It's always our intention to support as many parents as possible with their preferences, and, yet again this year, the overwhelming majority of parents have been successful in gaining admission to the school of their choice.”