Over 98 per cent of parents in Hampshire have been offered a place for their child, at one their preferred choices for a secondary school, by Hampshire County Council.
Of those who applied, by the deadline, for a Year 7 place for September 2019, more than 92 per cent have been offered a place at their first choice school.
Councillor Stephen Reid, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills, Human Resources and Performance, said: “I am pleased to see that once again we have been able to offer a very high number of pupils a place at one of their preferred secondary school choices. Given the size of the county and increasing demand for school places, this is a significant achievement. Although pupil numbers continue to rise, we can assure parents that our investment in schools to provide the additional places needed is keeping pace, thanks to our strong track record in planning for the future.
“I fully appreciate that there will be some disappointment for those parents who did not secure a place at one of their chosen schools, but every child whose parents applied for a place at a Hampshire secondary school, has been offered one. Over 90 per cent of Hampshire schools are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted and there are always individual schools with exceptionally high demand, which is a credit to the high standard of teaching at these schools.”
The County Council received 14,351 on-time applications this year – an increase of 370 applications compared to the number received for places in September 2018.
Pupils who did not secure a place at one of their chosen schools have been allocated a place at a school near to where they live, with available spaces. Parents have the right to appeal in these situations and their child’s name will be added to the waiting list for their preferred schools. Places do become available if parents change their mind, or families move home.
The admissions team is now busy processing primary school applications with offers due to go out to parents on 16 April 2019.
Click here for information on how to appeal against the a secondary school placement
