OVER 97 per cent of parents in Hampshire have been offered a place for their child at one of their preferred choices for a secondary school.

Of those who applied for a Year 7 place for September 2020 by the application deadline, more than 92 per cent have been offered a place at their first-choice school.

Cllr Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for education and skills said: “It is great to hear that yet again we have been able to offer a very high number of pupils a place at one of their three preferred secondary school choices. This is no small achievement when you consider the size of the Hampshire local authority area, and the rising demand for school places year on year. Hampshire parents should be reassured that with our continued investment in schools to provide the additional places, we are keeping pace with the growth in pupil numbers.”

“Every child whose parents applied for a place at a Hampshire secondary school has been offered one but, that said, I do understand that there will be some disappointment for those who did not secure a place at one of their chosen schools. With well over 90 per cent of Hampshire schools being rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, there are always individual schools with exceptional demand.”

Pupils who did not secure a place at one of their chosen schools have been allocated a place at the next nearest available school. 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 county council received 14,417 on-time applications this year – an increase of 66 applications compared to the number received for places in September 2019.

The admissions team is now busy processing primary school applications with offers due to go out to parents on April 16.